Buying my first fiver

[TheLowDown]

I don't think the quality of the B string has much to do with whether the bass is budget or expensive. It appears to be more to do with the correct setup of the strings such as avoiding them being twisted, using a reasonably balanced set, and using stainless steel strings (nickel and nickel plated B-strings always sound awful to me, as if it was from a different set of strings that went dead years ago).

Edited February 4, 2022 by TheLowDown

[Bassman666]

I've had multiple 5 strings over the last few years (lakland, musicman bongo, shuker, overwater, mayones etc) and do all my own basic setups as I know how I like them. I agree that a well setup can bass definitely helps with a good B string, however I've also found some basses just have a clearer b than others. For example I have an overwater with 35" scale and two laklands (one USA one Indonesian) that are both 35" scales, all of which are fitted with ernie ball nickel rounds. Both the laklands definitely have a clearer B string. The overwater is definitely not a bad B string just the laklands are better - to my ears anyway. I feel that the rigidity of the neck and density of the woods used can have a big difference on the clarity especially noticeable in the lower register. That's my two pence anyway 

[Downunderwonder]

See if you can get your head around floating thumb on your 4 first. That makes it much easier to switch onto 5 ime.

[T-Bay]

I tried a fiver, then got a digitech drop, fiver has gone, never looked back.

[Al Krow]

14 hours ago, T-Bay said:

I tried a fiver, then got a digitech drop, fiver has gone, never looked back.

 

If a pitch shift pedal gets you to where you want to be, then great.

 

But there's quite a lot more that switching to a 5 string can offer.

[Happy Jack]

14 hours ago, T-Bay said:

I tried a fiver, then got a digitech drop, fiver has gone, never looked back.

 

3 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

If a pitch shift pedal gets you to where you want to be, then great.

 

But there's quite a lot more that switching to a 5 string can offer.

 

And then of course there's combining a Digitech Drop with a 5-string bass, which is what I do and will be doing again tonight. 

 

Because our vocalist can't reach Radar Love in F# (original key) we play it in E. There's no way that I can get the feel of the original if I play that bassline in E, regardless of whether I choose the open E string or 5th fret on the B string, but the pedal does the job nicely.

[T-Bay]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

If a pitch shift pedal gets you to where you want to be, then great.

 

But there's quite a lot more that switching to a 5 string can offer.

I am sure you are right, but looking at the number of them for sale/ in use, I think most players can be happy with the four. I tried five purely to cope with a few songs we do in odd tunings. I also restrung a precision BEAD but didn’t find any advantage for me. There will always be those with 5/6/7 strings and use to them to great effect but I am not one of those and the drop pedal does what I need and is an option that easy to try at minimal expense. Like everything, some will love them and you can only know by trying.

[BillyBass]

16 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

See if you can get your head around floating thumb on your 4 first. That makes it much easier to switch onto 5 ime.

The floating thumb is how I learnt to mute a 4 string, its now a habit, the thumb floats without me having to think about it.  Nevertheless, I do have a bit of work to do on the muting with the fiver I bought a couple of hours ago.

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, T-Bay said:

I am sure you are right, but looking at the number of them for sale/ in use, I think most players can be happy with the four.

 

Generalisations like this will always be inaccurate.

[Munurmunuh]

Just now, chris_b said:

 

Generalisations like this will always be inaccurate.

 

Generalisations like this are only sometimes accurate

[T-Bay]

12 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

Generalisations like this will always be inaccurate.

It’s an observation not a generalisation, most people on here play 4 strings, most basses for sale across the market are four string, most professional players use 4 strings. If they weren’t happy with 4 strings they would change surely?

[BillyBass]

I drove down to Andertons this morning rather than Guitarguitar as they seemed to have more choice.  I tried the Charvel first it it was lovely.  It sounded good, felt good and looked good.  I tried a Sire V7 after that and it was fine but the Charvel had turned my head.  I was interested in trying a fender Player Plus but they didn't have any in the little bass room.  There were some Dingwalls but my missus would have killed me if I'd spent that much.  I'm not a great fan of Ibanez stuff so I didn't bother with the Ibanez 5 string they had.

 

So I bought the Charvel.

 

My first impressions with the world of 5 strings are:  I like having 2 octaves right there without having to run down to the dusty end.  The B string doesn't sound as good as the other strings, though it doesn't sound bad.  I will try some of the ideas re strings that @TheLowDown suggested but I have just brought it home and started noodling, I haven't set it up yet.

[BillyBass]

Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas V courtesy of Andertons

[binky_bass]

Very handsome sir! 

[BillyBass]

6 minutes ago, binky_bass said:

Very handsome sir! 

Handsome isn't the word I'd use.  Red, gold and cream!  This is a burlesque bass.

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

And then of course there's combining a Digitech Drop with a 5-string bass, which is what I do and will be doing again tonight. 

 

Because our vocalist can't reach Radar Love in F# (original key) we play it in E. There's no way that I can get the feel of the original if I play that bassline in E, regardless of whether I choose the open E string or 5th fret on the B string, but the pedal does the job nicely.

 

Yup I can see the merit in that and I'm now very tempted to follow in your footsteps!

[Bassman666]

Love the look of them Charvel basses and have been very tempted myself. Looks like a lovely first 5 string 😁 congrats! 

[BillyBass]

3 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

 

 

And then of course there's combining a Digitech Drop with a 5-string bass, which is what I do and will be doing again tonight. 

 

Because our vocalist can't reach Radar Love in F# (original key) we play it in E. There's no way that I can get the feel of the original if I play that bassline in E, regardless of whether I choose the open E string or 5th fret on the B string, but the pedal does the job nicely.

I searched for these after trying yours but they seem to be another casualty of the pandemic.  One did come up on the 'Effects for sale' forum a week or so ago but I really shouldn't spend any more on bass stuff for a while.

[Munurmunuh]

1 hour ago, BillyBass said:

The B string doesn't sound as good as the other strings

 

This is an idle question from someone who's never even touched a five string.... if you tweak the blend and the EQ until you've got the B sounding just how you want it.... how are the other 4 strings sounding?

[Dazed]

Congrats on your purchase! Nice looking basses. 
Give the bass a check over regarding the low B string. Make sure it’s seated correctly in the nut and bridge saddle. Maybe try rewinding it. Check the pickup height too. 
Hopefully it isn’t an issue with the bass itself. 

[BillyBass]

1 hour ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

This is an idle question from someone who's never even touched a five string.... if you tweak the blend and the EQ until you've got the B sounding just how you want it.... how are the other 4 strings sounding?

 

1 hour ago, Dazed said:

Congrats on your purchase! Nice looking basses. 
Give the bass a check over regarding the low B string. Make sure it’s seated correctly in the nut and bridge saddle. Maybe try rewinding it. Check the pickup height too. 
Hopefully it isn’t an issue with the bass itself. 

On further investigation/experimentation, I have found a nice tone on that B string with the bridge pick up soloed and a small boost of the mids.  Nice and barky but without the G string peeling paint off the walls.  I like that Jaco sound and with my Fender Player 4 string jazz I normally have the bridge pup on full and the neck just a little, with the tone on full.  I'm not used to active EQs or B strings so my initial thoughts were uninformed.  there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the B string

 

I'm not used to the string spacing yet but I don't think it will take long, I can play chords on my Strat after all.

 

[BillyBass]

Another plus point of this bass is the luminlay side dots.  They are quite effective.  I turned the lights out for a bit to carry on adjusting to the new bass in the dark and the side dots really work well, just from the LED downlights in my lounge that it had been playing under previously, not from shining an ultra violet torch on them.