Bass players: Four strings or more?

[grimmbass]

Bass dudes and dudettes:

As we roll into 2008, how many strings does your primary axe carry, and why have you chosen that format? I ask this question primarily to see if four-strings are still the norm, or if the newer generation of players sees the fiver (or beyond) as the "standard" for bass guitar.
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I play a four most of the time for the following reasons:

1. I've been playing nearly 20 years, and the four string has just always felt more comfortable for me.

2. Better instrument for slapping, at least in my sloppy style.

3. I've never found a five-string that sounds as good as a four-string to my beaten ears!

I've noticed that a lot of our favorite players still use a four-string as their main bass as welll...a few examples: Steve Harris, Tony Levin, Michael Manring (though it is hardly a "standard" bass with a three-octave neck and four drop tuners), Geddy Lee, Jeff Berlin, Stu Hamm, Billy Sheehan, Doug Wimbish, and Justin Chancellor.

I have one fiver that I use for our ultra-drop-tune stuff, but I may replace it next year with a BEAD-tuned four-banger. So what about you guys....any strong opinions for or against? 10 points to anybody who beats Paul to posting the first response LOL!

[MeYatch]

I still use a 4 string, for mainly the same reasons you have listed. I have a 5 string bass, and I don't really find it any more difficult to play, I just don't really see the point. I don't really find it very inconvenient to drop tune, especially because mostly the guitar players have to do that at the same time. I also have plenty of basses to bring another one for alternate tunings. I guess I don't have any strong opinions one way or another. If I were to come accross an awesome 5 string, I'd play it. But I also never really bother to pick up a 5 string to try it in the first place.

One of these days I'm going to get the 5 string fleishman back into commision, and I might try tuning it E to C, I think I would find that more usefull.

[EyesOfAnguishbassist]

Ill agree 100% here with Meyatch, why have all those strings if you can get the job done with 4?? I have to go with the 4 strings on this one

[bassist_25]

I will never, ever go back to playing a four string.

- We play in four different tunings: standard 440, drop D, drop C#, and a standard whole step down. Playing five strings allows me to keep everything standard. I don't need a bazillion different basses, each with its own particular setup and particular string gauge. I bring two basses to a gig: A primary axe and a backup. Plus, I'm not having down time in the middle of a set while I switch basses.

- I think in 4ths. I don't like drop tunings very much on bass because it creates a 5th interval between two strings. I prefer my bass to be tuned totally in 4ths. That way, I don't have to change the fingering of my runs. There are some instances where having a 5th invertal makes things easier, but I still prefer everything to be in 4ths.

- I have wider range of fingering selection. It's a lot easier to sight read a piece if I'm not worrying about position shifts as much. If playing a low G on the B string as opposed to the E string is going to hold off a difficult position shift for a few bars, I see that as an advantage. Also, because the B string vibrates more slowly than the E string, enharmonic notes played on the B sound "deeper" than those played on the E. It's something to consider when thinking of note selection.

There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to how many strings you should have on bass. Every player is different, and every playing situation is different. For me, personally, I enjoy having access to both a low B and a high G. I'll probably eventually get a sixer or possible seven string. I don't think the four string will become obselete, but I do however, think that the five string is becoming more and more of a requirement for the free-lance or studio bassist.

I love bass.

[MeYatch]

-We play in four different tunings: standard 440, drop D, drop C#, and a standard whole step down.

Echo Chamber plays in standard, drop D, and drop C# if for some reason we were playing something tuned a whole step down, I'd probably just figure it out in drop D. I really don't find it inconvenient to to play in drop D, I really hated it at first, but after a while, you get used to it, and you learn to think in drop D a little bit. Really I don't consider it a huge deal playing cover material anyway. I just learn the material and then don't really think about it after the initial learning experience.

I don't really write in drop D, but I don't really feel the need for the lower notes in the material I write.

Actually End of The Sun plays in standard, a whole step down, and I find that more confusing than anything. I just try not to think about it, really I have no idea why we play in that tuning to begin with. Keith wrote some of the riffs that way and we just never changed.

[RamRod 1]

4 String. Too old to learn. I'm forgetting half the stuff I know now!

Here's my 1st bass I started out with in "68".

It's a "Supero". Might be from the "50's". It was black and I "ruined it". LOL![/img]

[Banned]

Still thumping on 4 strings. I've set out on several occasions with the intention of buying a fiver but always return with a four banger!
I guess you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

[bassist_25]

I definitely think it's a personal thing. A five string just feels natural in my hands. I think that it fits with my playing situations and has become the standard tool of how I make music. I've never been to a Hurricanes gig and thought, "Man, they sound good, but Jeff really needs a five string." Our tools are a little bit different, but the end is more important than the means, in my opinion. As long as a player gets his or her musical ideas across, it really doesn't matter how they choose to do it. It goes back to the pick discussion that I know Kent and I are in agreement about. We've heard all kinds of stupid arguments that a bass player "shouldn't use a pick" for this or that reason. Anyone who's hung up on whether a player is using a pick is missing out on the bigger picture. Those Motown recordings wouldn't have that warm sound if James Jamerson used a pick. Yet at the same time, Tool wouldn't have its signature sound if Justin Chancellor was a pizzicato player. Each player chose a different method to express himself, and the world at large has benefitted from both contributions by these amazing players.

[EyesOfAnguishbassist]

My band only plays in one tuning, so thats probably why having a 4 string works out pretty well for me.

[bassist_25]

Here's my 1st bass I started out with in "68".

It's a "Supero". Might be from the "50's". It was black and I "ruined it". LOL![/img]

That's a cool bass, Andy. Is that a short-scale? I'd like to get a photo of my first bass up here. It's a '72 Fender Musicmaster.

[MeYatch]

yeah, that is an awesome looking bass, but it makes me think about ripping frets out and routing for a bridge pickup. I should never own a vintage instrument, ha ha.

[BassFinger]

4 String. Too old to learn. I'm forgetting half the stuff I know now!

Here's my 1st bass I started out with in "68".

It's a "Supero". Might be from the "50's". It was black and I "ruined it". LOL![/img]

Holy Crap!!....these old guys that won't accept change! Is that a
Greco pickup in that monster (As I complain about my sore knee and my recent lack of late night drinking skills).

With that being said....after 30 years of playing bass, I prefer a 34" scale, 4 string bass. Why? That's what I learned on and I can't find a 34" scale, 5 string that doesn't have a floppy B-string that's within a reasonable price range. I could buy a bass that costs $2000 or more but life (...and needs) doesn't require that. I'm a 'slap-n-pull' type of player also which lends itself to a 4 string bass. It's all about the freakin' string spacing. If a reasonably priced six or seven string bass was made with 19mm string spacing, I'd buy it. If it would play like my 4 string bass, I would own it. I've recently purchased some 5 string basses for recording ventures but my 4 stringers, for the most part, would satisfy my live gigging needs.

10 points to 'MeYatch'.

Cheers!

[TJ Kelly]

I had always been a 4 string guy until I quit playing for 10 years. When I started again I figured since it was almost starting over I might as well go 5. Feels like home now!

[Banned]

I may replace it next year with a BEAD-tuned four-banger.

I've considered this as well. I would imagine that you would have to file the slots in the nut, wouldn't you? Anyone know what other setup might be needed? I was gonna do it to my Ibanez ATK.

[Sapo]

Four strings with a hipshot xtender. you get used to drop D after awhile. I plan to move to a 12 string (root/octave/octave) when I get up the money to get one. Probably late january or february. Its gonna be made by October Guitars in Maryland. Its still essentially a 4 string, but it sounds way bigger.

[moxham123]

I have always played a 4 string and am most comfortable with it. I have tried 5 string but they never felt right. Either the strings were too close together or the neck was too wide; plus, the extra string was one of those optical illusions I can't get used to. Of course, my main axe is a Steinberger and most bass players can't get used to the optical illusion of no head stock or where to place their hand but is has a full scale neck with more frets than most basses. I also have a Rickenbacker 4001 bass and an Epiphone 3/4 scale neck bass but never play them on gigs anymore. We play every song in standard tuning and if we happen to learn a song that is in an unusual key (like Eb for a Smithereens' song), we play it in Eb. I would love to try out a 12 string bass though. Check out this website about 12 string basses.

http://www.12stringbass.net/

[Big Jimi Cee]

I made the switch from four to five probably ten or eleven years ago and although I still own two 4-strings my preference is my 5-string. I really had no problem making the transition and for my playing style the 5 works well for me. Actually if I were to buy another bass at this moment it would probably be a six string.

[UncleScabby]

I've considered this as well. I would imagine that you would have to file the slots in the nut, wouldn't you? Anyone know what other setup might be needed? I was gonna do it to my Ibanez ATK.

I play 35" scale 4 string basses in dropped Bb, and I got away with using 115's without having to file the nut out. The strings are still nice and tight -- I'd consider trying a set of those out before modding anything. I did have to get them set up again after going to the thicker gauge, but thats no big deal.

[DrumAndDestroy]

Someone was telling me that the bass player from Korn uses or used a 15 string bass for a recording and some live shows.

Any truth to this?

[Sapo]

Someone was telling me that the bass player from Korn uses or used a 15 string bass for a recording and some live shows.

Any truth to this?

yes. if you go to the above mentioned 12 stringbass.net, click on basses, scroll down to 15 & 18 string basses and click, then scroll down you will see the bass and the player. its an Ibanez.

[RamRod 1]

Here's my 1st bass I started out with in "68".

It's a "Supero". Might be from the "50's". It was black and I "ruined it". LOL![/img]

That's a cool bass, Andy. Is that a short-scale? I'd like to get a photo of my first bass up here. It's a '72 Fender Musicmaster.

Yeah Paul, it's really a short scale, in fact, It's the same scale as a regular guitar. I just measured it and it's within a quarter inch from nut to bridge of my "Tele". Sustains really well but it's not a great bass. The Pick-up is noisey and the volume pot works in reverse. If you look right below the bridge you can see a "black wire". That wire has "Cotton" insulation, not rubber. A wooden Rosewood bridge. You can adjust the height but you can just forget about the "Intonation"! LOL!!!!

[JeffLeeper]

I've been playing bass for over 30 years, and when I started, a 5-string wasn't an available option.
Since the music was recorded with a 4-string, I just naturally learned this way.
I can play a 5-er, and it's not uncomfortable, but a 4-string and I go way back...We're old friends.

[Griff]

I've been playing the bass for 27 years now and I learned on a four string and played a four string up to about four years ago I wanted to play a five. So I bought a LB 75 carvin used and gave it a shot and it was hard at first it seemed like learning how to play all over again being that I played four string all those years but as I practiced and kept going it was great no more D tuning and it just gave so much more room to expand inverting scales and just found so much more that I can do I will never go back to playing a four. After I got on to it I found for my self that the Fender jazz bass was the bass for me because of it having a narrow nut and that really helped me with the transfer so thats when I bought my fender v jazz

[DMFJ03]

My primary bangers are 4's. Schecter Elite 4 and Spector NS2.

I would love to be more clean, and percise when it comes to my slapping, but since I am not...I will just stick to 4 bangers. My Schecter Elite 5 just gives me nightmares. Love the bass to death, but I do struggle with it.

That and the 8-banger is just for fun. I would like to have a six string at some point too. Just to have one.

[floodcitybrass]

I prefer the 9-stringed and 3-stringed basses. Anything else just doesn't feel natural.