Time of the Fivers?

[Stub Mandrel]

Five strings really are mainstream now!

 

Flicking through the 'latest' activity I counted eight fivers, a four string and a double bass in the first ten istruments up for sale.

 

I was going to mention I have two, but realused I have three.

 

Personally I prefer four strings, but five seems to be the magic number where you can still play with a substantially normal tecnique and benefit from the extra range,  especially when combined with 24 frets. Six and seven just start to impose impossible stretches if you want to keep your thumb behind the neck.

 

Of course, my snapshot statistic could mean that everyone is trying to get rid of their fivers...

[Grahambythesea]

I thought you were referring to a shortage of fivers (£5). 😆

[neepheid]

76.3% of statistics are made up on the spot...

[TheGreek]

I only started playing 5ers seriously about 18 months ago. 

I think I have 10

[chris_b]

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

76.3% of statistics are made up on the spot...

 

I'm sure it's 86%.

 

I've been playing  5's since 1996. Back then you belonged to a secret society, but now they are mainstream in many musical genres.

 

They are more than a necessary evil, more than a 4 with a thumb rest, they are flexible and just sound good.

[Lozz196]

Five strings not for me, but that’s based on need not preference, if I needed one no doubt like @TheGreek I’d have 10.

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

I'm sure it's 86%.

 

Bollox - you just made that up!

 

[BigRedX]

I bought my first 5-string bass in 1989.

 

Apart from a couple of years when I was playing quite a bit of fretless and hadn't been able to find a 5-string version that I liked, I haven't played a 4-string bass since then.

[deepbass5]

When I only played a 4, all the best looking basses in the shop were 5's when I played only 5's all the best looking basses were 4's

[snorkie635]

I've been playing mostly 5s since '91, although I have recently bought a couple of fours and am finding them fun. For gigs though, it still would be a pair of fives.

[franzbassist]

Playing a five clicked in my head back in 1989, and I have played them pretty much exclusively ever since.  They are my goldilocks "just right" bass.

 

[TheGreek]

Before buying a 5er I was put off by the "you only get 5 extra notes" argument. 

Now I have 5ers I know that isn't true. 

[Franticsmurf]

5 hours ago, neepheid said:

76.3% of statistics are made up on the spot...

And the other 43.2% are based on inaccurate or false data. 😃

5 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Five strings really are mainstream now!

 

 

I have a 5 string Sterling. I keep thinking I should sell as I rarely play it - and then a song comes up that 'needs' it. That said, it's currently resting, as are my small (for a 5 string bassist) hands. 😃

[NJE]

I see a lot more 5s around locally compared to 10 years ago. I used to get a few second glances, especially amongst the older musicians, but played 5s exclusively for over a decade, most due to the band needing me to transpose a lot of tunes.

 

I bought a 4 string Stingray 7 years ago and that’s been my bass since, it just fits well for everything at the moment.

[nilorius]

Don't be afraid to go a bit below!😉

[Dood]

The first commercially available (mass produced) five string came out in 1984. The Yamaha BB5000. Nathan East was seen everywhere with his white one and I think Pino used one too. I've always wanted one as they had a really close string spacing. 

[Dood]

23 minutes ago, nilorius said:

Don't be afraid to go a bit below!😉

 

👍 

[martin8708]

I had a 5 string for a while , trouble with turning up at a gig / open mic / jam night with a 5 string is there is the automatic assumption that you are some kind of sh*t hot bass god , rather than a weekend warrior with an extra string .

 

Sold it , happy with 4 .

[Norris]

I switched to a 5 at the start of last year. It took a little while to get used to but now feels so natural and has improved my technique. I'm wondering if I'm likely to play any of my 4's again.

 

I think I'm a bit rare around these parts though - there are not many other local 5-ers that I know of

[nilorius]

5 minutes ago, Norris said:

I switched to a 5 at the start of last year. It took a little while to get used to but now feels so natural and has improved my technique. I'm wondering if I'm likely to play any of my 4's again.

 

I think I'm a bit rare around these parts though - there are not many other local 5-ers that I know of

Well, You know, matrix will have it's 6th. version soon, anyway.

[woodyratm]

5 minutes ago, Norris said:

I switched to a 5 at the start of last year. It took a little while to get used to but now feels so natural and has improved my technique. I'm wondering if I'm likely to play any of my 4's again.

 

I think I'm a bit rare around these parts though - there are not many other local 5-ers that I know of

I was a solid 4 player before last year, I kept trying fives but never seemed to work. Until I properly sat down and went “hang on… this works!”.

 

I don’t know if I’ll ever play my 4’s now either!

[nilorius]

7 minutes ago, woodyratm said:

I was a solid 4 player before last year, I kept trying fives but never seemed to work. Until I properly sat down and went “hang on… this works!”.

 

I don’t know if I’ll ever play my 4’s now either!

It's ok, just don't go back to 4 string bass ukulele.

[lidl e]

I'm strictly a 4 string player. I've owned quite a few but neber really got in with a 5. I'd say 5ers started getting big in mid 80s. In the 90s everyone was using them. Nowadays I'm seeing mostly 4s.

 

Heres me in early 90s playing my MM 5er. This would have been like 92-93. 

 

Dont have the hair nor the bass anymore. 

 

 

 

[MacDaddy]

 

4 strings for me, but with an extra 2 frets for a low D.

[msb]

There’s still many that are playing fours. Some with a low B. 
 

I’ve had a number of fivers , but have never bonded.