Five String V. Four String

[JimBeed]

Well in the next few days ill finally have my five string bass up and running, and i was wondering among the bass players or people that know bassists fairly well, Basically one question
When going from four string to five string, do you think i would find it hard to adjust back to a four string?
As i have my fender aswell which is a four string i wouldnt want to put that to the back of the playing pile, unless five strings are hard to get back into gear with four strings from.

 

[BassmanAK]

It mostly depends on how much, and what you use it for.
I switched over to a fiver 12 years ago and never looked back.
That being said, a four can be very usable as well. If you're on the fence,
try a de-tuning key on your 'E' string. A lot of players find that getting
to 'D' is enough.  :icon_thumright:

 

[JimBeed]

Ah right cheers, well one thing i find is i can do alot more fluid 8th notes for some reason balancing my thumb on a string than the p pickup in my 4 string fender, so partly itll be a case of itll make 8th note and so playing  more clear and precise, and occasionally be good for improvisation when i get better and such.

 

[AprioriMark]

I'm in a similar boat, after only having played a 4 for over 20 years.  I've played 3 gigs on the 5, and going back to the 4 hasn't given me problems.  It just "feels" like a different instrument.

I can't see the 5 ever replacing the 4 for me, because it's a different instrument in a lot of ways.  We can't forget the "guitar" part of the bass guitar, and with mine at least, it doesn't have the same sound characteristics as a P or even J bass.  It is pleasing and usable, but in a different way.  Maybe more experienced 5 players have a different point of view, but just like I'd never stop pulling out me Tele because I got a LP, my 4 string P will be played.

-Mark

 

[Superlizard]

Well now, having one extra string is quite the advantage, innit?  It gives it that extra sort of "push" over the top.

This is why guitar players, for example, get more groupies than bassists.

 

[JimBeed]

Ok not to make enemies on here SuperLizard but dont start the Guitarist V. Bassist Discussion with me.

 

[BassmanAK]

On that note, let's see a guitarist play this....
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA-ZKDOoBnk[/youtube]

 

[JimBeed]

Haha Very very nice bassman this is true
So is this...
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22W38jJk81s[/youtube]
Guitars cant go that fast finger picked.
Those two men knew there scales and knew them well too haha
But in honest reply to you, the reason i chose the five string was because i wanted some variety, and a low sounding b instead of fretted b sounded fun.
And as i was going for a Z shape i thought spend a bit more and have that option.
My fender will still have as much playing as it always did, i just wanted to know how it would feel changing over at times.
Also, the sound of a bass guitar through a big bass amp is always going to be more appealing to me than higher pitched six strings.

 

[BassmanAK]

I personally prefer a fiver, mainly because it enables one to deal with funny
keys and tunings without having to play high on the neck.
I tend to stay in the 3rd-7th fret area.... :icon_biggrin:

 

[JimBeed]

Ah that is true,
and haha yeah me too at the moment, but with the E string being able to be used as easily as i find the A,D and G  now i might travel to 12th fret land in the near future haha, do with some scales practice
Well This has helped, think im just going to find variety not difficulty having two different ones.
Im pleased how close in size the five string neck im having on the z is compared to my four string fender, after looking at the geckos i thought it would be wide, but choosing the smaller nut width was a wise choice for me.
Cant wait for this build to be done
Oh pictures approximately Wednesday

 

[line6man]

I've been thinking about a 5 string build lately.
I could definitely use the extended range (Tenor tuning, not standard.) but my main concern is that I hate huge necks.

How do you guys get past the thick, wide necks?

 

[JimBeed]

What body style were you thinking of using? just from what i can tell of mine so far, the neck doesnt seem too much thicker or wider than my 4 string neck, infact feels better than my epiphone from sliding around on it getting a feel for it.
Ill get some measurements for you when i can find a ruler or something if that would help? but from what i can tell so far the warmoth headstock five string doesnt seem too thicker or wider a neck to me,

 

[line6man]

What body style were you thinking of using? just from what i can tell of mine so far, the neck doesnt seem too much thicker or wider than my 4 string neck, infact feels better than my epiphone from sliding around on it getting a feel for it.
Ill get some measurements for you when i can find a ruler or something if that would help? but from what i can tell so far the warmoth headstock five string doesnt seem too thicker or wider a neck to me,

From a standard Jazz bass neck and body to a Gecko 5 small.

 

[JimBeed]

Ah, erm dont think i can help then, ill see what the measurements of mine are like compared to a gecko 5 small for you though,
But that probably is a bit of a change, cause far as i know jazz to P bass isnt exactly the same its a bit fatter at the neck at least.
Ill see if i can find anything out for you

 

[JimBeed]

Just had a look and the gecko 5 small is the same as the bigger of the two nut sizes for the deluxe five necks, so im not going to be much help as it is wider than what mine will turn out to be  :dontknow:

 

[line6man]

cause far as i know jazz to P bass isnt exactly the same its a bit fatter at the neck at least.

The only difference between Warmoth's PBass and JBass necks is the nut width.

 

[JimBeed]

ah right ok, erm well im not sure if the neck ive got is as wide as a gecko 5 small in all the places, but ill tell you what its like to play when i have it assembled.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

The big question is if you feel limited by 4.  The extra string should be for efficiency and the occasional need to go lower.  The only time I wish I had a 5 is when playing blues in G.  The walk down from the lowest G ends on a higher D.  Weird, but no one notices what the bass player is doing anyways.  If I had a low B, it wouldn't be so I could play in the key of B, C, or D, but rather to give flexibilty to the keys with roots on the E string.  I could get by with 3, but I'd have to move up the neck.  I don't do a 5 because of the wider necks.  I could always do the B-E-A-D thing, but would do custom gauges because the standard B on a 34" scale just ain't happening.