4-string with octave pedal instead of 5-string?

[jrixn1]

32 minutes ago, chris_b said:

If you don't have clarity on the B string then you need a better bass, better set up or better strings. One of the three.

I'd perhaps add technique to the list.  My B string sounded better once I learned not to hammer it.  (Actually my playing improved in general on all strings.)

[Cuzzie]

5 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

MarloweDK can't be bothered to detune (or use a P bass...) but I think he still does a fine job.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0GQ1F9HDVU

He is super cool and his Sig bass is awesome

[bassbiscuits]

2 hours ago, jrixn1 said:

MarloweDK can't be bothered to detune (or use a P bass...) but I think he still does a fine job.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0GQ1F9HDVU

That’s good going. I reckon he’d still sound better with that low E flat though.. 🙂

[Elfrasho]

I've went between 4, 5, and 6 over the years and I'm back to 4. I've came to realise that the 4 is enough for 99 percent of tunes, and when it's not, I just need to accept that I need to play up the octave. I use octaver a little bit but even that is just for a wee bit of colour, not necessarily to extend the range! 

 

Saying that, it's very satisfying hitting the b string on a good 5string through a big pa! It's a head turner! 😂

[StickyDBRmf]

Let's see that new bass! No five strings here, (when I had one it was specificly ordered "high C"), and I would drop to D on the E string. I tune my basses any way I want, I like looser strings, since my main axe is a Chapman Stick, and that goes to A. I have four basses, and I can't tell you if ANY of them are tuned EADG right now...Personally I can't see the point in playing bass and not experimenting. (Uh, oh, someone's typing...) 

[Caz]

On 18/02/2021 at 23:41, StickyDBRmf said:

Let's see that new bass!

Here it is. Put lighter strings on it and got help yesterday to set it up to make it easier to play, as the action was really high. There are two battery compartments to use it as an active bass, I'll pick up some batteries today for this. I'm happy to see it also works in passive mode. Sounds good so far, still figuring out what all the knobs do. It came with a gig bag but no instruction manual, and the ones on the Fender website look like older models, so am a bit unsure about some of the basics. Playing-wise, it's very nice although I think it'll take me a while to get used to having the 5th string there as even the most basics tunes are taking some thought, but I'm enjoying playing it so far.

Thanks again for all the help. One option which might be nice to try in future, if I've joined a cover band and have more of an idea of requirements, could be putting a higher string on it instead EADGC and using a drop D-tuner.

[pineweasel]

49 minutes ago, Caz said:

Sounds good so far, still figuring out what all the knobs do. It came with a gig bag but no instruction manual, and the ones on the Fender website look like older models, so am a bit unsure about some of the basics

This doc explains the controls, on page 5. 
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Original/10001/014361_Deluxe Jazz Bass V Active Service Manual.pdf
It seems that none of the tone controls will work unless you put batteries in, although I find that a little surprising. The active basses I’ve owned have always had some sort of passive tone control. 

[Doddy]

1 hour ago, pineweasel said:

It seems that none of the tone controls will work unless you put batteries in, although I find that a little surprising. The active basses I’ve owned have always had some sort of passive tone control. 

It's not that unusual. I've got 5 active basses that don't have any passive options.

[Cato]

2 hours ago, Caz said:

still figuring out what all the knobs do.

I think it's the same preamp as on my Deluxe PJ, in which case the controls are (from the top) volume, pickup pan, treble/bass (stacked) and mids on the end.

Edited February 20, 2021 by Cato

[mcnach]

On 16/02/2021 at 19:45, SpondonBassed said:

Not so.  A five string will give you a greater choice of positions from which to play.  You needn't travel up and down the neck as much.

 

This.

I'm a recent convert to 5 string, I admit. It happened by accident, I just found a bass that felt good and as I don't have any gigs or anything and I won't for quite some time I figured why not 'relearning'. I rarely use the lower notes I now have at my disposal, perhaps down to D, but what REALLY feels good to me is the ability to play a lot more across the strings. It's actually easier than a 4 string in the same way that a 4 string will feel easier than a bass with only 2 strings. 

There are pedals that can be handy, as mentioned earlier, and the Hipshot Bass X-tender (often called D-tuner) is pretty handy too (in fact I wouldn't rule out installing it even on a 5-string, simply for those drop-D tunes when you want to bounce around that open D string, but that's another story), but a 5-string is a really nice tool that would make your life much easier in the long run. I wouldn't rule it out, but I wouldn't buy without trying. I owned many 5-string basses over the years and I didn't gel with any of them... until the right one (for me) just happened to come along.

[chris_b]

I couldn't see it listed, but this bass appears to have an 18v preamp. The mid control is the passive tone control. I'd get used to playing this bass as is before you start planning to alter it. Evaluate what you've got, then decide if you need to make any changes.

[pineweasel]

1 hour ago, Doddy said:

It's not that unusual. I've got 5 active basses that don't have any passive options.

Yes, I have a couple like that, but the ones that can also be operated passively have a passive tone control of some sort