I had a 5 string for awhile before truly understanding the B string. So I empathize with these players that mask their fear by saying it's unnecessary, or so and so only uses 4 strings, etc. What really opened my mind was playing in the community orchestra, seeing how many bass parts went below the e string, and how much power there was when you are the only one in the group that can hit those notes (I played a 5 string upright bass). It completely transforms the sound. The conductor loved it every time. Now I reach for the B string on my electric constantly and it's great to have the extended range. Sure you can string a bass BEAD or use a detuner or an extension on an upright. Those are all valid approaches to producing sub E notes. I mean, we are bass players, why is there hate towards those that want even more bass? Are these guitarists masquerading as bassists? Hmmm?
Coming from the guitar a narrow five string bass spacing just feels more natural to me. I prefer a 4 string for slapping though. I also like the fact that I can use the same instrument for soul funk and down tuned death metal and cover all the genres I like most without restringing or changing the instrument.
I saw a 5 string double bass in Dave Horine's so in It was a full scale, not 3/4, beauty. The scroll up top was shaped like a lion's head. With no intent extension the shoulders of the bass were level with my shoulders, I'm 6 ft 3. The purity of that B string was immense. I started off on trombone before I moved onto bass. I'm used to hearing the purity of low brass. The depth and Clarity of the low mystery was amazing but it didn't have the brashness of brass it was sweet full and fat. This was around 1981 or 82 and the sticker price on it was $25,000 I have no idea what it would go for today man what an incredible instrument
I'm a 1,000 year old dude and been playing for probably 900 years. I like the FUNK, AND I LOVE YOUR STYLE! Your a badass player with incrediblely fine nuances and you've taught me a lot! You have my most sincere gratitude! I simply tip my hat 🤠.
I forgot to mention, or more appropriately ask if you have ever had the opportunity to play a Yamaha RBX A2 5 string? I'm still blown away by how much people offer me for a Bass I bought new 14 years ago for apx $800 Canadian. It's well under 8 pounds and is down right evil on stage and the studio.
I hear a lot of talk about how 16-17mm bridge spacing is too tight for finger style, but that's not my experience at all. The tighter spacing facilitates quicker, more precise playing. Even if playing faster isn't what you're going for, the shorter distance makes things just feel more relaxed. I would highly recommend people give something with tighter spacing a shot, especially if they're not super interested in slap.
As a guitar player I find that to be an incredibly silly complaint. Even a classical guitar which has a 2 inch wide neck has less space between strings and they're used almost exclusively for fingerstyle.
I recently got a cheap MM-style bass and I hate the tight string spacing with a passion. It's fine with a pick, but fingerstyle feels like constantly tripping over your own fingers.
I always prefer tight spacing for fingerstyle playing cause I play classical guitar too. I also like like to practice/warmup with my 6 string (16.25mm spacing) for slapping. It really cleans up my technique by minimizing unnecessary hand motion.
Sound advice, Lobster. After 5+ years of being a 4-string player, I bought my first 5 in the summer, and trying instruments was key to the process. Did some research online, then visited the local guitar shop and spent a couple of hours playing pretty much every (model of) 5 they had in stock, plus a 4-string Dingwall because I had never tried a multi-scale instrument. They are part of a small chain so I arranged for them to transfer in two additional basses and the follwing weekend turned into a three-way shoot-out between those and the one I liked best from the first session. The three finalists were a Lakland Skyline 55-02 ("winner" from the first weekend: one with a Jazz-style neck pickup and a humbucker at the bridge), a headless Ibanez (1265, I think, not multi-scale), and a Dingwall NG3. For me, the Ibanez was the easiest to play, but had the weakest sound; the Lakland was pretty good, but the Dingwall just sounded a level above and immediately felt more comfortable than the Lakland on the higher strings (among other things, with the Lakland, I pulled the G off the fretboard a couple of times while struggling to get a decent bend); there was an obvious learning curve with the multi-scale aspect but I could feel myself adapting during that session. In the end, I bought the Dingwall but reckon I could have lived with any of the three finalists. Four months on, I don't regret my choice; the 37" B string has forced me to unlearn some habits (one finger per fret doesn't work for me at that scale), but the tones the instrument gives are amazing. I suspect others trying the same instruments may well have come to different conclusions (e.g. buy the Ibanez for ease of playing and get the desired tones by modification or good use of amps and pedals, or get the Lakland for the excellent low B and pickup versatlity while avoiding the complexity of multi-scale), but that's the point (and fun) of trying stuff and finding what works for the individual.
I have had a few Lākland’s. The 3 x 52-02 has bad sounding D and G string. They has less power then te rest. The 94-05 i had was the bomb! Light with 3.7kg….butt to expensive for my skills😂. Now i have a Skyline 55-01 which i like more than the 55-02. All strings are powerfull. And all the Lakland’s are in good balance and easy to play. The get not so quick off tune as well!!!
I agree on how important the string spacing is for a five string. Many years ago I bought an ESP LTD B205 5 string bass. It was a great bass in every way except the string spacing was very tight. It looked great, it sounded great, had EMG pickups and electronics and was solid all around. But I found myself struggling to advanced as a bass player, I kept having trouble learning new riffs and lines and kept struggling to mute unused strings. Then one day I picked up a Spector Euro 5 string at a local shop and discovered that I was able to easily play several riffs that I had been struggling with on the ESP. It was life changing! Not long after that I sold the ESP and actually down graded to an OLP 5 String, they had just come out at the time and I didn't have a lot of money. Wasn't near as nice as the ESP but it was so much easier to play and my abilities grew a lot while I had it.
Oh Dang! My first and only 5 string is an ESP LTD F-1550DX! Edit: my bad, I thought it was a B205. It's been lurking in the gig bag for so long that I forgot.
This just highlights what an individual thing instrument choice is, because I play a B205 and I love it. It has become my go-to workhorse bass for both gigging and recording. Bottom line: what works for one person won't work for another, so always try before you buy.
Thank you for sharing your skill, talent and experience on this subject. Some of us are still learning about all the different ways to play bass and having someone explain these things so clearly is really helpful.
Dude, the part where you said, "forming an opinion through the internet." That's so true... I feel like I'm an expert and know everything even though I've only played like 3 basses. And I'm like starting to craft this wierd hypothetical perfect bass in my head. Like a 5 string fretless p5 with a high C and tapewounds and I've never tried any of those lol
You covered the 5-string dilemma very well. The loss of Privately owned music stores hurt's the opportunity to check it out. I really wanted to hear that LakLand.
Just like with 4-stirngs, I look at the position of the bridge saddles relative to the end of the body, the position of the upper strap button relative to the frets, and the thickness and width of the neck. The positions of the bridge and strap button will determine the reach to the lowest frets, and I want that distance as short as possible. The thickness and width of the neck determines how difficult it will be to fret.
Just a week or two ago I got a Sterling by Musicman Sub Ray5, because I wasn't getting comfortable on the Harley Benton neck. The string spacing on the new one is a bit more narrow, but I like it that way. It's the fourth 5 String that I bought and I'm still angry at myself, that I traded the cheap Johnsson Stingray copy for a crappy fretless, that I sold later. -.-That bass was actually really nice. What I have learned: String spacing is one of the most important things on a 5 string. And a different neck profile makes a much greater difference in the playing experience as opposed to a four string. If possible go to a store, try different basses and let your hands decide.
The scale length is a big thing for me. 34" 5 strings often have a flabby B string with barely any note definition to my ears. 35" is the minimum for me, but multi-scale basses like Dingwalls have by far the best B strings that I've heard and played.
My problem with 35 and beyond was the g string. It started sounding like a C because of the tension but multi-scale really changes everything for better
This is actually quite informative. I have been thinking of getting another bass after several years of not playing. A retirement give from me to me, as so to speak. My big concern is string width at the bridge. G&L has what is called Big Chunks, at 17.5mm. Their standard is smaller, 16.5? I used to play a Fender MIM Jazz V. That was playable. My friend has a Roscoe SKB 3005, Standard and that has a dream neck, a fantastic feel (but that is just under 4k). I also find that it is the technique that we use that defines our quality of play. Good technique will allow us to use any string spacing. If you want to play a fretless, you must have very good technique to play in tune, regardless of string spacing. With an improved technique for both hands, it appears that string spacing is still important, but not a deal breaker for a good ax. So I concur and trying / auditioning many different brands. The neck feel and string spacing is most critical. You can easily modify/change the electronics to anything you have a preference for. Again, thank you for this informative video.
I hear you man. After getting my first 35 minute scale base I'm realizing that I wish my four string basses for 35-in scale. Having played upright Bass the Simandl fingerings work great down there on the money notes.
Something I now look for, that you've mentioned in other videos (unless I missed it in this one): sometimes on 5-strings the outer strings (G in particular) get a bit too close to the edge of the fretboard, and will slip off while playing if you aren't careful. This is greatly exacerbated if the fret ends have been too aggressively beveled by an inexperienced guy leveling his own frets... DAMHIK. But yeah I think you nailed the most important criteria with weight, balance, string spacing, and avoiding neck profiles that are too fat vs. thin for my hands.
I bought a 5 string Squire 70s classic vibe. The novelty of the low B wore off quick, plus whenever I would play my 4-string then went back to the 5, I was always on the wrong string for a while until I got used to it again. I decided to order a set of 6-string strings (D'addario XL) and put the high 5 on my bass so now it's tuned E-A-D-G-C. Now I don't get thrown off when I switch back and forth, but the high C string is strange sounding, like it doesn't belong with the set. It's a bigger jump in tone from the G-string than the other tone-to-tone string jumps, and it sounds noticeably "thinner". I can live with that. I still like the high C much better than the low B. I think I'm going to switch to flat wounds and see how that works out.
@@joepaquet4332 Ok, so first, let's talk strings. I realized along the way that I like bright tones so I never tried flats. As for rounds, Ernie Ball Super Slinkys and DR Sunbeams are both good at either end (High C or Low B) with no sudden jumps in tone from string to string. I prefer the Slinkys as they sound like the bass end of a piano when you start digging in. They both sound very similar though. I could even say they sound the same for the most part. It's probably only other musicians who like the same tones as me who could even tell a difference, and only after listening for an extended amount of time. The rest of the story went sideways on me. I already had a bunch of 4 string basses that were sentimental to me, so I never committed fully to the 5 string. Because of that, having the extended range string at the high end threw me off way more than when it was at the low end. I went back to low B because of that. Learning a cover song on a 4 string and then trying to play it on a 5 string, I found the C string to be "in the way" more than anything else. (I'm not the kind of player that can adjust to stuff like that by playing it somewhere else on the neck . . at least not yet . . maybe never) BUT, I'm sure if I had started with a 5 string in the first place and wasn't going back and forth between 4s and a 5, I'm sure I would be playing with the High C. *Full discloser - I play pop/disco kind of music. The bright end is more valuable to me than the low end. I also appreciate how it alloys me to keep my hand at the first position/low end of the neck . I prefer that to moving up the neck. It's just more natural to me to go up and down , string to string, instead of fret to fret (if that makes any sense) I hope that helped.
Thank you for the response, I'm drawn to the playing of Janek Gwizdala and the possibility of playing some classical pieces with a multi scale and this is my reasoning. I'm on the hunt for a used five, multi-scale now and some of the online payment plans are moving some different models within reach including a CORT that I am researching now. Ty @@Inferno5150
1. The debate whether body wood affects the tone at all is still going. I'd say the overall effect is rather marginal. The neck wood on the other hand does, in my experience - although it's more like a different colour on the same car. As a sidenote - does anyone still use plywood as body material??? Even the cheapest Chinese crapbasses have some sort of hardwood body nowadays. 2. IN MY EXPERIENCE (I used the upper case to stress it) heavier brigdes seem to work better, especially for 5+ strings. The notes seem to have more attack and definition and the sustain is longer. However, it's always better to choose a bass you like more overall even if it has a crappy bridge - there's a huge choice of aftermarket bridges and they're easy to swap :-) 3. Scale lenght does play some role but if you struggle to play in lower positions (hand size, joints and tendons etc) it's better to stick to 34". There are lots of standard-sized 5-string basses with very good B strings. I'm fortunate to have an Alembic Essence 5 and, with its 34" scale, it has one of the greatest, tightest and most "alive" B strings I've ever heard in my life. There are also lots of less costly 34" scale basses with very satisfying B strings - Stingrays are a prime example. 4. There's also a choice between bolt-on and NTB basses. The former, in general, have a faster attack response, the latter usually have longer sustain and more even response across the neck. Once again, it's down to personal preference.
Having tried a lot of many things, passives are ‘better’ because I never need to worry about the battery going dead/ unplugging the bass when I’m not playing. passives are ‘better’ because I can dial in the EQ in my Helix and just get on with life.
I bought my first 5 string out of laziness (I didn't want to tune my bass to drop D etc. when particular song demanded notes below E). Now I own two 5 string basses (Sire V3 and Cort GB75JH). Both are completely different basses, except for styling. Sire has narrower string spacing on the bridge and much narrower nut width. I was worried that the Cort will be difficult to play but I found some songs to be easier to play on wider string spacing. My tips and recommendations for buying 5 string basses: - if you want a bass with J pickups or single P pickup, then the 35'' is a way to go if you really want a great definition in your B string, - 34'' scale works great in basses equipped with humbuckers that have big pole pieces and/or in twin humbucker configurations, - go active. Active preamps can help get the most out of the B string.
I got into 5 string based because most modern rock bassists use them and I figured like you said I won't have to down tune my bass to play along with a guitar player in say E flat but the problem I've found with not tuning down is that you end up in some cases you make the bass line tougher to play particularly if it's a fast paced song which can be impressive to watch but can end up with fatigued fingers .
Interesting as I would never have considered things like headstock size and weight etc. After buying a L-1000 and loving it after watching the channel, I would seriously look at a L-1000 Series 750.
At the moment, I own a five string CV Jazz Bass V, partially modified with Graphtech string tuners and high quality Flatwound strings. I'm still learning. It's a good Bass, for my needs at this point in time.
Wish I'd seen this before I bought my first 5 string. I got a Cort B5+ and I absolutely loved everything about it EXCEPT the super narrow string spacing. Sold it and bought a Lakland with full 19mm spacing and I love it! Honestly, I think the narrow spacing would be nice once you're used to it but I also have a 4 string and it was too weird going back and forth.
I took the plunge and ordered the musicman 5 string Crescendo BFR.. I love my stingray 4H in amethyst sparkle. I haven’t played a 5 string I’ve liked, so I’m hoping this has the magic that my 4H has.
I don’t think I’ve ever seems any on this channel, but I can say with great confidence that Warwicks have fantastic sounding B strings for 34” scale basses, both the German and Chinese ones
It depends on what you mean by "fantastic". If dead as a doornail, elephant fart kind of tone is your thing then yes, a bass-like instrument made by Warwick may indeed fit your bill. Me, I have yet to find a Warwick that's more than overpriced firewood. And I've tried quite a few of these things. Inb4 "HURRR RYAN MARTINIE AND STUART ZENDER DURRR" - yes, they are both absolutely fantastic bassists and I wish I had 10% of their chops but I strongly dislike their tone.
New 5 string player here (after playing 4s for 8+). I have a Sterling Ray35HH and a FGN Mighty Jazz. I highly recommend both. I may get a 3rd at some point. Considering a Solar or maybe a Yamaha BB435. I have a 434 and it's my cheapest bass and my second best overall player. Best budget instrument, imho (at least of ones I've handled).
I would love to see your take on short scales... or maybe just an in depth look at different scale lengths and their relative tones, string tension, etc.
Pretty much 5 strings all the time now. Started when the songs our cover band were doing back about 10 years ago called for 5 strings. My first was a Lakland 55-01. Not bad for the price but way too heavy at over 12 lbs. It also suffered from some quality issues like poor shielding and general wiring problems. Next was a USA Fender V Professional (passive). It was great and even better when I fitted a John East pre-amp. Still slightly heavy so I traded it for a Mike Lull M5. It’s just perfect in every way. 35 inch scale, killer B string, 19 mm spacing and a great pre-amp. Best of all it’s only 8 lbs so long gigs are a breeze. Recently I bought a Ric 4003s/5. Not really that pleased with it. Nowhere near the build quality of the Mike Lull - albeit the prices I paid were similar. The general tone of the Ric is a bit meh and the B string is pretty weedy. Things have improved a bit by using a Darkglass AO900 with a bit of grit dialled in but I don’t see me using the Ric that often. As for actually playing on a 5, it opens up a whole world of options and is especially great when transposing to lower keys to accommodate vocalist ranges for example. The only downside for 5 players is having to hear the old cliches from 4 string purists - you know the ones 😄
I thought that you will have some insights on the desired sound on a 5-string bass vs a 4-string. I have a 6-string Jazz Bass, which neck pickup sounds incredible with high strings, it makes them sound big and bassy, but it totally sucks on the low B. The bridge pickup sounds very tight and articulate on the low B, but is too thin for the high C. I have a theory, that low voiced basses, pickups and pickup positions, like a P Bass, are perfectly paired with the standard 4-string bass tuning, but if you want to tune lower, then you are more interested in overtones than in a fundamental, so brighter pickups and pickup positions are more popular - Ibanezes, Stingrays, Warwick Thumbs etc. 5-string Warwick Thumb even has the neck pickup closer to the bridge than the 4-string. BTW I agree with not fixing ones opinion on string spacing just by reading other's opinions in the Internet. I slap a lot, so I always thought, that my 6-string should have 19mm spacing... When I bought one, it turned out, that the neck is so wide, that it's almost unplayable.
Video came at the right time, I’m looking to get a Ray35. I’ve been playing for close to a year now on a Mexican fender J, still not sure if adding a 5 string at my experience will help me improve as a player but I’ve always wanted to own a stingray
Ive had my 4 string lakland for 6 months now and i love it but im eventually looking to own a 5 string for more metal style playing. The recent ibanez btb 5 strings look awesome
Great video! The wisdom you impart could be applied to many facets of life. I got a 5er a little ways back to see if I liked it (Stingray SUB 5, used). So far I like it well enough, but weirdly the B sting feels like it doesn't have the same tension as the other stings (it's just shy from being floppy it feels like). I'm wondering, do you do your own setups? Any key differences/tips between 4 and 5? I can usually pull off doing an initial basic setup and seasonal adjustments on my 4s but the 5 required a lot more tweaking and head scratching to find the neck relief/action sweet spot. Could also be string choice, I went with the factory Ernies it was supposed to come with. Going to try medium DR highbeams next and see if that does me any good. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks! P.S.: I saw you featured in the G&L email newsletter. Pretty cool.
Thanks for doing such a comprehensive list, Lobster! :D I had to consider all of these points during most of 2021. I was on the market for a 5-string that wouldn't break the bank, but that was better than my Harley Benton. I knew my budget (< 600 euro), and that I wanted a passive instrument with a Jazz Bass-type neck profile (I don't like the chonky P-bass and Tele bass type necks). Eventually, I settled for a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V in December (which, btw, I don't know why Squier discontinued those; they're superb instruments).
Over the Years i found the following to be true for all Basses: 1.: Bodycontour! Wild Bodyshapes with sharp edges can feel uncomfy especially the higher up u play your Bass. (sitting) 2.: Neckshape! This is the Part of the Instrument u interact the most with. Shape, witdh and Frettboard radius are a make or break factor. 3.:Weight distribution! Neckheavy Instruments are a hastle.... constantly batteling the neckdive is a real pest. 4.: More Strings Factor! 19mil stringspacing works great for 4 strings but i found that the more strings a bass has, it becomes more and more unacceptable. And that is in many ways. 19mil may be fine for 5 Strings but as you do the math it will quickly add up to a very substantial Neck which gets increasingly hard to handle. Also it makes the instrument heavy and shifts the weight distribution more and more of Center. Getting even worse (as lobster mentioned) with the Headstock layout and added tuners. 5.: Anything other than that like Pickups/ Electronics, Woodselection and Hardware options are personal taste. AND NEVER...NEVER cheap out on Security locks ;-P
The first and only 5 string bass i bought was SUB by Sterling, I didnt like it because of the weight and I barely use low b, I tried bc rich, ltd, spector and some others but i didnt like the feeling of 5th string, same happened with 6 string ibanez and ltd I used to play, Im ok with 4 strings. Anyway, great video my crustacean friend.
I have a 5 string bass and want a better one. Which one will you recommend for Gospel Music I kinda like the jazz style pickup but don't like fender bass.
Don't need one, bit I reeeally want an ibanez btb. Just the best looking instrument ever created by anyone ever. Except Carl Thompson. Edit: where do you get your t shirts from? They're awesome!
Things that I look for while getting a bass guitar: 1. Application: don't just buy a 5 string because it's cool. Buy it because you need to utilize all the strings. Say your band is playing dropped tuning or drop A and you only need the the 5th string then better to use the BEAD strings on your 4 string bass. 2. Instead of splurging huge amount on the guitar and fancy pickups invest on your amp. That's what would shape your tone. A cheap guitar sounds great in a good amp and a great guitar sound average to bad in a cheap amp. Get standard pickups and they should do the trick initially.
All good things to think about. Hard to put into practice, as it might be hard to get 5ers in one place to compare. I have a Sire P5 on order. Since I have never held one, I have no idea if the playability will be any good. Nor do I know if the B string at 34" will be decent. 🤞
Another good reason for using a 5 string is hand injuries. Four-fret fingering is difficult for me down near the nut because on an injury to my middle finger. Up the neck it’s OK. The fifth fret on the B string is the same note as the open E. Abandoning the lowest four frets the fingering is easier for me and the tone is fatter, too, because of the thicker string. It’s like playing a short scale bass with a high C string. I do use the low D now and then in keys like D, G and sometimes A. Db to B I find of no use at all other than playing a lower root at the end of a song.
is it me or the free thumb rest notwithstanding i found 5 string basses [i assume, larger neck, maybe better woods. larger guage string] that in some EQ settings being comprable] that they sounded richer, deeper more dynamic range. Would you agree with that.
I only have Sire v3 and v5. 5 string basses . if I haven't played them for a little bit of time it's only a matter of minutes to re-adapt to them. The only bass I have that's a bit hard to play fingerstyle with is my bass VI.
I’m currently shopping for a 5 string bass as a fretted counterpart to my 5 string fretless ebmm ray I’m leaning towards a roasted maple sterling or the roasted maple v5 or v10 (kinda wanna put a tone capsule in a jazz bass Idunno why)
Excellent video! You made a lot of good points though I am surprised that you left out that the G strings of 5 string basses are often very close to the fret edge and can slide off when bending the string.
That’s indeed the case with 5-string Stingrays unfortunately. Maybe the company wants the neck to feel smaller that way to the cost of a sliding g string when bend slightly. To me a wrong choice and no go area for those basses.
I think the spacing is critical. I had for a while a G&L CL 2500 and while it sounded absolutely amazing I couldn't get used to the spring spacing was too tight for me and I ended up returning it.
Hey. I wanted to ask if anyone had any recommendations for 5 string basses that have a large (4 string) spacing. I got a Squier Jazz V that's my workhorse, if that gives any perspective. I'm on the hunt for particular models because it's tough for me to find them. It might be a skill issue on my end, but I'm not too proud to beg at this point. Lol
19mm is the best always, its not a matter or preference its a matter of ergonomics, youd have to have tiny hands or be a pick user for 17mm spacing, and no matter how much you get used to it, your technique is not gonna be as good as someone who isnt scared of 19mm spacing and getting reckless but still sounding clear
I think that for people who've played 4 strong all their lives, the 5 string bass feels uncomfortable and so instead of just saying, as I do, "that feels weird to me", they respond with hostility. I saw Keb Mo's bass player use a 5 string very effectively and that made me a convert. I still don't have one yet but am no longer averse to a 5.
Salutations… this explains a lot why 5 string tryouts felt so strange… 34” scale is not for me… too floppy no matter what is the other configuration.. thanks from this video
I stayed at 5 and will not want to go from 4 to 5 and back! My recent Lakland weight 4kg. 35” scale. I can just handle it. The big advantage is for instance an song in D tune or D#. When you must play this on a “A string” its no bass at all…..is my opinion.
I'm lazy and prefer a 4 string strung BEAD. Feels like a plain old 4 string with fatter strings. The narrowest 5 string i ever tried was an early 80s Steinberger. The narrow 5 bridge was the same footprint as the 4 string. So if you had an L2 4 string could get a new 5 string bridge and headpiece and convert the 4 string L2 to a 5. Considering Steinberger 4 string basses had narrower spacing than a fender, the 5 was super narrow.
Sound is what I listen for, number of fretts is second, and to defend Jackson the Spectra has a 3/2 tuner, I know that's not the standard for all of them, my Minion has the 4 in a row but just saying they are out there
I only play 5s these days. Im in a covers band and virtually every song we do gets the key dropped. So much nicer sounding to have an actual B string as opposed Octave pedals.
Has anyone played a Lignum bass? They are made in Croatia. A 5-string Wenge, spring bass costs $245. I've only heard someone on RUclips playing a sub-octave 4 string (42" scale) so far. Since I'm a guitarist, I just need a solid quality bass to record with.
I bought the 120$ glarry 5 string and I’ve been gigging with it for my first 2 years of playing bass in a rock band. That thing fucking chugs and the tone is amazing, the electronics are trash tho
Hi Lobster 🦞, I'm deciding between the ibanez ehb1005, ibabez sr605e and the sadowsky metro express . I will appreciate your advice. Which one you prefer sound wise and value?
I own a EHB1005MS, a EHB1505MS, and 4 other 5 string basses that are not headless and are not multi-scale. The EHB1005MS is strung with LaBella low tension flats. After many months of bouncing around with all my basses I pretty much only play my EHB's and especially my 1005. Everything about them are so comfortable and easy to play. They sound awesome too.
@@davidpost4216 Thanks, It's been said that the 1005 is darker sounding than the 1505, can it get near the 1505 with some eq'ing? Maybe by boosting the hi mid and treble?
@@tonyaccouche9807 I like the Bartolini’s on my 1005. They don’t have the higher frequency overtones of the Nordstrands on my 1505 but they sit in the mix perfectly. I think the active preamp on the 1005 does a good job brightening things up with the treble boost and sweepable mid frequency controls.
im a bit different..i hate the low B but love the high C after playing a six string too much...so im prolly gonna get a harley benton jazz and put some strings on it. Does anybody else do that?? zimmyjim
My wish list combination is 37 scale with 19mm spacing & there is no such animal. .Kiesel has 19mm with 36", but I had a 36" LeComte & the B didn't ring like my old 37" Dingwall.
@@MrSparks54 indeed and having the funds available through credit card points. i only want one because i am tired of dropping tunings :-). a hipshot drop tuner would likely take care of some of that but...never let good judgement get in the way of new gear.
im a 5string player, and for me real bass guitar is a 5string it feels complete, not 4 String. I cannot live with only 2 bass. i feel i need 1 jazzbass, 1 musicman, 1 modern bass and 1 pbass, maybe for additional like a dingwall style bass
Too many people get a 5-string thinking they are graduating to the next level. Wrong. The 5-string has a purpose and if you don't play it all the time, it is money wasted. I am happy with a 4-string bass as it does everything I need it to do. If I got a 5-string, there is no way I would pay full price for one. There are a ton of them on the market from people trying to unload something the don't play. I have a friend who plays one and loves it.
@@LowEndLobster, and you use the 5-string for what it was intended-more octave range. I think we are on the same page. I think (?)! It isn't something you graduate to, per se, it is something you use for greater octave range. Why bother with a 5-string when you are only going to use 4 of them?
I am a Metalhead guitarist that wants a 5 string Bass so I can play everything on the bottom string for demoes...bwhahaha.....I am only half joking....But Wow! are there ever a lot of Metal dudes that fit that description.
Nice info and reminders Lobster! My 5 is a SBMM with 16.5 mm spacing. It is pretty tight but I used to play my Ibanez 6 string a lot that was even tighter, I think 16.25?! Anyways, I do find the differences in string spacing more challenging than even navigating the extra string when switching between my 5 and 4 strings. Even now, I usually try to pick one that best suits the gig instead of switching between them for that reason.
I had a 5 string for awhile before truly understanding the B string. So I empathize with these players that mask their fear by saying it's unnecessary, or so and so only uses 4 strings, etc.
What really opened my mind was playing in the community orchestra, seeing how many bass parts went below the e string, and how much power there was when you are the only one in the group that can hit those notes (I played a 5 string upright bass). It completely transforms the sound. The conductor loved it every time. Now I reach for the B string on my electric constantly and it's great to have the extended range.
Sure you can string a bass BEAD or use a detuner or an extension on an upright. Those are all valid approaches to producing sub E notes.
I mean, we are bass players, why is there hate towards those that want even more bass? Are these guitarists masquerading as bassists? Hmmm?
Coming from the guitar a narrow five string bass spacing just feels more natural to me. I prefer a 4 string for slapping though. I also like the fact that I can use the same instrument for soul funk and down tuned death metal and cover all the genres I like most without restringing or changing the instrument.
I saw a 5 string double bass in Dave Horine's so in It was a full scale, not 3/4, beauty. The scroll up top was shaped like a lion's head. With no intent extension the shoulders of the bass were level with my shoulders, I'm 6 ft 3. The purity of that B string was immense. I started off on trombone before I moved onto bass. I'm used to hearing the purity of low brass. The depth and Clarity of the low mystery was amazing but it didn't have the brashness of brass it was sweet full and fat. This was around 1981 or 82 and the sticker price on it was $25,000 I have no idea what it would go for today man what an incredible instrument
I'm a 1,000 year old dude and been playing for probably 900 years. I like the FUNK, AND I LOVE YOUR STYLE! Your a badass player with incrediblely fine nuances and you've taught me a lot! You have my most sincere gratitude! I simply tip my hat 🤠.
I forgot to mention, or more appropriately ask if you have ever had the opportunity to play a Yamaha RBX A2 5 string? I'm still blown away by how much people offer me for a Bass I bought new 14 years ago for apx $800 Canadian. It's well under 8 pounds and is down right evil on stage and the studio.
I hear a lot of talk about how 16-17mm bridge spacing is too tight for finger style, but that's not my experience at all. The tighter spacing facilitates quicker, more precise playing. Even if playing faster isn't what you're going for, the shorter distance makes things just feel more relaxed. I would highly recommend people give something with tighter spacing a shot, especially if they're not super interested in slap.
As a guitar player I find that to be an incredibly silly complaint. Even a classical guitar which has a 2 inch wide neck has less space between strings and they're used almost exclusively for fingerstyle.
Exactly!! Like I love my stingray spacing but reallly love my sterling spacing more
I recently got a cheap MM-style bass and I hate the tight string spacing with a passion. It's fine with a pick, but fingerstyle feels like constantly tripping over your own fingers.
I always prefer tight spacing for fingerstyle playing cause I play classical guitar too. I also like like to practice/warmup with my 6 string (16.25mm spacing) for slapping. It really cleans up my technique by minimizing unnecessary hand motion.
yeah for fingerstyle tight spacing is pretty good but for slap a wider spacing is definitely more comfortable
What a wonderful 5 string guide for those players new to 5 string. He covered everything!!!
After years of wanting a five string, I finally pulled the trigger on Fender Ultra Jazz V. I do not regret my decision.
Congrats!
Sound advice, Lobster.
After 5+ years of being a 4-string player, I bought my first 5 in the summer, and trying instruments was key to the process. Did some research online, then visited the local guitar shop and spent a couple of hours playing pretty much every (model of) 5 they had in stock, plus a 4-string Dingwall because I had never tried a multi-scale instrument. They are part of a small chain so I arranged for them to transfer in two additional basses and the follwing weekend turned into a three-way shoot-out between those and the one I liked best from the first session. The three finalists were a Lakland Skyline 55-02 ("winner" from the first weekend: one with a Jazz-style neck pickup and a humbucker at the bridge), a headless Ibanez (1265, I think, not multi-scale), and a Dingwall NG3. For me, the Ibanez was the easiest to play, but had the weakest sound; the Lakland was pretty good, but the Dingwall just sounded a level above and immediately felt more comfortable than the Lakland on the higher strings (among other things, with the Lakland, I pulled the G off the fretboard a couple of times while struggling to get a decent bend); there was an obvious learning curve with the multi-scale aspect but I could feel myself adapting during that session. In the end, I bought the Dingwall but reckon I could have lived with any of the three finalists. Four months on, I don't regret my choice; the 37" B string has forced me to unlearn some habits (one finger per fret doesn't work for me at that scale), but the tones the instrument gives are amazing.
I suspect others trying the same instruments may well have come to different conclusions (e.g. buy the Ibanez for ease of playing and get the desired tones by modification or good use of amps and pedals, or get the Lakland for the excellent low B and pickup versatlity while avoiding the complexity of multi-scale), but that's the point (and fun) of trying stuff and finding what works for the individual.
I have had a few Lākland’s. The 3 x 52-02 has bad sounding D and G string. They has less power then te rest. The 94-05 i had was the bomb! Light with 3.7kg….butt to expensive for my skills😂. Now i have a Skyline 55-01 which i like more than the 55-02. All strings are powerfull. And all the Lakland’s are in good balance and easy to play. The get not so quick off tune as well!!!
I agree on how important the string spacing is for a five string. Many years ago I bought an ESP LTD B205 5 string bass. It was a great bass in every way except the string spacing was very tight. It looked great, it sounded great, had EMG pickups and electronics and was solid all around. But I found myself struggling to advanced as a bass player, I kept having trouble learning new riffs and lines and kept struggling to mute unused strings. Then one day I picked up a Spector Euro 5 string at a local shop and discovered that I was able to easily play several riffs that I had been struggling with on the ESP. It was life changing! Not long after that I sold the ESP and actually down graded to an OLP 5 String, they had just come out at the time and I didn't have a lot of money. Wasn't near as nice as the ESP but it was so much easier to play and my abilities grew a lot while I had it.
im hoping to check out one of those ibanez btb with the adjustable spacing just to see how it is
Oh Dang! My first and only 5 string is an ESP LTD F-1550DX!
Edit: my bad, I thought it was a B205. It's been lurking in the gig bag for so long that I forgot.
This just highlights what an individual thing instrument choice is, because I play a B205 and I love it. It has become my go-to workhorse bass for both gigging and recording.
Bottom line: what works for one person won't work for another, so always try before you buy.
Thank you for sharing your skill, talent and experience on this subject. Some of us are still learning about all the different ways to play bass and having someone explain these things so clearly is really helpful.
Dude, the part where you said, "forming an opinion through the internet." That's so true... I feel like I'm an expert and know everything even though I've only played like 3 basses. And I'm like starting to craft this wierd hypothetical perfect bass in my head. Like a 5 string fretless p5 with a high C and tapewounds and I've never tried any of those lol
You covered the 5-string dilemma very well. The loss of Privately owned music stores hurt's the opportunity to check it out. I really wanted to hear that LakLand.
The tighter string spacing helps exponentially with the additional string muting. Once it's muscle memory it's hard to switch back.
I am still in love with 4 strings beast! With 4 strings !🙃👍keep on rocking .
Everytime I watch this channel I practice my bass for like the next 10 hours lol. Also, dang, I want that shirrrrrt!!!
Thanks Veronica :)
Haven't even watched the video bit thenknyou Lobster, you're easily one of my favourite bass RUclipsrs. Much love from Australia
Just like with 4-stirngs, I look at the position of the bridge saddles relative to the end of the body, the position of the upper strap button relative to the frets, and the thickness and width of the neck. The positions of the bridge and strap button will determine the reach to the lowest frets, and I want that distance as short as possible. The thickness and width of the neck determines how difficult it will be to fret.
Just a week or two ago I got a Sterling by Musicman Sub Ray5, because I wasn't getting comfortable on the Harley Benton neck. The string spacing on the new one is a bit more narrow, but I like it that way. It's the fourth 5 String that I bought and I'm still angry at myself, that I traded the cheap Johnsson Stingray copy for a crappy fretless, that I sold later. -.-That bass was actually really nice.
What I have learned: String spacing is one of the most important things on a 5 string. And a different neck profile makes a much greater difference in the playing experience as opposed to a four string. If possible go to a store, try different basses and let your hands decide.
Harley Benton has been the only brand whose neck I just couldn't do. Chunky, cumbersome, abrupt, etc etc
The scale length is a big thing for me. 34" 5 strings often have a flabby B string with barely any note definition to my ears. 35" is the minimum for me, but multi-scale basses like Dingwalls have by far the best B strings that I've heard and played.
The only 34" 5-string bass with good note definition that I've found is a Musicman Stingray. All the others, Fender included, are flabby, indeed.
@@sullyb23511Have you two ever tried a Warwick? That's some really B string definition
My problem with 35 and beyond was the g string. It started sounding like a C because of the tension but multi-scale really changes everything for better
Multi scale FTW!!! Sadly they're not cheap :(
This is actually quite informative. I have been thinking of getting another bass after several years of not playing. A retirement give from me to me, as so to speak. My big concern is string width at the bridge. G&L has what is called Big Chunks, at 17.5mm. Their standard is smaller, 16.5? I used to play a Fender MIM Jazz V. That was playable. My friend has a Roscoe SKB 3005, Standard and that has a dream neck, a fantastic feel (but that is just under 4k).
I also find that it is the technique that we use that defines our quality of play. Good technique will allow us to use any string spacing. If you want to play a fretless, you must have very good technique to play in tune, regardless of string spacing. With an improved technique for both hands, it appears that string spacing is still important, but not a deal breaker for a good ax.
So I concur and trying / auditioning many different brands. The neck feel and string spacing is most critical. You can easily modify/change the electronics to anything you have a preference for. Again, thank you for this informative video.
Great addition to the channel…looking forward to more.
Switching to a 35 inch scale ESP was a gamechanger for me, especially considering drop tunning. String tension is simply perfect!
I hear you man. After getting my first 35 minute scale base I'm realizing that I wish my four string basses for 35-in scale. Having played upright Bass the Simandl fingerings work great down there on the money notes.
Something I now look for, that you've mentioned in other videos (unless I missed it in this one): sometimes on 5-strings the outer strings (G in particular) get a bit too close to the edge of the fretboard, and will slip off while playing if you aren't careful. This is greatly exacerbated if the fret ends have been too aggressively beveled by an inexperienced guy leveling his own frets... DAMHIK.
But yeah I think you nailed the most important criteria with weight, balance, string spacing, and avoiding neck profiles that are too fat vs. thin for my hands.
Great comment!
@@LowEndLobster Yes! Every Stingray 5 I've had. Love the bass but...
Thanks Lobster. Just watching your videos, I found a 5 string bass that fits me. The MTD Super 5.
You have good taste!
...how did you know I was shopping 5-stringers?! Thanks for the video! :D
I bought a 5 string Squire 70s classic vibe. The novelty of the low B wore off quick, plus whenever I would play my 4-string then went back to the 5, I was always on the wrong string for a while until I got used to it again. I decided to order a set of 6-string strings (D'addario XL) and put the high 5 on my bass so now it's tuned E-A-D-G-C. Now I don't get thrown off when I switch back and forth, but the high C string is strange sounding, like it doesn't belong with the set. It's a bigger jump in tone from the G-string than the other tone-to-tone string jumps, and it sounds noticeably "thinner". I can live with that. I still like the high C much better than the low B. I think I'm going to switch to flat wounds and see how that works out.
Thank you for these comments, this review is great and I am interested in the high C tones, the pros and cons, etc.
@@joepaquet4332 Ok, so first, let's talk strings. I realized along the way that I like bright tones so I never tried flats. As for rounds, Ernie Ball Super Slinkys and DR Sunbeams are both good at either end (High C or Low B) with no sudden jumps in tone from string to string.
I prefer the Slinkys as they sound like the bass end of a piano when you start digging in. They both sound very similar though. I could even say they sound the same for the most part. It's probably only other musicians who like the same tones as me who could even tell a difference, and only after listening for an extended amount of time.
The rest of the story went sideways on me. I already had a bunch of 4 string basses that were sentimental to me, so I never committed fully to the 5 string. Because of that, having the extended range string at the high end threw me off way more than when it was at the low end. I went back to low B because of that. Learning a cover song on a 4 string and then trying to play it on a 5 string, I found the C string to be "in the way" more than anything else. (I'm not the kind of player that can adjust to stuff like that by playing it somewhere else on the neck . . at least not yet . . maybe never)
BUT, I'm sure if I had started with a 5 string in the first place and wasn't going back and forth between 4s and a 5, I'm sure I would be playing with the High C.
*Full discloser - I play pop/disco kind of music. The bright end is more valuable to me than the low end.
I also appreciate how it alloys me to keep my hand at the first position/low end of the neck . I prefer that to moving up the neck. It's just more natural to me to go up and down , string to string, instead of fret to fret (if that makes any sense)
I hope that helped.
Thank you for the response, I'm drawn to the playing of Janek Gwizdala and the possibility of playing some classical pieces with a multi scale and this is my reasoning. I'm on the hunt for a used five, multi-scale now and some of the online payment plans are moving some different models within reach including a CORT that I am researching now. Ty
@@Inferno5150
1. The debate whether body wood affects the tone at all is still going. I'd say the overall effect is rather marginal. The neck wood on the other hand does, in my experience - although it's more like a different colour on the same car. As a sidenote - does anyone still use plywood as body material??? Even the cheapest Chinese crapbasses have some sort of hardwood body nowadays.
2. IN MY EXPERIENCE (I used the upper case to stress it) heavier brigdes seem to work better, especially for 5+ strings. The notes seem to have more attack and definition and the sustain is longer. However, it's always better to choose a bass you like more overall even if it has a crappy bridge - there's a huge choice of aftermarket bridges and they're easy to swap :-)
3. Scale lenght does play some role but if you struggle to play in lower positions (hand size, joints and tendons etc) it's better to stick to 34". There are lots of standard-sized 5-string basses with very good B strings. I'm fortunate to have an Alembic Essence 5 and, with its 34" scale, it has one of the greatest, tightest and most "alive" B strings I've ever heard in my life. There are also lots of less costly 34" scale basses with very satisfying B strings - Stingrays are a prime example.
4. There's also a choice between bolt-on and NTB basses. The former, in general, have a faster attack response, the latter usually have longer sustain and more even response across the neck. Once again, it's down to personal preference.
Great video. I'm in the market for a 5 string now and having trouble finding something that fits my style. This really helped. Thanks!
I just got a Japanese Yamaha trb5 and can highly recommend older ones: There are some great deals on 90s 2000s basses second hand at present...
Having tried a lot of many things, passives are ‘better’ because I never need to worry about the battery going dead/ unplugging the bass when I’m not playing. passives are ‘better’ because I can dial in the EQ in my Helix and just get on with life.
Now I am even more dubious about the choice of a 5st 😱
Thanks Lobster, very informative.
I bought my first 5 string out of laziness (I didn't want to tune my bass to drop D etc. when particular song demanded notes below E). Now I own two 5 string basses (Sire V3 and Cort GB75JH). Both are completely different basses, except for styling. Sire has narrower string spacing on the bridge and much narrower nut width. I was worried that the Cort will be difficult to play but I found some songs to be easier to play on wider string spacing.
My tips and recommendations for buying 5 string basses:
- if you want a bass with J pickups or single P pickup, then the 35'' is a way to go if you really want a great definition in your B string,
- 34'' scale works great in basses equipped with humbuckers that have big pole pieces and/or in twin humbucker configurations,
- go active. Active preamps can help get the most out of the B string.
I got into 5 string based because most modern rock bassists use them and I figured like you said I won't have to down tune my bass to play along with a guitar player in say E flat but the problem I've found with not tuning down is that you end up in some cases you make the bass line tougher to play particularly if it's a fast paced song which can be impressive to watch but can end up with fatigued fingers .
Greatly appreciate this!
Interesting as I would never have considered things like headstock size and weight etc. After buying a L-1000 and loving it after watching the channel, I would seriously look at a L-1000 Series 750.
At the moment, I own a five string CV Jazz Bass V, partially modified with Graphtech string tuners and high quality Flatwound strings.
I'm still learning.
It's a good Bass, for my needs at this point in time.
After I watched your video on the Sterling Subray 5HH I went and bought pne in the theftproof Olive Green, have to say, I'm not at all disappointed.
Haha, "neckst." I'm picking up what you're putting down. Thanks for these tips! :D
HA! Glad you caught that! I did a funny
@@LowEndLobster A good funny indeed! Can’t go wrong with good pun.😂
Wish I'd seen this before I bought my first 5 string. I got a Cort B5+ and I absolutely loved everything about it EXCEPT the super narrow string spacing. Sold it and bought a Lakland with full 19mm spacing and I love it! Honestly, I think the narrow spacing would be nice once you're used to it but I also have a 4 string and it was too weird going back and forth.
I've had 5 strings for years and still wish the string spacing was wider.
@@chriscantor6329 Fair enough. Sell your 5 string and get a different one. Or maybe just get a different bridge if your neck is wide enough
I took the plunge and ordered the musicman 5 string Crescendo BFR.. I love my stingray 4H in amethyst sparkle. I haven’t played a 5 string I’ve liked, so I’m hoping this has the magic that my 4H has.
I don’t think I’ve ever seems any on this channel, but I can say with great confidence that Warwicks have fantastic sounding B strings for 34” scale basses, both the German and Chinese ones
It depends on what you mean by "fantastic". If dead as a doornail, elephant fart kind of tone is your thing then yes, a bass-like instrument made by Warwick may indeed fit your bill. Me, I have yet to find a Warwick that's more than overpriced firewood. And I've tried quite a few of these things.
Inb4 "HURRR RYAN MARTINIE AND STUART ZENDER DURRR" - yes, they are both absolutely fantastic bassists and I wish I had 10% of their chops but I strongly dislike their tone.
Great job!
New 5 string player here (after playing 4s for 8+). I have a Sterling Ray35HH and a FGN Mighty Jazz. I highly recommend both. I may get a 3rd at some point. Considering a Solar or maybe a Yamaha BB435. I have a 434 and it's my cheapest bass and my second best overall player. Best budget instrument, imho (at least of ones I've handled).
I would love to see your take on short scales... or maybe just an in depth look at different scale lengths and their relative tones, string tension, etc.
Pretty much 5 strings all the time now. Started when the songs our cover band were doing back about 10 years ago called for 5 strings. My first was a Lakland 55-01. Not bad for the price but way too heavy at over 12 lbs. It also suffered from some quality issues like poor shielding and general wiring problems. Next was a USA Fender V Professional (passive). It was great and even better when I fitted a John East pre-amp. Still slightly heavy so I traded it for a Mike Lull M5. It’s just perfect in every way. 35 inch scale, killer B string, 19 mm spacing and a great pre-amp. Best of all it’s only 8 lbs so long gigs are a breeze.
Recently I bought a Ric 4003s/5. Not really that pleased with it. Nowhere near the build quality of the Mike Lull - albeit the prices I paid were similar. The general tone of the Ric is a bit meh and the B string is pretty weedy. Things have improved a bit by using a Darkglass AO900 with a bit of grit dialled in but I don’t see me using the Ric that often.
As for actually playing on a 5, it opens up a whole world of options and is especially great when transposing to lower keys to accommodate vocalist ranges for example.
The only downside for 5 players is having to hear the old cliches from 4 string purists - you know the ones 😄
I really appreciate your post. Weight is a concern.
@@beefing313 and for me - age 😄
I thought that you will have some insights on the desired sound on a 5-string bass vs a 4-string.
I have a 6-string Jazz Bass, which neck pickup sounds incredible with high strings, it makes them sound big and bassy, but it totally sucks on the low B. The bridge pickup sounds very tight and articulate on the low B, but is too thin for the high C.
I have a theory, that low voiced basses, pickups and pickup positions, like a P Bass, are perfectly paired with the standard 4-string bass tuning, but if you want to tune lower, then you are more interested in overtones than in a fundamental, so brighter pickups and pickup positions are more popular - Ibanezes, Stingrays, Warwick Thumbs etc.
5-string Warwick Thumb even has the neck pickup closer to the bridge than the 4-string.
BTW I agree with not fixing ones opinion on string spacing just by reading other's opinions in the Internet. I slap a lot, so I always thought, that my 6-string should have 19mm spacing... When I bought one, it turned out, that the neck is so wide, that it's almost unplayable.
Yamaha BB235 I think is the hot buy and most playable at least for me.Thinking of going upscale to BB435 for better neck and bridge etc.
Thanks. Have you played a Schecter Stilletto Stealth? Any opinion? I have the opportunity to buy one for a great price.
Video came at the right time, I’m looking to get a Ray35. I’ve been playing for close to a year now on a Mexican fender J, still not sure if adding a 5 string at my experience will help me improve as a player but I’ve always wanted to own a stingray
Ive had my 4 string lakland for 6 months now and i love it but im eventually looking to own a 5 string for more metal style playing. The recent ibanez btb 5 strings look awesome
Great video! The wisdom you impart could be applied to many facets of life. I got a 5er a little ways back to see if I liked it (Stingray SUB 5, used). So far I like it well enough, but weirdly the B sting feels like it doesn't have the same tension as the other stings (it's just shy from being floppy it feels like). I'm wondering, do you do your own setups? Any key differences/tips between 4 and 5? I can usually pull off doing an initial basic setup and seasonal adjustments on my 4s but the 5 required a lot more tweaking and head scratching to find the neck relief/action sweet spot. Could also be string choice, I went with the factory Ernies it was supposed to come with. Going to try medium DR highbeams next and see if that does me any good. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks! P.S.: I saw you featured in the G&L email newsletter. Pretty cool.
Thanks for doing such a comprehensive list, Lobster! :D
I had to consider all of these points during most of 2021. I was on the market for a 5-string that wouldn't break the bank, but that was better than my Harley Benton.
I knew my budget (< 600 euro), and that I wanted a passive instrument with a Jazz Bass-type neck profile (I don't like the chonky P-bass and Tele bass type necks).
Eventually, I settled for a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass V in December (which, btw, I don't know why Squier discontinued those; they're superb instruments).
Over the Years i found the following to be true for all Basses: 1.: Bodycontour! Wild Bodyshapes with sharp edges can feel uncomfy especially the higher up u play your Bass. (sitting) 2.: Neckshape! This is the Part of the Instrument u interact the most with. Shape, witdh and Frettboard radius are a make or break factor. 3.:Weight distribution! Neckheavy Instruments are a hastle.... constantly batteling the neckdive is a real pest. 4.: More Strings Factor! 19mil stringspacing works great for 4 strings but i found that the more strings a bass has, it becomes more and more unacceptable. And that is in many ways. 19mil may be fine for 5 Strings but as you do the math it will quickly add up to a very substantial Neck which gets increasingly hard to handle. Also it makes the instrument heavy and shifts the weight distribution more and more of Center. Getting even worse (as lobster mentioned) with the Headstock layout and added tuners. 5.: Anything other than that like Pickups/ Electronics, Woodselection and Hardware options are personal taste. AND NEVER...NEVER cheap out on Security locks ;-P
The first and only 5 string bass i bought was SUB by Sterling, I didnt like it because of the weight and I barely use low b, I tried bc rich, ltd, spector and some others but i didnt like the feeling of 5th string, same happened with 6 string ibanez and ltd I used to play, Im ok with 4 strings. Anyway, great video my crustacean friend.
I have a 5 string bass and want a better one. Which one will you recommend for Gospel Music I kinda like the jazz style pickup but don't like fender bass.
Don't need one, bit I reeeally want an ibanez btb. Just the best looking instrument ever created by anyone ever. Except Carl Thompson.
Edit: where do you get your t shirts from? They're awesome!
Things that I look for while getting a bass guitar:
1. Application: don't just buy a 5 string because it's cool. Buy it because you need to utilize all the strings. Say your band is playing dropped tuning or drop A and you only need the the 5th string then better to use the BEAD strings on your 4 string bass.
2. Instead of splurging huge amount on the guitar and fancy pickups invest on your amp. That's what would shape your tone. A cheap guitar sounds great in a good amp and a great guitar sound average to bad in a cheap amp. Get standard pickups and they should do the trick initially.
All good things to think about. Hard to put into practice, as it might be hard to get 5ers in one place to compare.
I have a Sire P5 on order. Since I have never held one, I have no idea if the playability will be any good. Nor do I know if the B string at 34" will be decent. 🤞
Hi Master! wich I should pick between Ibanez305, Sire v5 or Jackson Spectra JS 5?
lobster how do you perfectly upload videos that correspond with my google searches huh
Another good reason for using a 5 string is hand injuries. Four-fret fingering is difficult for me down near the nut because on an injury to my middle finger. Up the neck it’s OK. The fifth fret on the B string is the same note as the open E. Abandoning the lowest four frets the fingering is easier for me and the tone is fatter, too, because of the thicker string. It’s like playing a short scale bass with a high C string. I do use the low D now and then in keys like D, G and sometimes A. Db to B I find of no use at all other than playing a lower root at the end of a song.
Hey, Cort just released an Elrick licensed NJSA 5 model. I would love to see a review or vs. a Lakland skyline jazz?
is it me or the free thumb rest notwithstanding i found 5 string basses [i assume, larger neck, maybe better woods. larger guage string] that in some EQ settings being comprable] that they sounded richer, deeper more dynamic range. Would you agree with that.
Can you do the same video for fretless bass?
I plan on it!
Love my stingrays but I gotta say my favorite B so far not having a dingwall would have been my 5502
Neck dive= Warwick thumb NT5 lol
I only have Sire v3 and v5. 5 string basses . if I haven't played them for a little bit of time it's only a matter of minutes to re-adapt to them.
The only bass I have that's a bit hard to play fingerstyle with is my bass VI.
I’m currently shopping for a 5 string bass as a fretted counterpart to my 5 string fretless ebmm ray I’m leaning towards a roasted maple sterling or the roasted maple v5 or v10 (kinda wanna put a tone capsule in a jazz bass Idunno why)
What kind of flat wound strings do you have on that Lakland bass?
weight is the biggest issue for me as i am now in my 40s and my left shoulder is all screwed up from having heavy monsters hanging off my neck.
Excellent video! You made a lot of good points though I am surprised that you left out that the G strings of 5 string basses are often very close to the fret edge and can slide off when bending the string.
That’s indeed the case with 5-string Stingrays unfortunately. Maybe the company wants the neck to feel smaller that way to the cost of a sliding g string when bend slightly.
To me a wrong choice and no go area for those basses.
I think the spacing is critical. I had for a while a G&L CL 2500 and while it sounded absolutely amazing I couldn't get used to the spring spacing was too tight for me and I ended up returning it.
On 4-string P-basses the bridge string spacing is actually 20mm :)
Ok but what's the best bass for metal? Lol good video as always!
I would suggest a Dingwall bass but there’s many more like ltd or esp and may more that are good too
Can’t really go wrong with a Fender Jazz V
Warwick, Dingwall, and Ibanez seem to be popular.
Hey. I wanted to ask if anyone had any recommendations for 5 string basses that have a large (4 string) spacing.
I got a Squier Jazz V that's my workhorse, if that gives any perspective.
I'm on the hunt for particular models because it's tough for me to find them. It might be a skill issue on my end, but I'm not too proud to beg at this point. Lol
19mm is the best always, its not a matter or preference its a matter of ergonomics, youd have to have tiny hands or be a pick user for 17mm spacing, and no matter how much you get used to it, your technique is not gonna be as good as someone who isnt scared of 19mm spacing and getting reckless but still sounding clear
I think that for people who've played 4 strong all their lives, the 5 string bass feels uncomfortable and so instead of just saying, as I do, "that feels weird to me", they respond with hostility. I saw Keb Mo's bass player use a 5 string very effectively and that made me a convert. I still don't have one yet but am no longer averse to a 5.
Salutations… this explains a lot why 5 string tryouts felt so strange… 34” scale is not for me… too floppy no matter what is the other configuration.. thanks from this video
I stayed at 5 and will not want to go from 4 to 5 and back! My recent Lakland weight 4kg. 35” scale. I can just handle it. The big advantage is for instance an song in D tune or D#. When you must play this on a “A string” its no bass at all…..is my opinion.
I'm lazy and prefer a 4 string strung BEAD. Feels like a plain old 4 string with fatter strings.
The narrowest 5 string i ever tried was an early 80s Steinberger. The narrow 5 bridge was the same footprint as the 4 string. So if you had an L2 4 string could get a new 5 string bridge and headpiece and convert the 4 string L2 to a 5. Considering Steinberger 4 string basses had narrower spacing than a fender, the 5 was super narrow.
What about nut type? Bone, plastic, wood, brass ...
How did you know I needed this?
Sound is what I listen for, number of fretts is second, and to defend Jackson the Spectra has a 3/2 tuner, I know that's not the standard for all of them, my Minion has the 4 in a row but just saying they are out there
I only play 5s these days. Im in a covers band and virtually every song we do gets the key dropped. So much nicer sounding to have an actual B string as opposed Octave pedals.
Gotta bring that business with the B s lol
Actually, traditionally all fender basses and the old musicman basses were 20mm spacing, to this day the oldschool fender bridge is 20mm
Has anyone played a Lignum bass? They are made in Croatia. A 5-string Wenge, spring bass costs $245. I've only heard someone on RUclips playing a sub-octave 4 string (42" scale) so far.
Since I'm a guitarist, I just need a solid quality bass to record with.
I bought the 120$ glarry 5 string and I’ve been gigging with it for my first 2 years of playing bass in a rock band. That thing fucking chugs and the tone is amazing, the electronics are trash tho
Hi Lobster 🦞,
I'm deciding between the ibanez ehb1005, ibabez sr605e and the sadowsky metro express .
I will appreciate your advice.
Which one you prefer sound wise and value?
I own a EHB1005MS, a EHB1505MS, and 4 other 5 string basses that are not headless and are not multi-scale. The EHB1005MS is strung with LaBella low tension flats. After many months of bouncing around with all my basses I pretty much only play my EHB's and especially my 1005. Everything about them are so comfortable and easy to play. They sound awesome too.
@@davidpost4216
Thanks,
It's been said that the 1005 is darker sounding than the 1505, can it get near the 1505 with some eq'ing? Maybe by boosting the hi mid and treble?
@@tonyaccouche9807 I like the Bartolini’s on my 1005. They don’t have the higher frequency overtones of the Nordstrands on my 1505 but they sit in the mix perfectly. I think the active preamp on the 1005 does a good job brightening things up with the treble boost and sweepable mid frequency controls.
@@davidpost4216 Thanks.
Isn't "want" the same thing as "need"? I wasn't aware there was a difference lol.
im a bit different..i hate the low B but love the high C after playing a six string too much...so im prolly gonna get a harley benton jazz and put some strings on it. Does anybody else do that?? zimmyjim
Awesome thanks big L😃
Try tuning a 5 E to C for interesting results
Also look out for the gatekeepers who need to remind you how many strings Jaco used, lol.
My wish list combination is 37 scale with 19mm spacing & there is no such animal. .Kiesel has 19mm with 36", but I had a 36" LeComte & the B didn't ring like my old 37" Dingwall.
@@burp1914 Nope~ you can't change the laws of physics~ 37 is a mist to make the B string right grand piona style. I think your cat would agree~
“You should think about whether you need or just want a 5 string bass” hey don’t call me out like that!
Must be a sign...was dreaming of a 5 string this week
That's all the justification you need 😅
@@MrSparks54 indeed and having the funds available through credit card points. i only want one because i am tired of dropping tunings :-). a hipshot drop tuner would likely take care of some of that but...never let good judgement get in the way of new gear.
@@cyrilgleiman7202 "Never let good judgement get in the way of new gear" is my motto brother!
Iv never played a passive 5 string that didn't have a B like a damp noodle.
im a 5string player, and for me real bass guitar is a 5string it feels complete, not 4 String. I cannot live with only 2 bass. i feel i need 1 jazzbass, 1 musicman, 1 modern bass and 1 pbass, maybe for additional like a dingwall style bass
Too many people get a 5-string thinking they are graduating to the next level. Wrong. The 5-string has a purpose and if you don't play it all the time, it is money wasted. I am happy with a 4-string bass as it does everything I need it to do. If I got a 5-string, there is no way I would pay full price for one. There are a ton of them on the market from people trying to unload something the don't play. I have a friend who plays one and loves it.
It's funny you say that. I consider myself primarily a 4 player.... but for gigs I usually play 5 for the added range.
@@LowEndLobster, and you use the 5-string for what it was intended-more octave range. I think we are on the same page. I think (?)! It isn't something you graduate to, per se, it is something you use for greater octave range. Why bother with a 5-string when you are only going to use 4 of them?
I am a Metalhead guitarist that wants a 5 string Bass so I can play everything on the bottom string for demoes...bwhahaha.....I am only half joking....But Wow! are there ever a lot of Metal dudes that fit that description.
start with a Yama BB435 .....then in a year or so move up to a BB P 35 . forget all the other hoopla
Nice info and reminders Lobster! My 5 is a SBMM with 16.5 mm spacing. It is pretty tight but I used to play my Ibanez 6 string a lot that was even tighter, I think 16.25?! Anyways, I do find the differences in string spacing more challenging than even navigating the extra string when switching between my 5 and 4 strings. Even now, I usually try to pick one that best suits the gig instead of switching between them for that reason.
I also have a beard, cat, and bass... what else do I need? :D