How Many Strings?

[Mr. Boston]

I'm not exactly a bass player, but I've been doing it more and more over the last 9 months or so and I'm REALLY loving the low end. Anyway my experience has all been on 4-string basses. But I recently picked up a 5-string from our very own Teletristan. It needed a new bridge (which I have) and I'm going to get a pro setup too. But anyway the more I think about what I'll be able to do with that Low B the more excited I get.

So I'm wondering, from the REAL bass players here on JS, how many strings do you like on your bass and why?

[TeleTristan]

I like four... just because my fingers are stumpy.

[shiggity]

When I played bass I always stuck with 4. I have a fear of odd numbers.

[Mr. Boston]

My hands are big enough that I'm not really anticipating much of a problem. Lookin' forward to getting used to the extra string.

[Squizz]

I can't even make the 4 that I have sound good. I bet I could tear up a 2 String

[Keith]

Okay, well, I'm not a "real" bassist as far as all the time and it's my main instrument, but I have played both 4 and 5 stringed bass's.

Both have their place in musical genres, but I was schooled on 4 string. The best advantage to a 5 string is having that added B string. It's knowing when to use it is what I think makes the difference.

So, I guess what I'm saying is I like both, but prefer 4 strings.

[Brian Krashpad]

I'm not sure whether I'm a "real" bassist or not, but I am or have been the bassist in a few rock bands. I've always been content with 4 strings. Nothing against more, but I'm good with 4. My approach to bass is fairly straightforward and not too busy; keep the runs and fills to between the vocals and stay in the pocket. I don't know that I could do that any better with an extra string.

[J-Razz]

I prefer 4-bangers for two reasons: 4 fingers, four strings, it just makes sense, the way good bass should. The other reason is really technical and deals with mixing, I won't go into it here unless you really think you can follow it, but in a very simplified nutshell a 4-string is easier to mix than a 5-string.

(edit: ya that last part is gonna be asking for trouble lol)

[martinedwards]

I'm adding the finishing touches to my first 5 string.



I LOVE 4, fretted & fretless, but I have to say that my pre setup noodling on the 5 have been very enjoyable!!

[RustyAxe]

Real bass players? As opposed to ??? I prefer four string basses, and now that's all I own. Upright, acoustic/electric, and electric. I think it largely depends on the genre of music being played, though. I have no use for a low B, and even less for a high C (hey, I got frets for those notes!).

[bassplayer]

I've been playing 4 string basses for over 25 years, but I have only picked up the 5 string for about 5 years now. I had a 6 string a few years ago, but never played the high C, so I sold it. I play praise and worship music and if the song requires the 5, then I'll play the 5 string. I do prefer basses with a 35" length over the 34" though. If you have a 5 string, make sure it's 35" length or, in my opinion, the low B just flops too much.

[dmt]

Well, I'm not a "real" bass player (as in I don't consider bass to be my main instrument), but I do like playing bass a bit, played bass in a band for a few months a few years ago, and recently bought my 3rd bass (a fretless acoustic), so I'll join in.

For me, 4 strings.

Why?

1) Tradition -- that's what I grew up expecting basses to look like, and pretty much every bass track I've ever dug was done on a 4-string (so even if I can't always do it myself, the magic must be in there somewhere!)
2) Looks (see '1' above). Also, 5 stringers look either too "fusion"-y or too metal for me (depending on body shape/color/headstock, etc.). I'm more classic rock and roots music oriented.
3) Size -- [full scale] basses are already so damn big! A short scale 5 could be something I might pick up for the right price one day, but it would have to have a classic-type sound, not an active or nu-skool type thing.

However, I do often wish I could get a lower note when playing in 'D'. (I play a lot of Drop D or other D-related tunings on guitar). The lowest D on a 4-stringer doesn't really seem satisfyingly low enough to me. I should probably look into getting a D-Tuner (a device that lets you drop your E-string down a whole step to D, with the flick of a lever [and back up to E of course, after moving the lever the other way). Supposedly, they can be set to go down to C too (though not both C and D), which would cover all my possible needs.

D-tuner/Extender: http://store.hipshotproducts.com/car...oduct_list&c=6

Anyway, nothing wrong with having a 5-string in the arsenal! Sometimes I fantasize about getting one too. Honestly, besides not being used to the look, smallish hands are the deciding factor for me. If I had big old honkin' sasquatch mitts, I'd be a lot more interested in at least exploring the 5-string world.

[dmt]

Thinking about it more, if, I were going to own a quiver of basses, I'd have a 5-string in there. The main thing is though, that while I like bass, my main bass (a Precision) mostly just sits. I live in an apartment, and the neighbors two floors below complain as soon as I turn on my bass amp, even though it's not loud (I guess the bass frequencies really travel through the concrete structure). I had pretty much stopped playing bass (since I moved here 3 years ago) except for the occasional recording (via DI) or jam. It's only now that I got my acoustic [fretless] bass that I'm finally playing bass a lot again. It's loud enough and visceral enough to be satisfying to play (compared to playing an electric unplugged), but not loud enough to bother the neighbors.

But when I do play bass a lot, I quickly see how I could easily get a little quiver going. I variously think about having some or all of these:

Fender Precision -- for my main sound (check)
Fender Jazz -- for the second electric bass sound in my head (semi-infortunately, I sold my J, as I wasn't playing both it and the P enough to justify keeping both, I thought)
SG Bass (this would give me a short scale). Either that, or a different short scale bass. Sometimes long scale just seems too cumbersome.
Explorer -- I hardly need one, as I'm satisfied with my P, but I've always thought these were the coolest looking basses. Dig the sound, too.
5-stringer -- for the lowest sounds on B C and D chords

plus

fretless acoustic -- for that mini-standup bass vibe (check)
fretted acoustic -- for acoustic jams and apartment playing

And so on. A standup, a cello, a Ric, a fretless electric... it could kind of go on and on

But a 5-string would certainly be in there somewhere, I'm just not sure how high up the list.