Another 4 bass or a new 5 strings bass?

[AntonioM]

Hi guys, hope you are all well. Just a question: another 4 strings bass or a new 5 bass strings? I never hold or play a 5 but would be nice to play that lower B note. I was thinking of the ESP LTD B205SM. Great review and great bass. Any recommendation?
Thanks and keep tune

[John_E]

This is really up to you.
A 5 string was bass #3 for me, it is used but barely.
If there is a lot of music you want to play with a 5, might be worth it.
If there are different tones you are going for in a 4, might be more worth it.
You can always buy a 4 and string it BEAD, and if you find it less than useful, but EADG back on it too

[PamPurrs]

I took the entire B2B course (and a few other courses) exclusively on a 5 string, and did just fine with it. Aside from the presence of the B string (and those 5 extra low notes), the only difference is all the strings are usually closer together since the manufacture will typically use the same neck width for their 4 string version of that model.
I’ve since sold off all my 5 string basses, and now just play 4 string. One of my basses (the ESP Frank Bella) is tuned to BEAD for when I need those 5 low notes. The trade-off is, I’ve lost 5 HIGH notes from the G string, but I can always play those higher up the neck on the D string if I need them.
Some people love fivers, some hate them, and some are indifferent about them.
I think everyone should experience playing on a 5 string, even if for only a short time.

[AntonioM]

I never thought if tuned in i BEAD. I tuned recently in DADG in a 4 strings bass with my Fender and it sound amazing. I just thought of a new bass and was fancy a 5 strings which I never played before. But I am not too sure if I will like it

[Krescht]

You can tune a bass with regular strings in BEAD. However, the strings will feel quite loose and wobbly. If you want to get a more consistent BEAD tuning, you’ll have to replace the strings by the lower 4 strings of a 5-string set and you’ll need to file the nut of the bass to fit them.

[AntonioM]

Too complicated process lol

[Krescht]

Well, I’ll give it a try soon enough. I prefer a wider string spacing than the one of a 5 string bass

[PamPurrs]

@AntonioM

Too complicated process

It’s real not as difficult as you may think.

[AntonioM]

I prefer the same but I will give a try with 5 strings also and then I can compare. I would love to owned a 5 soon or later

[howard]

I’d try a 5 and see if you like it. I don’t

I’ve done the BEAD thing (I like alternate tunings, fun stuff) and it is not hard, but you will want a dedicated bass for it.

[Gio]

I love my 5 string, and it is so great to have for certain styles and situations!
I’d love another.

[howard]

One thing I really liked about them was how flat the fretboards are. Feels great. I just wish I didn’t dislike the string spacing on the one owned.

[Celticstar]

@John_E

You can always buy a 4 and string it BEAD,

+1

[MC-Canadastan]

// ANOTHER 4 BASS OR A NEW 5 STRINGS BASS?

The answer is yes.

[Wombat-metal]

Changing your own strings is a piece of cake. I completely understand where you’re coming from, I was there not many months ago. You can do this.

That being said, I had a 5 string, then went BEAD, and now am thinking of a six string (long story short, I wrote a song and felt the limitations of four strings)

If I were to do it again, I would find a quality used Bb235 or TRBX305 and see if I liked it. A new instrument loses half its value when you take it home, but a used on you can sell for what you paid in many cases.

[JustTim]

@MC-Canadastan

The answer is yes.

Wiser words have never been spoken.

[howard]

@Wombat-metal

If I were to do it again, I would find a quality used Bb235 or TRBX305 and see if I liked it.

This is really good advice.

[skydvr]

@PamPurrs

I’ve lost 5 HIGH notes from the G string, but I can always play those higher up the neck on the D string if I need them.

Just picking nits here, but you really can’t play the 5 tones you lost on the D string - you can play every other tone from the G string “higher up on the D”, bit you still lost the 5 tones that would be the highest 5 frets of the G string. There’s no equivalent for them on the D.

I know you know this - just clarifying for any new player reading this that BEAD tuning does trade the loss of 5 high tones for the gain of 5 low ones…

[Wombat-metal]

When you go BEAD, you gain 5 notes on the B string, for losing 5 notes on the G string. That’s the trade off. The number of notes on a bass are finite.

[PamPurrs]

@skydvr

There’s no equivalent for them on the D.

Thank you but that is only half true. Those notes when played on the D string do produce a “reasonable facsimile” of the same tones from the G string. While a nitpicky studio engineer might fuss about it, the average person on the dance floor or listening on their car radio can’t tell whether that high B was played on the 4th fret of the G string, or the 9th fret of the D string. I know for sure my hearing is not acute enough to tell the difference, even when I’m the one playing them.
The reality is, after 2 years of playing exclusively 5 string, I cannot recall coming across a single score on which is found notes 2 or more ledger lines below the stave PLUS notes on ledger lines above the stave. I’m sure there are some in existence, and if the day comes that I find myself needing to play that type of score frequently, I would purchase another 5 string. For now, with the type of music I play, one bass with BEAD and another with EADG is adequate for my needs.