Is 4 strings really enough? (Oooo i went there)

[UglyDog]

Ok so it's a six in the cartoon, but the point stands. FWIW, I play 5s but I certainly don't consider myself even remotely superior to 4 players. Not a jot. We all play what we feel we need, to serve the way we want to play the music we want to play. Doesn't matter if it's a 13-string coffee table or a 2-string played with a slide (RIP Sandman). Animosity is absurd and counterproductive, and best left to guitarists.

Edited September 21, 2023 by UglyDog

[JapanAxe]

On 19/09/2023 at 22:41, chris_b said:

 

You need to play Dingwall basses.

FTFY!

 

Also it’s interesting how many posts in this thread are qualified by reference to the contributor’s own experience and preferences - which is exactly as it should be. If we want a barney we can always go to TalkBass…

[Baloney Balderdash]

6 minutes ago, UglyDog said:

Also fun fact, Jaco Pastorius's son, Felix Pastorius, who is also an absolute monster bass player, plays 6 string bass.

 

And if following that tendency statistically Felix's son will play a 9 string bass...

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[peteb]

52 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Also fun fact, Jaco Pastorius's son, Felix Pastorius, who is also an absolute monster bass player, plays 6 string bass.

 

And if following that tendency statistically Felix's son will play a 9 string bass...

 

 

But Jaco's nephew (David Pastorius) is another top pro bass player - playing around Florida with Pat Travers, Eric Gales and touring with Carl Palmer (among others). He seems quite happy with just 4 strings! 

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by peteb

[TeresaFR]

I recently switched to playing in D standard on my main bass and drop D on my other. I've never played a 5, but don't think I'd get along with the thicker neck or extra weight*, still I've always wanted some extra low notes** hence the recent switch. I hardly ever play above the 12th fret anyway so I've not exactly lost any upper register.

 

* Though I suspect my Schecter Riot probably weighs about the same as the 5 string version of my Schecter SLS Evil Twin would, but the Riot gets used on fewer songs.

** Oh yes, there's a spot of 5er envy, but this is a good balance for me.

[TeresaFR]

59 minutes ago, UglyDog said:

Ok so it's a six in the cartoon, but the point stands. FWIW, I play 5s but I certainly don't consider myself even remotely superior to 4 players. Not a jot. We all play what we feel we need, to serve the way we want to play the music we want to play. Doesn't matter if it's a 13-string coffee table or a 2-string played with a slide (RIP Sandman). Animosity is absurd and counterproductive, and best left to guitarists.

Daaamn! Bart plays a right-handed 6 string Warwick Thumb and he's a lefty! Wait, why's there a photo of Homer in a spacesuit on the classroom wall?

[Baloney Balderdash]

Jaco only needed 2 strings, yet he played a 4 string bass:

 

And here's the same guy playing a 12 string fretless bass:

 

[Boodang]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

Nothing wrong with that, we all indulge in a bit of GAS from time to time, that's mostly what Basschat is for. However don't ask us all to endorse your GAS. That's not what Basschat is for. 

Ah, but by endorsing the OPs GAS you can spend his money vicariously, which is great fun!

[Boodang]

 

3 hours ago, BigJHW said:

nah i'd rather be nice and buy a 4 string off someone on here that's nice enough sell them on here, rather than my usual trick of taking unwanted gear to bass direct and p/x'ing on something new lol

Out of interest, and a bit of a variation to the original thread I realise, but have you considered getting a custom 4 made so it exactly matches your GAS (sorry, I meant 'needs')?

I got this done by my local luthier, cheaper than a fender and to my exact needs.... until I want something different. 

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by Boodang

[TeresaFR]

24 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

But Jaco's nephew (David Pastorius) is another top pro bass player, playing around Florida with Pat Travers, Eric Gales, among others. He seems quite happy with just 4 strings! 

 

Honestly, Jaco "only ever needing a 4" is to me, a good enough reason to play anything but a four out of spite. And yes, that's as someone who just plays fours - I just find there's something quite arrogant about comparing everyone to Jaco. Not everyone has reverence for his music, and that's not saying we're better, we're just not him and I don't care to try. That being said, most of bass influences are or were 4 string players, they also almost always played some form of Fender and with a pick but why be limited to what players were doing 40-45 years ago if we don't want to be? Sorry, tangent.

[neepheid]

20 minutes ago, TeresaFR said:

Honestly, Jaco "only ever needing a 4" is to me, a good enough reason to play anything but a four out of spite. And yes, that's as someone who just plays fours - I just find there's something quite arrogant about comparing everyone to Jaco. Not everyone has reverence for his music, and that's not saying we're better, we're just not him and I don't care to try. That being said, most of bass influences are or were 4 string players, they also almost always played some form of Fender and with a pick but why be limited to what players were doing 40-45 years ago if we don't want to be? Sorry, tangent.

 

If it helps, I don't know anything about Jaco apart from "he was a famous (fretless) bass player" and I've no real desire to find out.  If I've heard him play on something it was an accident.

[peteb]

Let's not get into the bass players hating on Jaco thing on Basschat now. He is probably the most famous 'virtuoso' bass player and at his best he was astounding (whether you liked that type of music or not). When the drugs and mental illness kicked in, he could often be unlistenable.

 

The guy has been dead for 35 years now and whether he played anything other than a 4 string is hardly relevant to this thread. Let's face it, there were not too many 5 strings around when he was in his pomp. If he had lived and stayed healthy, it's quite likely that he would have also played 5 / 6 string basses. 

 

Edited September 21, 2023 by peteb

[martthebass]

11 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

If you're used to playing 5 stringers then why go back to 4 ?

Personally i've tried 5 and 6 stringers over the years but i'm happier with 4 strings.

In the punk band  i have to tune down my E string to D for one song. I just do it between songs while the singer talks to the audience. Only takes a few seconds. I guess a drop D tuner would be the easy way around it but for one song it just wasn't worth it for me.

Have to say that after 20 happy yrs with a 5 er i can't see any benefit in going back to a 4 string bass.

Dave 

Into the valley?

[dmccombe7]

40 minutes ago, martthebass said:

Into the valley?

Spot on. 

Its not a song i really enjoy playing but lots of people like it. I just don't like the feel of the E string tuned down to D. It bounces too much altho fitting Elixirs few weeks ago has meant the tension is greater and i don't notice it so much. I've now ordered a set for the Glam bands main bass my Sandberg VM4.

Oh happy days.

Dave

[nilorius]

4;5 string is like best; better bass. No final answer available.

[ordep]

I also heard that the acoustic360 cabs are empty; the axefx rig is hidden somewhere. 

[BigJHW]

2 hours ago, Boodang said:

 

Out of interest, and a bit of a variation to the original thread I realise, but have you considered getting a custom 4 made so it exactly matches your GAS (sorry, I meant 'needs')?

I got this done by my local luthier, cheaper than a fender and to my exact needs.... until I want something different. 

 

I have indeed considered this, 4 string p/j with extender - but price wise as i'm not 10000% sure i wanna go that way it was a little more than i intend to spend on a 4 to get the ball rolling
YES it is an element of GAS as it's been a long donkey while since i bought owt bass related - but it also has a solid reason for wanting it - just need to try it and see how it feels (Ooooerrrrr)

[martthebass]

2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Spot on. 

Its not a song i really enjoy playing but lots of people like it. I just don't like the feel of the E string tuned down to D. It bounces too much altho fitting Elixirs few weeks ago has meant the tension is greater and i don't notice it so much. I've now ordered a set for the Glam bands main bass my Sandberg VM4.

Oh happy days.

Dave

Ditto, not one I’ve really played much but I was asked to play it at a jam a few weeks back. Drop D on a Mustang - not the most effective combo 😂

[miles'tone]

I'm pretty sure that originally the Jaco only needed 4 strings theory was misunderstood, very much the same as that of Schrodinger's Cat. A theory that was created with Schrodinger's tongue firmly in cheek, trolling those in Copenhagen and their interpretation of quantum mechanics at the time.

It was taken completely the wrong way and became a foundation argument to prove the opposite. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ahpook]

Jacob used four strings,

John Wayne had a six-gun

Use what comes to hand - you'll still have your fun.

Ben-Hur rode two wheels,

George Peppard had twelve

Don't worry about the others, you just do yourself.

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by ahpook

[Baloney Balderdash]

1 hour ago, ahpook said:

Jacob used four strings,

John Wayne had a six-gun

Use what comes to hand - you'll still have your fun.

Ben-Hur rode two wheels,

George Peppard had twelve

Don't worry about the others, you just do yourself.

 

Great! 

 

Not sure I approve on having fun with a gun though.

 

Also his name was John, not Jacob, though known as Jaco.

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[ahpook]

13 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Great!

 

Not sure I approve on having fun with a gun though.

 

Also his name was John, not Jacob, though known as Jaco.

 

 

It's just a typo

Just a slip

The thrust remains

Within the frame

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by ahpook

[miles'tone]

Surely George Peppard was a 4 wheel man,

As in the count of alloys on The A-Team van,

There could be 12 on an aeroplane,

where B.A. Baracus would have to be restrained. 

(pass the milk)

[Baloney Balderdash]

4 plus times one half is 6

I know as little, I know just this

Now to the matter at hand

When it comes to a band

It's a matter of simple supply and demand

So when it's all hands down to the beat

Who cares about the number of strings?

As long as your fingers move to the rhythm of the feet

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[ezbass]

First up, are 4 strings enough?  Every time I see the thread title, it makes my teeth itch. Sorry for the pedantry.

 

Now…

 

Anthony says no, they’re not,

 

But, then again, he says they are,

 

Whatever suits you to get the job done and Tony says, “Who needs 4.”