Re: Multi-stringed basses - Cool or unnecesary? *Poll*
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 "hero's": 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