I have basses all the way from 4 to 8 strings, and I've found that 6 works best for me. I get extra high and low notes while not being as clunky as 7. Additionally I found that I never actually use the 7 string for the extra high notes of the f string, just to make certain runs easier, so for most things I stick to 6. And the 8 string is a different beast entirely.
I've had a few fives, but I'm down to 1 six and 2 fours, one of which is fretless. The six is a whole 'nother matter...it does remind me of a keyboard.
New to your channel. Really enjoying your content. I've been a Smith player since 1989. I've always tuned my 89 BT5 Low E to High C. best of both worlds in one 5 string. Give it a try. Look forward to more content. Cheers.
I originally wanted to jump from 4 straight to 6, but when I tried out a 6 it felt like the instrument was sacrificing access to the lowest notes for the sake of higher notes. So it makes sense that different players and different styles would prefer one over the other. For me I ended up preferring easy access to the lowest notes, but for jazz especially a 6 is an amazing tool!
I saw once a nice talk between Michael Tobias, Pedulla and somebody else about differences in basses in terms of number of strings. So conclusion was like: the 4 string will never be sounding like 5, 5string will be always different sounding bass than 4 and six. I can't find it now but it was the same what I feel :)
@@jcherrymusicworld Thank you. The BTB should be arriving tomorrow. I am excited. It was a bit of a splurge on my end, but I really wanted something that I could use from Gospel, Soca, R&B, Reggae, and maybe some Jazz, something with great build quality, great sound, I plan to have it for a while. I did try, a few SR from Ibanez but they weren't my particular speed, the BTB felt right. I am no expert, going off nothing but vibes here. But as soon as it arrives, time to put in some work. Thanks again!
That help me out a lot with my understanding of the Six string, really good info on the B string, that's what i'm looking for, that solid B string sound. hate that sloppy B String sound on my lower end basses. I'm stepping up to a "Ken Smith"...........Thank you!
It’s all about string tension and scale length. Different strings vary, but At 34” a low B at 125 or 130 is going to be floppy and not tune well at 12 or higher. 35” scale makes low B right again.
I love my 6 string. I went from 4 right to 6 after a month of playing. My only complaint is finding upgrade parts on Amazon 😂 most stuff like the nut and such are for 4-5 strings.
I started playing bass 2 years ago, coming from being an electric guitar player, for a very long time, started on a 4 string ibanez that I bought cheap, wasn’t long til I took the plug and bought my 1st proper bass, Spector NS pulse 5 string with EMG pickups, and love it, can’t imagine going back to a 4 string, and considering what I play, 6 string would be pointless, and my 5 string is tuned to drop A Now wondering if it’s worth buying a multi scale bass…..
Good video on this subject. Newby bassist tend to have low B string ringing away while playing on other strings. Especially during isolated bass play back on recordings. They kind of still do on 5 string basses. So muting those unused strings during recording or live play with a clear sounding P.A. system. Not a good sound. Will take awhile to figure out how to mute unused strings. Oh this happens with C string on 6 string basses as well. Just sloppy technique. Can be fixed. 5 is the new 4. And 6 is still not widely accepted. But it's growing in popularity. I've been on 6 string since 1990's to now. I still slap the crap out of the good old 4 string, and 5. My go to is still 6. Great video.
The narrow neck 5 string is what makes the B string less beefy. it allows for faster playability. However, the trade off is for a less intense sounding and feeling B string. Wider neck 5 strings sound beefier than thinner necks.
Jason I’m looking for a bass teacher I came up on your site do you or would you give me any ideas on where to start with the six string I just purchased it’s a really cheap one I thought maybe that would be a good start for me
Hi Joe, I currently offer lessons over video call. I can help you with playing/learning your 6-string. Send me an email if you’re interested at this address: jcherrymusic@gmail.com
Thanks! I am considering a 6 string which brought me to your clip. Do you have any idea why high notes and arpeggios played by most 6-string players* sound very plinky-ploinky** to me, while the examples that you give seems to blend in well with the rest? The only other 6 string-player that seems to sound right in the higher register to my ears is Michael Pipoquinha. Thanks in advance for any pointers. *) Including players like Patitucci and Anthony Jackson **) I am not a native English speaker but I 'll be happy to introduce a new word to your language.
I noticed the same thing, on the highest 4 notes. They kinda thud a little compareD to the long sustain of other notes. There’s a fretless jazz bassist who uses finger nails which really helps(I used to have long nails on one hand and I could do some cool funky stuff, a pick also helps with those thud notes)
The wide neck on a 6 string might be an advantage over a 5 string for some people. I’m thinking about getting a 6 because of my long gangly slenderman fingers 😂
There’s no issue, but depending on what you’re playing it sure can be really convenient to play it on a 6 string, no doubt. Especially when you’ve mastered the neck on a 6 string. There’s so much coverage within one region of the fretboard.
Jason, just admit it that 6 string Ken Smith is special and your favorite. It always sounds amazing and I keep wondering why you just added another Fodera to the arsenal when you know pre 2015 Ken smith is where your heart and ears lie. I would gladly take that Ken Smith 5 off of you as I am not a 6 string guy. The 6 string makes you approach the bass differently, because you can but most times it isn't called for. BTW. You are a great player. Thanks for this video but you didn't do the 5 justice. My 5 has a great sounding B string. Advantages are cost, resale, comfort, weight, ability to still play a 4 string without a lot of practice, and ability to play within the pocket more. Add an MTD 535 to your mix. Mike Tobias and Ken Smith are the master boutique bass builders of our Era.
Having owned and played 4s 5s and 6s and even a 7 string. I've found the 5 is really the sweet spot for me.
I have a couple of 4-Strings, a 5-String and a 6-String. And I love all of them.
5:52 for 6 string B string
9:36 for 5 string B string
🙏🏿🙏🏿
I have an Ibanez BTB 6 ( Not the same league as a custom boutique bass like a Smith of course ) and I absolutely love it ❤
Your BTB plays just as good as the Smith bass, trust me, and maybe sounds better too.
@@ronwesterduin2471nah
That single-cut is beautiful.
I own a 6 string bass. Love it!
Awesome 👍🏿
Love my 6 string Smith. All of them are absolutely the best basses on the market in my opinion.
Great explanation & demonstration. Smooth style too. Thank you for the vid
Thank you 🙏🏿
Thanks for so much detail. I will hence go for a 6 string
Awesome, they both sound great
Thanks for viewing
Both these Smiths sound sublime.
Thanks, for viewing. Please subscribe
@@jcherrymusicworld done!
I have basses all the way from 4 to 8 strings, and I've found that 6 works best for me. I get extra high and low notes while not being as clunky as 7. Additionally I found that I never actually use the 7 string for the extra high notes of the f string, just to make certain runs easier, so for most things I stick to 6. And the 8 string is a different beast entirely.
I've had a few fives, but I'm down to 1 six and 2 fours, one of which is fretless. The six is a whole 'nother matter...it does remind me of a keyboard.
Thank you for clear review! A have Ken Smith 5 string. Sometimes I'm thinking about 6 string, but 5 string is really comfortable for my purposes.
Absolutely man! Thanks for watching!
I love six string bass
New to your channel. Really enjoying your content. I've been a Smith player since 1989. I've always tuned my 89 BT5 Low E to High C. best of both worlds in one 5 string. Give it a try. Look forward to more content. Cheers.
Thanks man!
@@jcherrymusicworld i got inspired to play a 5 and a 6 string because of John Cooper (he use to play a 6 string until either 1998 or 1999)
Thank you for the video.
Absolutely!
the single cut is bad ass. i have ,4 ,5 ,and two 6 strings.
I originally wanted to jump from 4 straight to 6, but when I tried out a 6 it felt like the instrument was sacrificing access to the lowest notes for the sake of higher notes.
So it makes sense that different players and different styles would prefer one over the other. For me I ended up preferring easy access to the lowest notes, but for jazz especially a 6 is an amazing tool!
They all have their places. Sometimes a 4 is better for slapping, 6 is better for chords and lines etc. thanks for viewing
I saw once a nice talk between Michael Tobias, Pedulla and somebody else about differences in basses in terms of number of strings.
So conclusion was like: the 4 string will never be sounding like 5, 5string will be always different sounding bass than 4 and six. I can't find it now but it was the same what I feel :)
Thank you for great video shares! Could you please 🙏 🙏 🙏 share the chord progressions or types you are playing in a video?
You can book a lesson on these. Please email jcherrymusic@gmail.com
These basses look and sound amazing! I just got an Ibanez BTB1835 (what do you think about that bass?), but this smith bass, WOW!
I’ve heard nothing but good stuff regarding the BTB. Ibanez has been putting some really good stuff lately. The BTB is the higher end basses for sure.
@@jcherrymusicworld Thank you. The BTB should be arriving tomorrow. I am excited. It was a bit of a splurge on my end, but I really wanted something that I could use from Gospel, Soca, R&B, Reggae, and maybe some Jazz, something with great build quality, great sound, I plan to have it for a while. I did try, a few SR from Ibanez but they weren't my particular speed, the BTB felt right. I am no expert, going off nothing but vibes here. But as soon as it arrives, time to put in some work. Thanks again!
GOOD VIDEO!!!! Nothing like the challenge of 6 string bass. Do you have a fretless 6?
That help me out a lot with my understanding of the Six string, really good info on the B string, that's what i'm looking for, that solid B string sound. hate that sloppy B String sound on my lower end basses. I'm stepping up to a "Ken Smith"...........Thank you!
It’s all about string tension and scale length. Different strings vary, but At 34” a low B at 125 or 130 is going to be floppy and not tune well at 12 or higher. 35” scale makes low B right again.
i only play 6 string but as a backup i have 5 string with me same brand ibanez custom shop btb bass
I love my 6 string. I went from 4 right to 6 after a month of playing. My only complaint is finding upgrade parts on Amazon 😂 most stuff like the nut and such are for 4-5 strings.
Woah, what a leap! How are you liking it?
@@jcherrymusicworld loved it! Oddly enough the neck was so much slimmer and felt way more comfortable than my p bass.
@@Emrys345_Guitar wow! That’s surprising but I can see that. The thinner profiles is usually very comfortable.
@@jcherrymusicworld it really is!
I started playing bass 2 years ago, coming from being an electric guitar player, for a very long time, started on a 4 string ibanez that I bought cheap, wasn’t long til I took the plug and bought my 1st proper bass, Spector NS pulse 5 string with EMG pickups, and love it, can’t imagine going back to a 4 string, and considering what I play, 6 string would be pointless, and my 5 string is tuned to drop A
Now wondering if it’s worth buying a multi scale bass…..
Good video on this subject. Newby bassist tend to have low B string ringing away while playing on other strings. Especially during isolated bass play back on recordings. They kind of still do on 5 string basses. So muting those unused strings during recording or live play with a clear sounding P.A. system. Not a good sound. Will take awhile to figure out how to mute unused strings. Oh this happens with C string on 6 string basses as well. Just sloppy technique. Can be fixed. 5 is the new 4. And 6 is still not widely accepted. But it's growing in popularity. I've been on 6 string since 1990's to now. I still slap the crap out of the good old 4 string, and 5. My go to is still 6.
Great video.
Love the sound of a Smith
what tuning do you recommend for 6 string bass?
Standard which is: B, E, A, D, G, C
The narrow neck 5 string is what makes the B string less beefy. it allows for faster playability. However, the trade off is for a less intense sounding and feeling B string. Wider neck 5 strings sound beefier than thinner necks.
Very good point, thanks!
@@jcherrymusicworld My pleasure!
Jason I’m looking for a bass teacher I came up on your site do you or would you give me any ideas on where to start with the six string I just purchased it’s a really cheap one I thought maybe that would be a good start for me
Hi Joe,
I currently offer lessons over video call. I can help you with playing/learning your 6-string. Send me an email if you’re interested at this address: jcherrymusic@gmail.com
Thanks! I am considering a 6 string which brought me to your clip. Do you have any idea why high notes and arpeggios played by most 6-string players* sound very plinky-ploinky** to me, while the examples that you give seems to blend in well with the rest? The only other 6 string-player that seems to sound right in the higher register to my ears is Michael Pipoquinha. Thanks in advance for any pointers.
*) Including players like Patitucci and Anthony Jackson
**) I am not a native English speaker but I 'll be happy to introduce a new word to your language.
I noticed the same thing, on the highest 4 notes. They kinda thud a little compareD to the long sustain of other notes. There’s a fretless jazz bassist who uses finger nails which really helps(I used to have long nails on one hand and I could do some cool funky stuff, a pick also helps with those thud notes)
I think my hands would be too small for a 6 string. I already struggle to reach the frets high up on the low B on my 5 string.
Those are some Killer Smiths !
Thank you! Please subscribe for more!
The wide neck on a 6 string might be an advantage over a 5 string for some people. I’m thinking about getting a 6 because of my long gangly slenderman fingers 😂
Exactly lol, more area to stretch those fingers.
@@jcherrymusicworld Yep 😂
Whats wrong with going up and down the neck?
There’s no issue, but depending on what you’re playing it sure can be really convenient to play it on a 6 string, no doubt. Especially when you’ve mastered the neck on a 6 string. There’s so much coverage within one region of the fretboard.
5:46 6-string low B clarity ❤
It’s definitely piano-like.
Jason, just admit it that 6 string Ken Smith is special and your favorite. It always sounds amazing and I keep wondering why you just added another Fodera to the arsenal when you know pre 2015 Ken smith is where your heart and ears lie. I would gladly take that Ken Smith 5 off of you as I am not a 6 string guy. The 6 string makes you approach the bass differently, because you can but most times it isn't called for.
BTW. You are a great player. Thanks for this video but you didn't do the 5 justice. My 5 has a great sounding B string. Advantages are cost, resale, comfort, weight, ability to still play a 4 string without a lot of practice, and ability to play within the pocket more.
Add an MTD 535 to your mix. Mike Tobias and Ken Smith are the master boutique bass builders of our Era.
Thanks for your feedback!
Of course low B will sound different... they are both differently designed basses.
Well that’s obvious but my intent was to highlight this to the folks that may not play 5 or 6 string and may wonder what the differences are.
I meant in terms of wood construction, body type and electronics, not merely just the additional string @jcherrymusicworld
I only play 7 strings. LOW B,E,A,D,G,C,F.
Wow! I'm looking at the possibility of a 7 string also.
Melvin Lee Davies is playing a beautiful 7 stringed Ken Smith bass.
Guitar volume is low
Thanks, I will address this in the next videos. Please subscribe.
5 is champ ... the 6 - the high C on a bass is a joke