Al Krow Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 I'm just starting out on 5'ers, but a discussion with some of my BC buddies got me thinking: Actually, do the best pro-bass players mainly play 4 strings?! (And if it's good enough for them...) What great albums / tracks have 5 string bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 1 minute ago, Al Krow said: Actually, do the best pro-bass players mainly play 4 strings?! (And if it's good enough for them...) Yes , i do. Always have done 🐵 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 (edited) They'd generally play what they need for the gig. Sometimes a band leader might specify a certain instrument. I've never personally had that, but I do know people who have been told they must use a P bass or something. I know someone who did a musical based on the 1950s, the band were visible on stage, it had to 'look' right. Dave Swift is one of the UK’s busiest, his main bass at the moment is a 6 string Ibanez, though he plays others depending I guess on what the gig requires. Anthony Jackson always plays his 6 string Fodera. John Patitucci always plays a 6 string, usually a Yamaha. Jimmy Haslip plays a 6 string Roscoe. Edited July 10, 2018 by ambient 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 I think Nathan East plays 5 strings all the time. In public anyway 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 There are many pro players that use a five string in the studio but not live (or not often at least). Flea - Red hot chili peppers Stuart zener - Jamiroquai Jamareo Artis - Bruno Mars Off the top of my head. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 It is of absolutely no importance to me what other bass players do. Besides the best bass lines on most albums released since the early 80s were synthesised or sampled and played by a sequencer. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Many pit band bassists are pro and most of those appear to be five string players ime, some mighty fine musicians out there from musical theatre groups right upto Broadway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 13 minutes ago, BigRedX said: Besides the best bass lines on most albums released since the early 80s were synthesised or sampled and played by a sequencer. Really?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 17 minutes ago, stingrayPete1977 said: There are many pro players that use a five string in the studio but not live (or not often at least). Flea - Red hot chili peppers Stuart zener - Jamiroquai Jamareo Artis - Bruno Mars Off the top of my head. Ok, you've just named three bassists whom many of us (me included) consider to be awesome. Are their studio albums done on 5 string as far as you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 19 minutes ago, Len_derby said: I think Nathan East plays 5 strings all the time. In public anyway 😉 He played his 6-tring Yamaha when we saw him in GAK a couple of years ago. He didn't bring a BBNE2: he thought that GAK would have loads of them hanging on the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 It's just a tool. I play a 5 purely because I get piano scores rather than bass parts and I like to be able to play the low end without having to thing about changing things. Half the time I don't use the lowest notes but I have more positions to play in because I can play across the board rather than up and down. TBH anyone who does the "4 was good enough for Jaco" routine is a weapons grade silly billy. There were hardly any 5 string basses around at the time. There was the 15 fret Fender V 1965 but the first really popular 5 was the Stingray and that wasn't introduced until 1987. The year Jaco died. Wal and Alembic did some before that but they weren't common or affordable. Who knows what he would have done if he had lived longer. But one thing I am sure of - he wouldn't have said - "Oh look! a 3 string double bass was good enough for Bottesini so that's good enough for everyone" 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 15 minutes ago, Al Krow said: Ok, you've just named three bassists whom many of us (me included) consider to be awesome. Are their studio albums done on 5 string as far as you know? I know Flea uses a black Stingray 5 on some tracks, Zender had a pink Stingray five, and Artis has fancy custom basses in both four and five string versions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, fretmeister said: TBH anyone who does the "4 was good enough for Jaco" routine is a weapons grade silly billy. There were hardly any 5 string basses around at the time. There was the 15 fret Fender V 1965 but the first really popular 5 was the Stingray and that wasn't introduced until 1987. The year Jaco died. Wal and Alembic did some before that but they weren't common or affordable. Who knows what he would have done if he had lived longer. But one thing I am sure of - he wouldn't have said - "Oh look! a 3 string double bass was good enough for Bottesini so that's good enough for everyone" Jaco liked 5 strings: That's a Gretsch (or a Guild? can't remember, think it began with a G) and a custom acoustic he specced I think. Edited July 10, 2018 by lemmywinks 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 The best bass players (pro or otherwise) are the guys playing the best bass lines. Who cares what instrument they used. Do what the best pro players do. . . make your own decisions and resist following the herd. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 1 hour ago, Al Krow said: Really?! Absolutely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 1 minute ago, BigRedX said: Absolutely! In what dimension? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Dave Pegg - one of the very best - plays a fan-fretted Ibanez SDG 5. And a beautiful thing it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 4 hours ago, BigRedX said: Besides the best bass lines on most albums released since the early 80s were synthesised or sampled and played by a sequencer. 'Best' is of course entirely subjective, but most albums? Really? I doubt that somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 The majority of my playing and recording is all done on the same 6 string bass, thank you for asking! 😂😂😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 (edited) 13 hours ago, BigRedX said: It is of absolutely no importance to me what other bass players do. Besides the best bass lines on most albums released since the early 80s were synthesised or sampled and played by a sequencer. Sorry this is bollocks There are 100,s if not 1000,s of great bass lines since the 80s that were played on an electric bass. Or is it just the greatest basslines you like.? If it's of absolutely no importance to you what other bass players do, why bother commenting. In fact why even take part in the forum Edited July 11, 2018 by bubinga5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 (edited) 53 minutes ago, bubinga5 said: Sorry this is bollocks There are 100,s if not 1000,s of great bass lines since the 80s that were played on an electric bass. Or is it just the greatest basslines you like.? If it's of absolutely no importance to you what other bass players do, why bother commenting. In fact why even take part in the forum Edited July 11, 2018 by skidder652003 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Tools for the job, most of the theatre acts and music shows I`ve seen the bassists have used fivers, whereas on the punk scene a five string bass is rare - if ever - to be seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 16 hours ago, Al Krow said: Ok, you've just named three bassists whom many of us (me included) consider to be awesome. Are their studio albums done on 5 string as far as you know? Flea played a Stingray 5 on The Righteous and The Wicked from BSSM. The rest of the album he played a Wal (mk2 IIRC) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LewisK1975 Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Billy Sheehan does seem to have an aversion to 5/6 string Basses. On the (drop tuned) Sons of Apollo record, he's used a 4-string tuned BEAD, and is actually touring using a double neck, which has BEAD on the lower neck, and EADG on the upper neck which is used for his solo spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 11, 2018 Author Share Posted July 11, 2018 13 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: ... whereas on the punk scene a five string bass is rare - if ever - to be seen. I did want make some cheeky comment here about our punk brethren not wanting to be considered "intellectual" by being able to count to more than 4 (are there any punk tracks not in 4/4?) but I must resist! 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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