Members Mahumadi Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 I am switching over to the bass after a year of guitar playing and am wondering what your opinions are on 4 and 5 strings. I understand the fretboard is wider on a 5 string which would make it difficult changing over to a 5 after learning on a 4. What are your opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Campbell Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Whatever is comfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 0175westwood29 Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 can't go wrong with a four string andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cpt. Spliff Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Unless you are in an outlaw countryband, I'd recommend a 4-string. You should be comfortable with the E-A-D-G tuning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super Bass Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Get a 4 stringer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super Bass Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Unless you are in an outlaw countryband, I'd recommend a 4-string. You should be comfortable with the E-A-D-G tuning. Is that your bass in your avatar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2732 Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 4 string is good, but coming from guitar you may find a 5th string useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cpt. Spliff Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Is that your bass in your avatar? Sorry, Mahumadi. Supa and I are going to hi-jack your thread for a second, but the overall concensus, so far, points to 4 strings. Hmmph, errh... Yes. Starfire II with Bi-sonics... and teh infamous "Suckswitch". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super Bass Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Sorry, Mahumadi. Supa and I are going to hi-jack your thread for a second, but the overall concensus, so far, points to 4 strings. Hmmph, errh... Yes. Starfire II with Bi-sonics... and teh infamous "Suckswitch". Lucky son of a .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cpt. Spliff Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Lucky son of a .... Lucky ? It cost me a King's... plus a couple of minor dukes' Ransom. But it is a part of American Rock history and stringed with TI flats, it thumps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super Bass Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Lucky ? It cost me a King's... plus a couple of minor dukes' Ransom. But it is a part of American Rock history and it thumps. Yeah I dont doubt that it cost a lot. sweet bass though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AntiStuff Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 What kind of music will you be playing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cpt. Spliff Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 Yeah I dont doubt that it cost a lot. sweet bass though. Yessss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JC Bass Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 I vote 4 as well...you can do everything you really need with 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thrustin Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 5's look more professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thumper Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 5's look more professional. Um... I'd worry more a bout the sound... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members collinwho Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 I prefer 4s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stevesherbert Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 sorry if this is a little off-topic, but why is the 5 string so popular in country music? most of the country i know is pretty tame bass-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super Bass Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 sorry if this is a little off-topic, but why is the 5 string so popular in country music? most of the country i know is pretty tame bass-wise. Its a forum joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yanikins Posted April 12, 2009 Members Share Posted April 12, 2009 5's look more professional. Says who? Whenever I see someone get up with a 5 string I think "Great, another guy who wants to play guitar". Ok maybe thats a bit harsh. But i think alot of beginners have trouble using a 5 string well. Id suggest a 4 so he gets some experience writing lines without relying heavily on a b string. But thats just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brother Mango Posted April 13, 2009 Members Share Posted April 13, 2009 This is becoming more & more my response to this type of question:just buy a bass, begin feeling your way and allow your own experience to help guide your future decisions. A few years ago 6-string basses looked bizarre and wrong, to me. They seemed to only be for solo bassists. And I certainly never expected what I saw last week: professional blues bassists playing 6-string basses. You can't make a "wrong" decision. Suppose you had the choice of a friend giving you a 6-string, and buying your own 5- or 4-string. Take the 6. Maybe you'll be perfectly happy, maybe not. You've got to just throw yourself into this and get experienced. Whatever bass you get, it's not likely to be the last bass you'll ever buy in life. You'll get more opportunities to add, subtract, downgrade, upgrade, simplify and add variety. I've got 4 basses and have owned a total of 6. Don't worry too much about your first bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members countrybass Posted April 13, 2009 Members Share Posted April 13, 2009 Unless you are in an outlaw countryband, I'd recommend a 4-string. You should be comfortable with the E-A-D-G tuning. LMOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 5 string man. B-E-A-D-G all the way!!! lol!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t3ch Posted April 13, 2009 Members Share Posted April 13, 2009 4 will get you by on most stuff, but if you play a lot of metal or country a fiver might be a bit easier for you so you won't have to jack around with tuning. If you're starting fresh, I really don't think it's going to matter to you whether you get a 4 or 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mahumadi Posted April 13, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 13, 2009 I play everything from Beatles, Zeppelin, Stones, to Grateful Dead, Guess Who, and all other bad ass classic rock bands. Im into the blues as well, so it seems from the responses that I should be ok with a 4 string, which is what I was wanting to play. thanks for your input! My guitar teacher insists that I do not need scales and since I had recently changed over to bass, I havent had much lesson time with it yet, so when I jam im kind of searching and just playing major scales.From searching the internet it seems apparent that you should at least know them. I have searched for scales and modes, though I do not know what a mode is, and have come up empty handed. So, long story short, I come to you. What modes/scales might you recommend I begin with and if you have a url to tabluture of said scale, that would be cool as well. thanks for your time, stay groovy. P.S. Is there a popular internet bass forum with a larger crowd and more info directly related to bass guitar? Not that I dont like this one, but I want to network =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members collinwho Posted April 13, 2009 Members Share Posted April 13, 2009 My guitar teacher insists that I do not need scales You should tell your guitar teacher to stick to guitar. His/her knowledge of bass is clearly very limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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