Anybody else here switch back to 4 strings?

I played 5's exclusively for years but switched back to 4 this past spring, for several reasons. One was to "challenge" myself to play more of the fretboard, because I can get lazy on a 5 and stay in small patterns half way up. This would cause my strings to get uneven wear which made me switch them out more often, which is costly.

I miss the low D especially at church and occasionally with my band, though life goes on and I am getting along fine without it. If my church gig was a full fletched black gospel gig, you bet I would be using 5's. Though it is mostly contemporary upbeat worship a (a few hymns occasionally in the first service for the "older folk"), so 4 strings is enough. I have been thinking of a D-tuner though Hipshot's vintage style d-tuner stem is not as long as the reverse tuners, so it looks like a odd match, IMO.

So, I am having a blast going up and down the board with 4's now. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Same story with me. Played 5's for about 6 years before I turned back on the 4. I sometimes miss the loooooow sound I could get from the 5's, but drop-D tuning works fine on the music I play theese days. I also love that I move alot more around the frets on a 4...

routinely back and forth. own a 5er strung with rounds and a jazz with flats.
bring both to gigs (bar/pub cover band) the song dictates which tool to use.
of course, each has its own special attributes.


------------duc

I'm in the process of going back to 4 strings....again...:grin: And only one bass too.

I guess I never fully "converted" to the 5-string. I really like mine, but I'm usually grabbing a bass for its specific sound... so for me, it's usually a 4-string.

no way.... can't go without the low B...
and.. have grown used to playing a wide neck
have played a 4 at a jams and such... don't miss it at all

I played a 5 for a couple of years at the urging of the singer-songwriter-guitarist of the stoner rock(?) band I was in. That low B screams modern - I prefer my bass sound to have a timeless/classic quality. It seems like alot of blues dudes these days are playing fives - I feel like it takes you out of the song, the style when you suddenly here this crazy low note.
After about 2 years, I just went back to 4 strings for the next 6 years. I felt better and he never complained so I guess I held down the bottom ok.

It seems that every couple of years I have a fling with a 5'er. I'm sure it will happen again. I recently played a very sweet custom from the Spanish builder, Jerzey Drozd. That one is strung E though C. In my trio setting I use double stops and walk through the occaisional triad to richen things up. Primarily 10th's, 11th's and 12th's for dbl stops as well as 7 & 9 triads. That top C opens up a whole new set of interesting opportunities ... I really enjoyed playing that one ...

I've listened to a lot of Guitar, Drum and Organ stuff from the 60's over that last couple of years. The organist seems to have a really different way of constructing a bass line using lot's more pedal point than I do. When I play a 5 strung B through G, I try to think about that when approaching the B. More of an organ sound...

...Never went tew 5.

...I dent never wanna inner-fear with the guitar or pie-anner.

...Thump thump waz alwayz my quest knott sum kinda lead.



0le FUZZY

I started on bass when I was in high school in the 80's with a pointy Ibanez 4 string playing hair band music. Saved up enough money in college to get a used Fender P-Bass, and never looked back. I never played in any metal bands, mainly alternative and classic rock, so the 4-stringer was fine. Have tried to play a 5-string, but I have small hands and don't like the wide neck.

yeah, can't say i'm a fan of the 5 string. lots of folks make good use of them but to me it's just not that appealing (though some of those super low notes are neat).

I bought a 5 string when I got back into playing 6 years ago, and although it was different enough, I hadn't played anything in about 8-10 years so it wasn't that much of a stretch to get used to... then I bought a Fender Aerodyne jazz and fell in love with the tone... I found myself missing that low D so I tuned down to DGCF and haven't turned back since.
I still break out the 5'er every now and then, but only rarely.

D

That low B screams modern - I prefer my bass sound to have a timeless/classic quality.

I've made the switch to a 5-string and am not planning on going back. I rarely go down to the low B, but I can't live without the low D. The low, low notes can sound muddy if you don't have the right cabs. My gear couldn't pull off the low B.

I started on a 4-string in standard tuning, then tuned to Drop D (which I loved). Then I went to the 5-string. I had both for a while and had a hard time switching between them. If I went back to a 4-string, I'd tune it BEAD.

Had a Fender Jazz V. Kubicki electronics, nice pao ferro neck, beautiful swamp ash body and a 2-Tech bridge but no vintage tone. Found myself getting lost during jams by unintentionally transposing down a 4th to the B-string all the time. Spent so much $ on cabs, amps, pre-amps, etc. that I finally dumped it. Found a new MIJ '75 re-issue Jazz bass for $300. Put Fralins in it and a Bad Ass II bridge and never looked back.

I've just ordered a 5-string. Not sure it'll be my "go-to"bass, I like my Jazz too much for that; but occasionally I wish for notes below low E. So we'll see...

Only had a fiver for two gigs. Went back to my Precisions straight away! Swapped the 5 (a Warwick Streamer Std 5, which I liked as a 5 because it's passive) for my current #1, a 1996 51RI Precision.

I have no issues playing 5's, but find picking up a 4 stringer is a liberating experience for myself. Little things add up like one less string to mute, limited fretting options and the less thought about tone/amp setting considerations relating to how big one wishes the B string to sound in relation to the other 4 strings.

A 5 stringer adds an octave and tone dimension that is excellent for a variety of songs and genres. Having said that, a 4 stringer has that "sports car" fretboard feel that is just too much fun, IMO. :lol:

speaking of 4 bangers, just got one o' these this week. schecter 004.

you could call it a "richenschecter" or "schectenrichter", eh?

light, std scale 34", great setup, easy to play....just pure FUN and dead sexy too, no? i just love this thing....my 5er is in the corner (for now).


---------------duc :smile:

I played my friends 4 & 5, I didn't really realize the difference because I was still dumbfounded on how thick the strings were :razz:

Think about going from this to a 4
http://www.blogcadre.com/files/images/pac9anglemedium.preview.jpg

Never been a 5 string guy. Not even tempted.

I switch back and forth, but mostly play a five. It's not a big deal--I mean, just don't play the low string! The five gves you a few more options, as mentioned: you can go down to D on a G blues etc etc. It's often too much so you have to use it sparingly.

I liked the sound of the low B, but I kinda kept getting lost. I spent way too much time trying to find places to put in those low notes instead of trying to maintain a groove.

I think I'll just stick with my 4 string.

I own a MIJ Fender 5er, and play it occasionally (when I "need" a fretted bass) but most all the bass playing I do is on my 4 string fretless Hamer Cruise bass. I fall in love with it all over again every time I pick it up.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/dabluzeguy/hamerfretless/DSCN2370.jpg

I own a MIJ Fender 5er, and play it occasionally (when I "need" a fretted bass) but most all the bass playing I do is on my 4 string fretless Hamer Cruise bass. I fall in love with it all over again every time I pick it up.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/dabluzeguy/hamerfretless/DSCN2370.jpg

Those USA Hamers are seriously nice basses. That one is a looker for certain.

After playing a 4 and a 5 in bands for years I now use a 4 stringd pbass tuned normally and a 4 string Spector tuned to B. The Spector's AMAZING upper fret access still allows me to go up the neck to hit notes that are usually on the ,hu-hu Gstring.

Works for me, and I can mentally map the different fingerings for most songs on the fly too!

I gigged for about 2 years with a fiver in the early '90s. It was "cool" back then, but I really missed playing a 4 for some reason. Sold the fiver in 1993 and have never looked back. I truly don't miss it. I find I am more creative, more adventurous on a 4. My Tele P and me will never part ways. I'm hooked! :-)

I've been playing my brother's bass more and more now; it certainly holds a completely different realm of appeal to me. Though they're shaped the same :grin:, they're absolutely, ridiculously different in function, style, and basically everything.

4 is good for me. I had a 2-year fling with a Jerry Jones 6-string, miss my Pedulla Pentabuzz, played a Moses Graphites KP-5 upright for a few years, eh. I like my 4-strings, if I need lower I have a tuner on that fat string down there.

I'm seriously contemplating anther 5 at the moment. The traditional Low B is something I really don't seem to need. So this one will be strung E through C like the Jerzey I mentioned up top. I had another fling with that bass last week. Man ... that's cool. I'm thinking Bongo for the 5

Yea, there is just something about that low B that keeps callin' me back in love with the 5 string.

I'll never go back In fact I play a carvin Six string! Just remember.....when not in use, the low B makes a killer thumb rest!:wink:

I'll never go back In fact I play a carvin Six string! Just remember.....when not in use, the low B makes a killer thumb rest!:wink:


yeah... killer. The part where I bang it off the pole pieces and get that pop is killer. It's killer when I forget and start a walking line a 5th down too... I love that other folks can play 6 string, I'm just B string impaired...

yeah... killer. The part where I bang it off the pole pieces and get that pop is killer. It's killer when I forget and start a walking line a 5th down too... I love that other folks can play 6 string, I'm just B string impaired...

I was B-String impaired also until I got my 5-string EUB. I realized that I think of electric bass from the E string and upright from the G string. I played it for about a year and then sold it. When I bought a Pedulla Pentabuzz after that experience I had no trouble with the B string.

I have been 4 stringing it for a while now and do miss having an SR5 around, but I get by just fine with 4. I played a 6 string bass for 5 years and I can not remember what it was that I liked about it now.

Add to the usual reasons (as in: I get lost when the lowest string isn't an E!), the fact that I just plain don't like heavy instruments anymore! Fivers ain't generally lightweight, and they're NEVER short-scale!

:mrgreen:

Cheers, Tim

yeah... killer. The part where I bang it off the pole pieces and get that pop is killer. It's killer when I forget and start a walking line a 5th down too... I love that other folks can play 6 string, I'm just B string impaired...
Too funny......In 92, when I got my first 5 sting.... I bought it on Thursday and attempted to do a live show on Saturday......It was ugly.......just plain ugly.
Going from a 5 to a 6 was easier AND harder....You can ignore it...Or try to use it, however trying to find notes on a "C" string can darn near make your head explode!!!! Thank God for the octave rule!

The high C note on a sixer is for soloing, chording and is up in guitars sonic territory. I'll stick to a 5'er for my extended range needs.

A four stringer, even my 'C' width P neck, feels small after playing my 5 for awhile.

The high C note on a sixer is for soloing, chording and is up in guitars sonic territory.


'xactly, and when I'm soloing - I don't need to worry about the conflict!

I really never wanted to play anything other than a 4 string PB and a 6 string Telecaster! :))

I have never wanted to play 5 or 6. I love using more of the neck to do what I want. Yea I don't get the really low growls but that isn't my style anyway. I do alot of old classic rock and roll and R&B type stuff and I love playing more in the harmonies of the melody when I am playing with just an acoustic guitarist. When I am playing in a full band then I stick to the bassist's rule...beat and thump. Drive the beat and keep the bass line moving. I do alot of praise and worship music at our church so I could see where a fiver at least would be great for that but the 4 stringer tends to keep me playing the fretboard more.

I just bought a new MIA Deluxe P. It has the J and P pickups. Man the tonal variations are out of this world. Low end driving thump or higher end jazz sounds and all of the variables in between.

So far I really have enjoyed playing this new bass...

Oh yea, Hey to all, for this is my first of hopefully many posts in the future.

I never left.

My pretty Jazz wouldn't let me. :wink:

I did go down that road. The 5 was nice, but I rarely used the B, and I had too think way too much. I sold the 5, and 4 feels like home. Plus I havent blown any more speakers in my 68 Vox, so its a bonus. I did blow my 2x15 cab tho....apparantly the SWR 750 I borrowed was a bit much (cab was rated for 300 watts).

Sold my custom made 5 cuz it was heavy (mahogany) & pretty agressive sounding (although beautiful axe)
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6087/4imagesmn6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Got Fender Sting sig precision (gonna get new pickup & pickguard for it), so Im back to the roots )

I go back and forth.. 4 & 5 string, as well as fingering vs. picks.
I'm a bit of a chameleon and change my style and instrument to what best suits the music I'm playing. The 5 is nice when you need some real heavy bottom end, but you have to think too much sometimes, when going for the lower octaves instead of the high ones.

In contrast.. playing the 4-string is almost a contact sport.. I can run at full tilt and it's second nature. I can play the 4-string without thinking.

Never touched a five. Never will.
Sorry, I don't see the point.
Fifth string on a bass makes about as much sense to me as a fifth wheel on a car. May look interesting. May do different things. But is not necessary in order to get around.

OK, here it comes . . .

Never touched a five. Never will.
Sorry, I don't see the point.
Fifth string on a bass makes about as much sense to me as a fifth wheel on a car. May look interesting. May do different things. But is not necessary in order to get around.

OK, here it comes . . .
I saw a group in Guatemala with a 3-string bass. Sounded great, didn't need the fourth.
Most old basses are three strings converted to four with a new scroll grafted on.

For me, there's nothing that can be done on a four string that can't be done on a five string, so ever since I bought my first five, that's all I've played. I dig that low notes are accessible high on the neck, and that low B, C, and D give nice roots to those chords and keys.

I do miss my old Tele Bass from the '70s, but I'd likely not play it now anyway.

Mike Bruce

I have a Hipshot detuner installed on my P bass now which makes it more versatile without the added B string.

I dig my 4's and my 5. My 5 is strung E through C. There's stuff I can do with that setup I can't with a standard 4. Not bread and butter stuff - but it's still a flavor I want in the kitchen.

Been playing 5's since 1987,play them 99% of the time. Every now & then will take a classic 4 out just to justify never selling any of them.
Playing 5's do require a better(meaning bigger & heavier) amp/cab though, I or that 31Hz still pop a speaker occasionally.

i built and started useing a wide 5 a few years back. loved the range, and tended to be lazy on the lower patterns. i'm blessed with big long fingers and can reach 5 frets on a 34" scale. i'm more or less back on 4 now, but the next 4 bass will have a d-tuner. i have an 81 g&l 1000 which is like a p-bass, only with a humbucker. i mostly use it now and my upright that i built.

the upright: http://www.wbe-electric.com/stickbass/

After hearing the bass in Brad Paisley's song 'Ticks' I can't go back to a 4 :rolleyes:

I find myself going back and forth 4 -5 - 4 - 5 - 4 etc.. lol

I find myself going back and forth 4 -5 - 4 - 5 - 4 etc.. lol

Resolve that progression, give me a 1!