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I have seen some way crazy basses lately and i wonder, do you really need more then 4 strings? What do you think? Comment

it's definitely cool to have

sometimes, the range isn't big enough though, so a 5 string or 6 string is really cool to have

I love 5 string basses. That low B is great, and if you just want to roll on 4 it makes a great thumbrest.

A 5 sting can be cool sometimes, and I suppose a 12 like the Hamer (with doubled octave strings) might be useful in limited situations, but basses with more than 5 strings are tools of Satan.

I have just bought a bass. I used to have one 20 years ago but I had to sell it. I thought it would be nice to start learning how to play it (properly) again.

20 years ago there were only 4 string basses so I now enquired whether I needed the 5th string. I asked around for advise and these were the answers I got:

- many basses have 5 string but few of them have a B string which playes well
- whether or not you need a 5 string depends on the music you want to play, but no one specifies which music it is that requires a 5 string bass.
- 5 string basses have a different tension and hence have a different feel than equivalent 4 strings (may be good, may be bad, it depends on the model)
- some people say that the 5th string interferes with their slapping
- some people say that they can not live without the 5 string.
- most of my bass quot;hero'squot;: Jaco, Marcus Miller, Paul Jackson, Victor Bailey, Randy Hope Taylor all use(d) 4 strings and I never felt that anything was missing.

In conclusion, I went for a 4 string, also because the model I wanted is not available as a 5 string (yet). I could be wrong, but I'll find out as I begin playing.

Marin

no multistrings here... one string is enough for me

slade

I have a 5 stg. I'm very glad I have it. The lowest note I have used on a recording is a low D. It's nice to have the option of playing notes that u usually have to grab in 1st position on the low E stg, on the B stg higher up the neck.

I have a Hamer 12 string bass and a Kramer 5 string bass, so I guess you know what my answer is.

personally I believe in all or nothing. I love 4 strings, but if you really want to get that low b, you might as well go the 6 string route and get a high C as well.

Five strings is sure enough for me on a bass. Any more is just for show.

4 is fine and 5 can be handy...anything more is not needed IMO

-Mike

i agree with everyone that says five strings are good. they arent even that hard to play. and that low b sounds pretty friggin awesome in some songs.

my dads favorite beer is bass ale

Multi-string bass cool? If your Tom Peterson (Of Cheap Trick) YES !
Most others NO !
5 String Cool ? Yeah, why not.

Rarely have I met any players that do anything with more than 4 that isn't wholly annoying.

The bass player in my band uses a 6 string bass... i do know why he bought it in the first place I encourage him to get it, but he told me that he was going to learn how to use it... anyways I´m still waiting... just to tell you how bad he is, his brother who is the other axeman on the band tunes his bass every gig and rehearsel... damn i hate that ! but it does sound pretty neat when the low B is sounding
JJ


Originally Posted by xerxesmy dads favorite beer is bass ale

your dad's a top notch fellow!!!

slade

4 strings dude...extra options and such are cool, but in the end you make the difference not the 15 string bass thing with a 2x4 as a neck.

it depends on your style of music, are we including chapman sticks in the multi string bass arena? or just 5 6 7 and 9's?
lt;--- this shows that multistring basses are cool, and for this style of music they are well suited. i personally like the 6 strings (tool of satan lmao)

Mmmm...multi-strings of bass...

*breaks out the frier*