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

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, Terry M. said:

Did you feel the op was being judgemental and claiming superiority? I didn't get that vibe personally. 

 

Yes I did.  I just read what's there - "what's the point of 4", "why limit your range" - it sounds pretty confrontational to me and I was up for stirring the pot (as I alluded to at the beginning of the post you quoted - I'm nothing if not self-aware enough to call myself out).

[Terry M.]

56 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

Yes I did.  I just read what's there - "what's the point of 4", "why limit your range" - it sounds pretty confrontational to me and I was up for stirring the pot (as I alluded to at the beginning of the post you quoted - I'm nothing if not self-aware enough to call myself out).

Ha ha yes you called yourself out indeed to be fair 😂 I know the op can speak for themselves but I'm sure no harm was intended. I think from the point of view that on a 5 you can do everything you can on a 4 and a bit more but not vice versa makes the topic valid and responses will vary. I find I learn a lot from these discussions. There's really no right or wrong 😁 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Terry M.

[TheLowDown]

If you play using floating thumb and you have a lightweight 6 string, what's the point of a 5 string? I have a 5 string somewhere, but I can't think of a reason to use it when the 6 does it all and more. I still need a 4 string, though.

Edited December 30, 2024 by TheLowDown

[diskwave]

Everyones different and will have a reason for doing what they do. But this is my experience if anyones interested. I play four string P basses because all my funky/soul/disco heroes from the 70's and 60's played superb music with just four strings. I will even make a point of not going above the fifth fret because for me the gritty punch "I enjoy" all happens ...."for me" ....down by the nut.  And there you go, thats my preference and mine alone.

 

And I totally agree when it comes to playing in a big band type ensemble where the horns need everything in Eb for eg. Four aint impossible but Im sure the fifth makes the shifting a lot easier.

Edited December 30, 2024 by diskwave

[Terry M.]

17 minutes ago, TheLowDown said:

If you play using floating thumb and you have a lightweight 6 string, what's the point of a 5 string? I have a 5 string somewhere, but I can't think of a reason to use it when the 6 does it all and more. I still need a 4 string, though.

Very good point sir. My personal reason to stop at 5 is I want the lower notes afforded by the B instead of the higher ones by the C. I neither enjoy the feel or the sound of the high C string on any 6 string I've tried,therefore it would be pointless me owning one. I want more bass not more treble.

[Terry M.]

13 minutes ago, diskwave said:

Everyones different and will have a reason for doing what they do. But this is my experience if anyones interested. I play four string P basses because all my funky/soul/disco heroes from the 70's and 60's played superb music with just four strings. I will even make a point of not going above the fifth because for me the gritty punch "I enjoy" all happens ...."for me" ....down by the nut.  And there you go, thats my preference and mine alone.

 

And I totally agree when it comes to playing in a big band type ensemble where the horns need everything in Eb for eg. Four aint impossible but Im sure the fifth makes the shifting a lot easier.

That explanation makes a lot of sense to me. No 6 string fan fretted active basses for you for Christmas then 😆

[Woodinblack]

33 minutes ago, TheLowDown said:

If you play using floating thumb and you have a lightweight 6 string, what's the point of a 5 string?

 

Because for me the neck gets too wide to use in normal bass mode then, apart from when I had a GVB36, which for some reason I got rid of, and at that point it becomes easier to view it as a tapping instrument, such as an NS:Stick, but then it has not enough strings to make it versatile. So for me 6 is worst of all worlds, if you go past 5, you might as well go straight to 10.

I don't play 4s or 6s, but I can see the point of a 4

[Terry M.]

Incidentally the closest 6 string I came to buying was an Anaconda Ultra J Essence. I think the 19mm bridge spacing was making it feel as familiar as my wide necked Warwicks. I appreciate that's just too wide for some hands though. I was flying around on it but again,the high C string didn't suit my ear or feel.

[Terry M.]

2 hours ago, TheLowDown said:

If you play using floating thumb and you have a lightweight 6 string, what's the point of a 5 string? I have a 5 string somewhere, but I can't think of a reason to use it when the 6 does it all and more. I still need a 4 string, though.

You say your 6 string does all. Why do you need a 4 string then out of curiosity and not a 5?

[prowla]

6-strings is for wimps!

 

 

[TheLowDown]

8 hours ago, Terry M. said:

You say your 6 string does all. Why do you need a 4 string then out of curiosity and not a 5?

Because it provides significant advantages over the 6 string that the 5 string doesn't quite manage. For example, being as light as possible, range of choice of strings, range of choice of bass, less of a need to mute effectively for recording, and simplicity when it's preferred, and so on.

 

 

9 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Because for me the neck gets too wide to use in normal bass mode then, apart from when I had a GVB36, which for some reason I got rid of, and at that point it becomes easier to view it as a tapping instrument, such as an NS:Stick, but then it has not enough strings to make it versatile. So for me 6 is worst of all worlds, if you go past 5, you might as well go straight to 10.

I don't play 4s or 6s, but I can see the point of a 4

I honestly don't find that with the neck being too wide. With 6 string I prefer 16.5mm at the bridge so the width is minimised, and keeping my thumb in the centre of the neck means that there isn't much of a difference for me between 5 and 6. I had been toying with the idea of getting a Sire M5 for reasons of GAS, but I'm finding it very difficult to justify to myself when I have a lightweight 6 string. I'm not really all that fond of the B string anyway, and which is the only point of the 5 string, so it's not really a priority for me. I tell myself that I have a 6 string if ever I need a B string. The 6 string also allows for various future expansion possibilities which the 5 string does not.

I think switching between 4 and 6 string also stops me from falling into a musical rut in the way i play.

Edited December 30, 2024 by TheLowDown

[Woodinblack]

44 minutes ago, TheLowDown said:

I honestly don't find that with the neck being too wide.

 

Which is why I prefixed it with 'for me'. On a 5 string, 17.5mm is about as far as I will go, and it isn't prefered. If I could get it down to 15mm that would be ideal. For a 6 string, it would have to be less than 15mm

 

44 minutes ago, TheLowDown said:

I'm not really all that fond of the B string anyway, and which is the only point of the 5 string, so it's not really a priority for me. I tell myself that I have a 6 string if ever I need a B string. The 6 string also allows for various future expansion possibilities which the 5 string does not.

 

Not sure what the future expansion is? But anyway, similar to your B, the C string is not really anything I have ever needed. As with the 5 string I use what position I want, I don't really see an advantage of 5 frets above the top of the G (or 3 in the case of my shuker).

But yes, all sorts. I would like to get a 6 but I have never found one I got on with.

[TheLowDown]

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Not sure what the future expansion is? But anyway, similar to your B, the C string is not really anything I have ever needed. As with the 5 string I use what position I want, I don't really see an advantage of 5 frets above the top of the G (or 3 in the case of my shuker).

Future 'expansion' as in playing chords(the C string makes it easier to test out the sound of chords for writing chord progressions), walking basslines, and experimenting with solos are made a tad more convenient on a 6 string. The initial reason for the 6 string was for possible creative home projects, and as well as the reasons I've just mentioned, and the fact that it effectively includes a 5 string bass within it. Essentially, it's a 5 string with added benefits.

It can be said that a good reason for having a 5 string is because it is better to have the B string than be without it when you need it. The same can be said for the C string, especially if you want to experiment.

Edited December 31, 2024 by TheLowDown

[Terry M.]

6 hours ago, TheLowDown said:

Because it provides significant advantages over the 6 string that the 5 string doesn't quite manage. For example, being as light as possible, range of choice of strings, range of choice of bass, less of a need to mute effectively for recording, and simplicity when it's preferred, and so on.

 

 

I honestly don't find that with the neck being too wide. With 6 string I prefer 16.5mm at the bridge so the width is minimised, and keeping my thumb in the centre of the neck means that there isn't much of a difference for me between 5 and 6. I had been toying with the idea of getting a Sire M5 for reasons of GAS, but I'm finding it very difficult to justify to myself when I have a lightweight 6 string. I'm not really all that fond of the B string anyway, and which is the only point of the 5 string, so it's not really a priority for me. I tell myself that I have a 6 string if ever I need a B string. The 6 string also allows for various future expansion possibilities which the 5 string does not.

I think switching between 4 and 6 string also stops me from falling into a musical rut in the way i play.

I definitely hear you with regards to weight,choice of strings and even choice of bass. The five string marketplace is smaller compared than the four string market for sure. Good to hear other views 👍