String spacing

[sshorepunk]

Hi

How many of you play basses that have different string spacings

i.e. 19mm and 17.5mm (or less)?

Just curious how you guys find it moving between the two. I had a few Warwicks a few years back, the five string was narrower than the 4 (hence the wide warwick option being available) I found it OK, 4 was easier for slap, but don't do too much of that, but overall not a problem, spoke to someone the other day who really didn't get on with it!

Cheers

Tony

[neepheid]

Wider the better for me. I don't like narrow spacing, my fingers get all confused, I clip unwanted strings more often, just yuck.

[BigRedX]

I play basses with a variety of string spacings, scale lengths and other variables and the conclusion I've come to is that the numbers don't matter, it's all about the feel and you can only tell if a bass feels right for you by picking it up and playing it.

[WHUFC BASS]

I like 'em both. I've got a 5-String Warwick Rockbass which has really narrow string spacing and a Yamaha TRB which has really wide string spacing. Both great to play. For me, the neck shape is more important.

[Tait]

i do. i play an ibanez with a 19mm string spacing at the bridge, and a nut width of 38mm. and i also play my taitycaster, with a BADASS II bridge, and P bass width neck. so quite a big difference, and it is noticable when i play them, but provided i play them both it doesn't bother me. sometimes i've gone a month or so without playing one simply because i've felt like playing the other, and when i go back to playing it, it feels weird, but i get back in the swing of it really. what you need to do is play the bass, if you like the neck first time you play it, then its should be ok for you. swapping between 5 string and 4 string is supposed to be difficult though.

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='522371' date='Jun 24 2009, 10:03 AM']I play basses with a variety of string spacings, scale lengths and other variables and the conclusion I've come to is that the numbers don't matter, it's all about the feel and you can only tell if a bass feels right for you by picking it up and playing it.[/quote]
Well said.

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='Tait' post='522616' date='Jun 24 2009, 02:20 PM']swapping between 5 string and 4 string is supposed to be difficult though.[/quote]
Not really. I switch between 4, 5 and 7 strings and really don't understand this at all.

[Kongo]

Yes! EXCELLENT thread!
Here's my main 5 I play and the stats:

Self build P-bass: 34", 4-string, chunky neck, 19mm spacing,
Ibanez BTB556MP: 35", 6-string, thin neck, 17mm spacing
Ibanez BTB405QM: 35", 5-string, thin neck, 19mm spacing (Yes it IS a wide boy!)
Squier Affinity Jazz: 34", 5-string, thin-ish neck, 18mm spacing (about...)
OLP MM3: 34", 5-string, chunky neck, 15-16mm spacing aprox (By my measurements)

All of these I can play to the exact same degree...In fact, by my signatures say, I can slap, double thump and triple pop on my OLP MM3 fine and that's gotta be the most NARROW spacing ever!!!

Really though...I used to panic about specs, but neck thickness, width and string spacing due to owning WAY too many basses over the years, doesn't affect me any more!

[quote name='BigRedX' post='522371' date='Jun 24 2009, 10:03 AM']I play basses with a variety of string spacings, scale lengths and other variables and the conclusion I've come to is that the numbers don't matter, it's all about the feel and you can only tell if a bass feels right for you by picking it up and playing it.[/quote]

Heed these words!

Edited June 24, 2009 by Kongo