Does anyone actually use their B string?

[kumimajava]

25 minutes ago, Horizontalste said:

I use it loads, I think the fretboard on a five makes far more sense in terms of visualising shapes. With two octaves under your fingers the standard forms we all use are less broken.

yeah, this from me too. Use the B-string a lot, not just for low-note access

[chris_b]

As long as players look at a 5 string bass as 4 +1 they will never get the most out of the instrument.

[Matt P]

i've been playing 5 strings for more than 10 years (possibly 15?) I play a lot in church and a large amount of the music is composed on keyboard instruments (piano and organ) so Eb is quite common, and different singers have their favoured keys so i need to be able to transpose on the fly (often the music will be a lyric sheet with scribbled on chords for the guitarist to use a capo) I find that my 5 strings are so much easier to use in this situation, i occasionally use my 4 strings (especially the 77 p-bass) but it's usually a little more work.

with my covers band i find that if i take a 4 string i'm always missing the low b string.

the main problem that I had with 5 strings when i started was bad technique, i finally had some proper tuition (rather than busking it and using my old guitarist technique) learning floating thumb technique and how to play multi-octave scales really helped to tighten up my playing. i find that i move across the strings rather than up and down the neck and as a result i can play faster and for longer before i tire.

 

my only issue now is that i recently discovered 30" scale basses so now i have GAS for a 30" 5 string (which isn't a common instrument!)

 

Matt

[MartinB]

I use the B string:

- as a thumbrest: all the time
- to transpose songs downwards for the singer without needing to re-tune: regularly
- to move patterns up the neck to make them easier to play: a fair bit
- to play songs that were originally in Eb standard tuning or on a 5-string: sometimes
- to play any note below a low D : almost never

[Muzz]

3 hours ago, chris_b said:

As long as players look at a 5 string bass as 4 +1 they will never get the most out of the instrument.

I look at them as 4 + big fat neck... 😀

[Woodinblack]

7 hours ago, Roger2611 said:

I tried 5 stringers but struggled to get on with them and ended up selling them on, in Yodaclub my bass work tends to be higher more melodic lines which suits a 4 string perfectly, however, now I am also playing in a rock band I find I need two basses, one in std tuning and one in dropped to D,

 

A detuner sounds like a good option for you though

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, Muzz said:

I look at them as 4 + big fat neck... 😀

Luckily not quite as big as a P bass, so I can live with it!

[HazBeen]

Depends on the band, but when I am depping, jamming, playing drop tuned or synth based songs I always take my 5. Could not live (musically) without one.

[josie]

9 hours ago, BigRedX said:

That's your problem right there. If your bass isn't producing a decent sounding and feeling low B string it's because either the bass itself isn't well enough made, or that you aren't using the most suitable strings for getting a good low B.

On my first bass, the GMR 5, the B string is as tight and clear as any of the others, so I assumed that was standard, and had a nasty shock when I found out it isn't. Even the Fender Jazz+ 5, which was a well-made top spec bass, has a B string so floppy it's barely playable. (I'm trying, and failing, to sell mine.) 

As said a good 5 has to be designed as such, sticking a 5th string onto a 4 design as an afterthought isn't going to work. A bit OT, but I dislike 4/1 headstocks because they look as if the 5th string is an afterthought, even if in fact it's a well designed bass and all five strings are good. 

[steantval]

Never, both my MM’s only have 4 strings.

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, josie said:

A bit OT, but I dislike 4/1 headstocks because they look as if the 5th string is an afterthought, even if in fact it's a well designed bass and all five strings are good. 

Same here - its a 'well, we are going to throw a tuner here, its the only place spare' look

[chris_b]

The 3+1 and 4+1 headstock's are a design which keeps the head smaller and reduces the likelihood of neck dive.

[tauzero]

Headless 5-strings are the way to go.

[Woodinblack]

7 hours ago, chris_b said:

The 3+1 and 4+1 headstock's are a design which keeps the head smaller and reduces the likelihood of neck dive.

Don't mind 3+1 too much, that looks like trying to solve an issue, 4+1 looks like an afterthought. 3+2 is fine, which is what I have on pretty well all my 5s, but spec'd my Maruszczyk with for weight.

[BreadBin]

13 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Don't mind 3+1 too much, that looks like trying to solve an issue, 4+1 looks like an afterthought. 3+2 is fine, which is what I have on pretty well all my 5s, but spec'd my Maruszczyk with for weight.

I'm with you on this, 4+1 looks unbalanced to me.

[Newfoundfreedom]

I keep telling myself I'll try a five string once I get the hang of four. Well it's 30 years since I first picked up a four string and I'm still only just finding my feet (to be fair I didn't play for about 28 of those 30 years) so at this point I think a fiver would just confuse matters. Especially as I don't actually "need" one, nothing we play is below E. 

The only time I'm actually tempted is when I see a fiver I like come up for sale at a good price. I nearly caved and bought a Schecter on here a few weeks ago. If it had been a four string I'd have snapped it up, but even then I couldn't quite convince myself that I needed a fiver. 

Edited March 8, 2019 by Newfoundfreedom

[FinnDave]

I've never played a five string - after 40 or so years playing 4 strings bass, I moved to a six string. I use the high C and low B strings less than the other strings, but they are useful, mainly to allow me to stay closer to the middle of the neck where I prefer the tone. 

I occasionally play the notes that only the low B can provide, mainly when going for Lesh-style 'bass bombs'.

[Paul S]

When my 'classic rock covers' band decided to morph into a 'Bon Jovi tribute' band a couple of years ago I had little choice but start playing 5 strings as there are too many songs in their back catalogue that need the extra low notes.  I changed to playing exclusively 5 string basses, used the 5er in my other band, finding as others have reported that playing across the neck - not just using the deeper notes - is the way to go.  Once I got used to it I really liked it and sold off all but one of my 4 strings, a Squier JV Precision.

Just very recently I started up with a blues power trio and kept looking longingly at the JV, thinking how suitable it would be.  So I stuck some flats on it and discovered that I was able to quickly adapt back to 4 strings, at least in terms of switching from one band's set list to another.  There is nothing I play with the blues band that I couldn't do on the 5 string but the JV is so nice it seemed a shame not to use it.  I've since gone completely jelly knee'd over a Gibson G3, too, so now have two 4 stringers. 

So it seems that, for me, I will be switching between 4 and 5 strings for the foreseeable.  Not because of any limitations of the 5, just because I have acquired some damned fine 4 string basses it would be  shame not to use.  The main thing I found is that, just like 4 string basses, you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince as not all necks or B strings are created equal.

[JamieMillsBass]

I use it loads, easier fretting hand positioning for higher register stuff and I'm in a wedding band so we constantly shift keys about for the singer.  Fiver just makes some of the weird keys easier and sound better (we play Don't Stop believing in Db!), plus uptown funk and a load of other new Pop songs have been written on a five and I sold my Octave pedal a while back!

[PaulWarning]

so, whether you use/need a B string depends on what sort of music you play I guess

[Newfoundfreedom]

4 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

so, whether you use/need a B string depends on what sort of music you play I guess

I would say that is true of whether or not you need one, certainly in so much as whether or not you "need" to play the lower ranges in your chosen repertoire. 

Whether or not you use one (outside of the above) is totally down to personal preference as far as I can see. 

[Dazed]

Within the last week, through a rollercoaster set of events over the last 10 years I now (well almost) have all of my basses in one place. 

I mainly play 4s but like 5s too. I can see the advantages of playing a 5 - extra range, less shifting, wider patterns etc but always end up on a 4 string. 

In my mind  I think I should stick with a 5 and have a major cull, if I only had a 5 then I would naturally just play that. Things that stop me doing this:

1. So many “name” players get by their whole career without ever using anything other than 4 strings - why do I need more

2. I like the feel and am more comfortable on older instruments that have lived. I’m realising I don’t like new instruments. In the last 5 years I’ve bought and sold loads of basses. The ones I’ve kept and that get heavily used are a Limelight heavily reliced  50s P replica, a slightly abused Warwick Dolphin pro2 and mostly recently a mid 70s Ibanez ‘Backer copy that has blown my mind! All are 4 strings and not available as a 5.  I have 5 5s and none of them get a look in. It isn’t about quality or price tags. If there was something that could be give me that same ‘feeling’ mentally and physically of an old slightly rough around the edges pre loved 4 string with 5 strings then maybe I would make the change permanently, which leads me into point 3

3. The way I see it, I’ve played for 30+ years on and off, predominantly 4 strings. If I switched to only 5s then I think the only way for me is to remove all other options and get rid of the 4s......and that I think would be something I would regret later on. To build the same comfort and confidence playing a 5 is obviously going to take time and effort. While the ‘easier’ 4s are around I just won’t do it. 

 

I guess I need to keep looking .... or stop looking altogether and accept I’m happy with 4 strings. Of course this could all just be an excuse to keep buying basses. It is all just GAS?! 

[ricksterphil]

On 06/03/2019 at 21:26, super al said:

Slim neck, depth or width? (If you see what I mean).

The 5 string I have has a thin neck, very comfortable to play. Probably as easy on my left hand as my jazz bass.

Could i ask what make/model of 5 string has this slim neck?

[Dazed]

16 hours ago, josie said:

On my first bass, the GMR 5, the B string is as tight and clear as any of the others, so I assumed that was standard, and had a nasty shock when I found out it isn't. Even the Fender Jazz+ 5, which was a well-made top spec bass, has a B string so floppy it's barely playable. (I'm trying, and failing, to sell mine.) 

As said a good 5 has to be designed as such, sticking a 5th string onto a 4 design as an afterthought isn't going to work. A bit OT, but I dislike 4/1 headstocks because they look as if the 5th string is an afterthought, even if in fact it's a well designed bass and all five strings are good. 

I do always wonder this, how did you end up buying the Jazz if the B is a let down? 

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, PaulWarning said:

so, whether you use/need a B string depends on what sort of music you play I guess

You need one if you're playing below bottom E and don't want to tune to other than EADG or use octavers/pitch shifters.

You use one if your bass is equipped with one and you use it. I use it on trad music for ceilidhs, reggae, rock, pop, and jazz.