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Apparently for me five is one too many


The Aardvark

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I have a G&L L2500 Tribute which I've had for a little over a year. I LOVE :love::love::love: the versitility. You can get just about any sound you want. It feels really good in my hands, it's very comfortable to play. But I can't seem to make the transition to a 5 string. I never use the B, it just gets in the way. I've tried to force myself to use it but it's no use. I'm gonna eBay it and get and L2000. Anyone else tried a 5er and given up on it?

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i've fallen in and out of love with 5-string basses. i've played cheapo crappo ones (rogue) and very good ones (warwick, G&L, music man)

 

i don't think i'll ever become a 5-stringer only kind of guy, but i get around well enough on one.

 

do i need it? not really, not for the music i'm playing. but whatever. it's all good.

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I knew I didn't have any use for a low B, so I strung my L2500 E-C instead. Have you considered that?

 

 

Yeh, I've had a tenor strung (G/A - D - G - C) bass and it's great, so I see no reason not to at least try EADGC before you ditch it. Great for chording.

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Several years ago, i switched from 4 to 5 with a warwick thumb 5. In first it was very cool. I played it during two years to be sure. But after two years i was sure that 4 strings were the bass for me. I solded it and came back to 4..

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I'm still very new to a 5 string, so the verdict is still out. I haven't seemed to have any issues with the transition and I can incorporate the low notes into several songs I play, but it does seem to throw off my landmarks if I actually look at my fretting hand while I play. I can't see ever bailing and getting rid of it, but I can see switching back and forth depending on the need at the time.

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I made the transition this past summer, and after about 2 weeks, I was good to go - after about a month, I could switch back and for between 4s and 5s without any difficulties(and still can)... The reason I did it was because my main band plays current rock and metal, and over half of our stuff goes below standard tuning - playing in drop D,Db, and C got to be a pain in the neck... These days, I use a 4 banger for standard, and drop the E for Eb(about 8 songs) - and use a 5er for everything else... I don't go through as many strings this way, don't have to keep .110s around for drop tunings - and don't spend nearly as much time dicking around with tunings during live performances... Besides, I find that a 5er sounds more full than a 4 in drop tunings...

 

 

In short - if you're planning on playing alot of modern rock, I'd recommend sticking with it a bit longer, to make a solid attempt at picking up the 5er - it'll definetly make things easier in the long run... On the other hand, if you don't play modern rock, you can probably get along quite nicely with 4 strings - although I notice that other styles(country, pop, etc...) are requiring 5ers more and more...

 

 

 

- georgestrings

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, but it does seem to throw off my landmarks if I actually look at my fretting hand while I play.

 

 

 

Yeah, even after over 6 months of playing a 5er, I still don't know the neck in various positions as well as I do on a 4 string - although it's getting easier... I have to actually think about what note that B string represents at different positions, when it's automatic for me on 4s...

 

 

 

 

- georgestrings

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I have a G&L L2500 Tribute which I've had for a little over a year. I LOVE
:love:
:love:
:love:
the versitility. You can get just about any sound you want. It feels really good in my hands, it's very comfortable to play. But I can't seem to make the transition to a 5 string. I never use the B, it just gets in the way. I've tried to force myself to use it but it's no use. I'm gonna eBay it and get and L2000. Anyone else tried a 5er and given up on it?

 

My brotha'! :D

 

I am actually doing the same thing. I've owned my L-2500 for about 4 years. GREAT bass, but I already have another fiver and I like the string spacing on my other fiver more. It was a tough call, but after much self-deliberation I decided to trade in the L-2500 for an L-2000. After playing the L-2500 I can't imagine not having a G&L in my arsenal...

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very interesting.


how often do you find yourself going up onto the C?

 

 

I play on the C a lot. It is so useful to be able to have that extra upper range, and It's nice to be able to play a lot of stuff in the "sweet spot", and not be forced to move up beyond frets 14+ as often.

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Anyone else tried a 5er and given up on it?

 

 

i got a SR5..its a beauty and i dearly wanted a five to fret an E and get those low D's

this cost me obviously for the bass and at every string change +25% approx for that big B string

i still find myself getting cross stringed as i play familiar riffs and my fretting and plucking hands get out of position..

lately i have been coming to terms with this and reckon a stingray 4 would be a better bet and let me get on with the music..

open E...well let it be

and as for the low D...too bad...and my 12" combo doesnt reproduce it that well..

guess i better wind the clock back and admit i was chasing moonbeams

 

ps there is a nice lakland non us jazz on ebay...

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I have both a 4 and a 5 string bass. My 4 string bass is much nicer (Rick 4001) so I play it most of the time instead of the 5 (Spirit/musicyo Steinberger).

 

I purchased a 5 string primarily because I don't like detuning. The extra string is mostly used as a convenient thumbrest. I don't have any trouble switching between the 4 and 5 string basses.

 

If I had the budget, I would have gotten a 5 string Rickenbacker. :cool:

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