Going Custom - 4 or 5 String

[BassApprentice]

This is purely hypothetical as my current situation means I can't afford don't need any form of new bass but it's a question that I've pondered a fair few times.

If I were to get a bass made for me, do I go 4 or 5? I play both and appreciate they both have their uses and advantages. I view 4 string as the instrument where I can do more technical tricks like slapping etc but 5s for me cover a lot of bases and I do like having the 5th string.

So really, I'm asking what people in a similar situation did when commissiong their first big expensive toy and why they chose 4 or 5?

[thodrik]

With enough work you can pretty much do all the technical stuff on a five as you can on a four. 

So for that reason alone I would say to go with a five. Otherwise you will buy the four and like it so much that you will wish you had a five string version of it. This has happened with me twice now with Sadowsky and Vigier basses.

I would like to say that going for the five string in the first place would have saved me money. The truth is that I would probably have bought a four and five string version of each bass in any event.

Edited July 7, 2020 by thodrik

[BassBunny]

I went with a 5 string for my first Custom build. Since then I haven't played anything else. Don't even own a 4 string now.

[Woodinblack]

Tricky one isn't it, if you use both. 

I guess it would have to match the bass you picked up most

Edited July 7, 2020 by Woodinblack

[chris_b]

What do you play? If you're asking which one, I guess you play both? So which is your favourite bass now, a 4 or a 5? If it's a 4 order a 5 and vice versa.

What is your budget? Overwater has several basses in their shop for immediate sale. These are fantastic instruments. If I ever get to it one of these will be my next bass.

https://shop.overwaterbasses.com/collections/new-basses

Edited July 7, 2020 by chris_b

[Grahambythesea]

Go 5!

[Grangur]

If it were me, I'd like a 5, but as I'd like this exotic custom bass to be my go-to for everything, I'd be asking the builder how light-weight they can make the 5er. I want this bass to be a joy to play, well balanced and ticking all my boxes.

This is really a situation where you need to pick a builder you like trust to ask you all the right questions and come up with something that answers all the questions you didn't even know you should be asking.

[itu]

If the instrument you are after exists, go for that. If the instrument must look like a Sadowsky, buy a Sadowsky. But if you have a vision of your dream tool, consider a luthier. Talk to the pro and check, whether you get along. If you don't, the instrument will not be your baby.

You already have an instrument or few. Put them in front of you and ask yourself what is wrong with them. Are those issues adjustable by a luthier? Then you could get a semi-custom, that can be your dream bass.

There are many details to be considered like weight, neck profile, string spacing, colours, shapes, hardware, half-fretted, your possible anatomic issues (hands, back, neck...), and so on. Your (limited) abilities to transfer the ideas to an actual custom instrument (or a semi-custom one) is the reason you have to be able to discuss every detail with the maker. If you do not get the connection, go elsewhere.

Once more: if you want something that exists, go for that. That is far cheaper than building a copy of it.

[4000]

10 hours ago, BassApprentice said:

This is purely hypothetical as my current situation means I can't afford don't need any form of new bass but it's a question that I've pondered a fair few times.

If I were to get a bass made for me, do I go 4 or 5? I play both and appreciate they both have their uses and advantages. I view 4 string as the instrument where I can do more technical tricks like slapping etc but 5s for me cover a lot of bases and I do like having the 5th string.

So really, I'm asking what people in a similar situation did when commissiong their first big expensive toy and why they chose 4 or 5?

I went the whole hog and chose a 6.😁 The next two were 4s, and if I was ordering again it’d be a 4.

To be honest, I’ve never played a 5 or 6 (and I’ve played a lot and have owned a few top notch ones) that’s really done what I want tonally, which is the main reason I no longer bother with them. However, I’m not you. I’d go for the one you’re likely to use more. 

[Geek99]

I’ve only ever bought one bass specified by me and I wanted a 70s 3Tsb precision. Simple choices. 

If we’re talking “coffee-table with strings custom”, I’d get a five so I didn’t have to buy two. You can always not use the B 
 

those overwaters are so much better at playing bass than I am that I may as well be on Mars

Edited July 7, 2020 by Geek99

[Jellyfish]

If it's going to be a 'one bass to rule them all' sort of situation, then definitely 5.  

[Cuzzie]

4 string BEAD 35” personalised

[Paulhauser]

So far I had only one custom bass made for me.

Most probably I will not do another custom since I have a selection of basses that are matrching my preferences and I don't feel that I miss anything that only a custom made instrument would solve. 

Anyway,  when my custom MLP bass was built I choose 5 strings as the B string was (is) essential to most of the music I play at gigs and also did not want  to loose the G string (as in a 4 string BEAD setup)

Even today I own "only" two 4 string basses, one is a 35" Spector tuned to BEAD and is my main gigging bass for my band and the other is another Spector 1977 which is tuned EADG and is super fun to play those songs that don't require a low B. 

[therealting]

Personally, I would only go custom if I couldn’t get it through an production instrument. I find that my tastes change as a player, sometimes even within the time period that a custom bass would take to arrive. Depreciation is generally HORRENDOUS with customs, especially if you’ve gone for something unorthodox (which is possible if it’s something you haven’t found in a production instrument). I like biding my time and waiting for secondhand customs etc which match what I want. It’s a fun game, and if you change your mind and decide to move it on, it generally hasn’t cost you anything to try it out. 

[thedontcarebear]

9 hours ago, therealting said:

Personally, I would only go custom if I couldn’t get it through an production instrument. I find that my tastes change as a player, sometimes even within the time period that a custom bass would take to arrive. Depreciation is generally HORRENDOUS with customs, especially if you’ve gone for something unorthodox (which is possible if it’s something you haven’t found in a production instrument). I like biding my time and waiting for secondhand customs etc which match what I want. It’s a fun game, and if you change your mind and decide to move it on, it generally hasn’t cost you anything to try it out. 

I agree with this nowdays - I don't think I'll ever get a custom bass again, I've had 3 made for me specifically in the past - I don't own any of them now (I am pretty sure people on this forum do though!)

However, in regards to 4 or 5 - that is completely personal, and all the basses I had custom made were 4 string (I think!)

Edited July 9, 2020 by thedontcarebear

[chris_b]

A custom bass would be no good for me. I'd want to play a bass before I decided to buy it.

My Sadowsky is a Metro, made in Japan. I think it's a good one. I've played several other Sadowsky's including 2 NYC's (supposedly the pinnacle of Sadowsky bass building) and 2 more Metros. . . . and I didn't like any of them. Even if I didn't have my Metro for comparison I wouldn't have bought any of those basses.

I'm usually not a picky guy, but none of those basses felt "right".  So ordering a custom bass would be too much of a gamble for me.

[PaulThePlug]

It would be great if you could spec a guitar from Major Manufactures. The likes of Ibanez and Yamaha produce a varied range... Fender maybe less options...  It shouldn't be impossible to build from a drop down list... A Parts Bin Special... like specing a car...

Then shipped via the countries distributer to your chosen dealer, or directvdelivery.

Body - Shape and Wood / Neck - Fingerboard and Inlays / Pickups - Switches and Controls / Finish - Colour And Wood...

[Rich]

I've played 5s almost exclusively since 1994. So when I had my Shuker made in 2007, it was a bit of an obvious choice.   I still have 4s, but they don't get much of a look-in.

[4000]

3 hours ago, chris_b said:

A custom bass would be no good for me. I'd want to play a bass before I decided to buy it.

My Sadowsky is a Metro, made in Japan. I think it's a good one. I've played several other Sadowsky's including 2 NYC's (supposedly the pinnacle of Sadowsky bass building) and 2 more Metros. . . . and I didn't like any of them. Even if I didn't have my Metro for comparison I wouldn't have bought any of those basses.

I'm usually not a picky guy, but none of those basses felt "right".  So ordering a custom bass would be too much of a gamble for me.

It is a huge gamble. The only one of mine that came out as expected was my Alembic.

[Obra]

Been there, done that....4

[Lfalex v1.1]

5.

But I'm less sure about the custom aspect. 

I've had 2 custom instruments. The clue is that the statement is in the past tense.

On paper, they were fine. In practice, they weren't so good. Even if you know what you want to the Nth degree,  the outcome depends on the luthier's ability to actually realise your vision.

I'd never do it again.

I could,  however, be tempted to build what i wanted from parts and learn as I go along.

[Paul S]

When I started trying 5 string basses I kissed an awful lot of frogs but slowly edged towards what I required.  I wanted a 5 string, lightweight, narrow necked Precision bass, preferably in black with a maple neck.  Fender didn't make one.  I ended up getting one made via the  Maruszczyk custom shop.  It obviously isn't a complete custom job but as I wanted a 'standard' Precision-shaped bass this made sense.  For pretty much all the aspects of the bass you are given choices so you end up with a bass that is tailored to your requirements - but of course within the available parameters.  It was good enough for me and I have an instrument I couldn't be more pleased with.  And I don't think it was anywhere near as expensive as a full custom job.

[jazzyvee]

If I was to order a custom, from a physical playing aspect it would be exactly the same as my current bass, neck body pickups string spacing hardware etc. The only differences would be cosmetic such as different "Coffee Table" woods 🙂  and modifications to the electronics for quick tone changes but since I can get that mod done for my current bass, Having a custom just for those few things would not justify the cost. 
That said I can see the attraction for a custom bass and if I was able to afford one I'd go with a brand I was completely familiar with their basses rather than an unknown. 

[Skybone]

Which of your current basses do you play the most, the 4 string, or the 5 string?

If the 4 strings get played the most, then get a 4 string.

If the 5 strings get played the most, then get a 5 string.

 

[BassApprentice]

Thanks for all the opinions so far! 

As I said it's purely hypothetical and I flip flop in what I want far too often just now to commit to a 6 month+ waiting time for any bass. Just thought it was an interesting conundrum for those who regularly play 4 and 5 string.