How many bass strings???

axisus

I have flirted with bass for many year on and off. Started with 4 stringers, but bought a 5 string 18 years ago and never looked back. 5 string basses came and went over the years an I eventually bought an uber bass (Fender custom shop). All was well and good, but for some reason I had a hankering for the simplicity of 4 string again. Bought a status 4, but never got on with it, it felt like something was wrong to be honest. Anyway, I hung up bass playing for the best part of a year, only to get into it again in the last 2 weeks. Suddenly the 4 stringer feels like 'the one' and 5's feel weird. The big question now is do I kiss my supreme bass goodbye?

Anyway, do you prefer 4, 5 or more than 5 bass strings?

Paul_C

4

monquixote

I play a 5 mainly because the last band I was in did a few songs in drop tunings and I don't like changing guitars or retuning on stage. I could see myself potentially going back to playing a 4 at some point depending on the band.

ICBM

4

Only ever.

steamabacus

3!


... or 12?



:-/

fretmeister

4 or 5.

5 with orchestra as I need the lower range. Happy with 4 for almost everything else.

ICBM

steamabacus said:

3!

Or…

http://www.thevpme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Band_1-600x504.jpg

axisus

I should add that I find it hard switching between 4 & 5. I need to stick with one or the other.

steamabacus

ICBM said:

steamabacus said:

3!

Or…

http://www.thevpme.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Band_1-600x504.jpg

Surely that's the wrong three, though?

ICBM

steamabacus said:

Surely that's the wrong three, though?

I suspect it didn't matter too much . Pretty sure I saw him with only two (the middle two, if I remember rightly - but might have been the bottom two) on at some point as well.

Loved the band but I'm sure musicianship was not a priority .

ChrisMusic

6 
seems like a pretty good number to me  

UnclePsychosis

In terms of notes, I can do everything with a 4. 

however, in terms of comfort I prefer a 5---I mostly use the B string as a thumbrest and it feels wrong not having it there! 

chrispy108

I chose a detuned 4 over a 5, I just never got on with either of the fivers I had.

ThePrettyDamned

5.

If possible, 6.

8 is better.

I like 15 so it goes below the range of human hearing, it really fills out a band mix.

Mostly 4 or 5 though.

mart

steamabacus said:

3!

One of @mdphillips first ever endorsement deals.

Dave_Mc

Only messed with 4 so far, haven't been playing bass too long.

Then again I've only ever messed with 6 on a "normal" guitar and I've been playing that for ages, so...

Dave_Mc

Cack, accidental double post

fretmeister

Bit of everything...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/fretmeister/017f9cb63e4a8de9fcd4284ef57c77fc.jpg

IanSavage

Always said I'd never need any more than 4, joined a band who tuned down to C so got a five and tuned it up a semitone, loved it, totally doesn't work for blues band I'm with now, back to four again. I REALLY want a Jazz type for some reason. 

ChrisMusic

That is an incredible looking instrument.

You don't really think you can get away with posting that picture @fretmeister without an explanation.

It was bad enough watching the Zon Hyperbass video you posted elsewhere, that was incredible.  This is going to get expensive, very, very expensive !

fretmeister

That is a Read Step Neck bass. It belongs to Victor Wooten.

I dont know a lot about it - there was a photo in the "American Basses" book.

I believe there are only 2 in the world. Even rarer than the Zon Hyperbass (there are 3 of them in the UK. I have 1, and someone I know has the other 2!)