once you've played a 5 string what's the point of 4?

[Woodinblack]

8 hours ago, prowla said:

Rickenbackers are my favourite bass.

I tried one of their 5-strings and didn't gel with it.

So I now only have 4-string Rics.

 

And in a strange twist of fate, I only have 5-string Rics

 

[WalMan]

For many years before joining here I only played 4’s and having had a fretted, fretless and my original converted to 8 string for a while was down to just the one 4 (Wal) with a d-tuner.

 

Then I joined BassChat and the first of a number of 5’s arrived. In the last 15-20 years I have pretty much exclusively used 5’s and only had the Wal, which has been used mainly for recording projects and hasn’t really come out to gigs.

 

I love 5’s for the extended range and availability of different positions across the neck.

 

Still enjoying 4’s and have just picked up a second to which another d-tuner was added and I used that for a few songs at the gig on Saturday. The d-tuner covers a lot of the extended range I have got used to in recent years once I got back into the swing of switching down and up during songs, and I think it will be getting more outings 🙂

[Richard R]

6 hours ago, WalMan said:

Then I joined BassChat...

 

And that was your downfall. 😁

 

[prowla]

8 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

And in a strange twist of fate, I only have 5-string Rics

 

 

Hope you enjoy it! 🙂

[Stub Mandrel]

 

On Saturday did the second set with the five as I couldn't see the side dots on the P.

 

Yesterday, the one song where the five would have been handy, the guitarist  went straight into the intro. I've d-tuned on the hoof before but decided not to risk it, so I stayed up the octave.

[Beer of the Bass]

19 hours ago, prowla said:

Rickenbackers are my favourite bass.

I tried one of their 5-strings and didn't gel with it.

So I now only have 4-string Rics.

 

 

I do have some other 5-strings though.

 

 

I like the Warwicks and the neck on the Statii, but they don't sound like Rics.

(I don't have the Sub and Rockbass anymore.)

 

I suspect I would like those 5-string Rics a lot, they're the kind of spacing I like for a 5 string, they lose the anachronistic Ric metalware and I love the walnut/maple aesthetic. Bit out of budget for me though!

[Woodinblack]

13 minutes ago, Beer of the Bass said:

 

I suspect I would like those 5-string Rics a lot, they're the kind of spacing I like for a 5 string, they lose the anachronistic Ric metalware and I love the walnut/maple aesthetic. Bit out of budget for me though!

 

For a short while after brexit and before Thomman harmonised their tax collecing, they were on sale for 1350 euros - was keen then but they ran out and they have never had any back. Even with the taxes that would have been good.

[Beer of the Bass]

Just now, Woodinblack said:

 

For a short while after brexit and before Thomman harmonised their tax collecing, they were on sale for 1350 euros - was keen then but they ran out and they have never had any back. Even with the taxes that would have been good.

 

Yeah, with hindsight, if I'd timed it right and moved some other gear around I could/should have done that. Always the way!

[WalMan]

5 hours ago, Richard R said:

 

And that was your downfall. 😁

 

Indeed it was 🤣🤦‍♂️

[Steve Browning]

20 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

On Saturday did the second set with the five as I couldn't see the side dots on the P.

 

Yesterday, the one song where the five would have been handy, the guitarist  went straight into the intro. I've d-tuned on the hoof before but decided not to risk it, so I stayed up the octave.

I have had the same issue. Had either Luminlay or just larger side markers fitted to 4 of my basses. 

[Stub Mandrel]

3 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

I have had the same issue. Had either Luminlay or just larger side markers fitted to 4 of my basses. 

 

I'd do that... except it's an American Vintage II. Looking at small stickers.

[Baloney Balderdash]

Love this:

 

But it is 28.6" scale length, and tuned to G# standard tuning, as in one half step bellow the upper 4 strings of a 6 string bass in regular B standard tuning, plus a high E string.

 

I named it "Mr. Growly - The Noodlemancer", and it is my favorite bass at the moment.

 

Edited December 3 by Baloney Balderdash

[JeezyMcNuggles]

On 23/11/2024 at 17:54, DDR said:

I used to be a 5 hater and now I'm a convert to the point that I'm wondering, outside of the "getting hired" issue (some bands/artists won't like the look of it) why limit your range to that of a 4 string?

Because it's so much more comfortable.

[Steve Browning]

3 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I'd do that... except it's an American Vintage II. Looking at small stickers.

Not sure I get that. One of mine is a 1972 bass. Anyway, horses for courses. 

[Stub Mandrel]

5 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

Not sure I get that. One of mine is a 1972 bass. Anyway, horses for courses. 

 

I deliberately bought a 'replica' of  1960 precision, it seems perverse to make an irreversible modification.

[Beer of the Bass]

I suppose a lot of players develop their playing styles around the E or G string being on the outside, particularly for pick players in heavier styles, or more old-school slap techniques.  My bass guitar style transitioned to 5 smoothly enough, but I think I'd struggle adding a high C or low B to double bass.