Lifetime BEAD player transitioning to 5 Strings, the G string is my problem

Davyo

Davyo

Davyo
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Nov 26, 2008
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#1
My history, SHORT version.

Started playing bass at 14 years old in the 80's.

Got my first 5 banger when I was about 19, loved the B string but couldn't get used to a 5 banger.

Asked a guitar tech if I could string my 4 banger BEAD, he said it was impossible and it would break my bass neck, so of course on his bad advice I went home and set up my first BEAD bass (back in the 80's BEAD bass's were not really done, at least I had never heard of it ever being done before)

Been doing BEAD on ALL my bass's ever since I was 19 years old and have never owned a EADG bass in all that time.

Present Day: Just got an Ibanez SR305E 4 weeks ago and transitioning from BEAD to the 5 banger.

My issue is getting used to that G string and of course getting used to the tighter string spacing muscle memory thing, mostly with my right hand, I use a pick 95% of the time.

Anyhow, I find it personally entertaining that unlike most changing from a 4 banger to a 5 and their problem is getting used to the B string, my issue is just the opposite in getting used to my G string.

Any other BEAD players switch to a 5 banger and experience the same G string challenge ?

Cheers
Davyo
 
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#2
No, but my story might be somewhat germane...same sort of mental glitch perhaps:

I started on 4-string bass in 1974
Got my first 6-string in 1988. Didn't take very long to get used to the low B or high C strings.
Got my first BEADG 5-string in 1996. Having already been used to the low B string from the previous eight years of playing 6-string, didn't have any problem at all with the low B string.
Got my first EADGC 5-string in 2015. I'll be damned, but for some reason I just can not get my head wrapped around that high C string ...even though I've been playing a 6-string bass with a high C for the past 29 years!!!

Go figger.
 
#3
Bob_Ross said:
No, but my story might be somewhat germane...same sort of mental glitch perhaps:

I started on 4-string bass in 1974
Got my first 6-string in 1988. Didn't take very long to get used to the low B or high C strings.
Got my first BEADG 5-string in 1996. Having already been used to the low B string from the previous eight years of playing 6-string, didn't have any problem at all with the low B string.
Got my first EADGC 5-string in 2015. I'll be damned, but for some reason I just can not get my head wrapped around that high C string ...even though I've been playing a 6-string bass with a high C for the past 29 years!!!

Go figger.
Click to expand...

Huh, that is odd,,, I would think in your case the only thing you would have to adapt to would be the string spacing between a 5 and 6 bass.

Cheers
Davyo
 
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#6
You need a 19mm spaced 5 my friend. Welcome to the big neck club.

I can go from 4 to 19mm 5 without blinking. But a narrower 5 drives me nuts. I have to actually look at my hands to play the dang things.
 
#8
Davyo said:
My history, SHORT version.

Started playing bass at 14 years old in the 80's.

Got my first 5 banger when I was about 19, loved the B string but couldn't get used to a 5 banger.

Asked a guitar tech if I could string my 4 banger BEAD, he said it was impossible and it would break my bass neck, so of course on his bad advice I went home and set up my first BEAD bass (back in the 80's BEAD bass's were not really done, at least I had never heard of it ever being done before)

Been doing BEAD on ALL my bass's ever since I was 19 years old and have never owned a EADG bass in all that time.

Present Day: Just got an Ibanez SR305E 4 weeks ago and transitioning from BEAD to the 5 banger.

My issue is getting used to that G string and of course getting used to the tighter string spacing muscle memory thing, mostly with my right hand, I use a pick 95% of the time.

Anyhow, I find it personally entertaining that unlike most changing from a 4 banger to a 5 and their problem is getting used to the B string, my issue is just the opposite in getting used to my G string.

Any other BEAD players switch to a 5 banger and experience the same G string challenge ?

Cheers
Davyo
Click to expand...

Just play it. You will get used to that G in about a week or so...
As for the string spacing....

two fingers said:
You need a 19mm spaced 5 my friend. Welcome to the big neck club.
I can go from 4 to 19mm 5 without blinking. But a narrower 5 drives me nuts. I have to actually look at my hands to play the dang things.
Click to expand...

Consider a Sire or a Lakland Skyline.. or an MTD Kingston 5....
 
#9
Bob_Ross said:
No, but my story might be somewhat germane...same sort of mental glitch perhaps:

I started on 4-string bass in 1974
Got my first 6-string in 1988. Didn't take very long to get used to the low B or high C strings.
Got my first BEADG 5-string in 1996. Having already been used to the low B string from the previous eight years of playing 6-string, didn't have any problem at all with the low B string.
Got my first EADGC 5-string in 2015. I'll be damned, but for some reason I just can not get my head wrapped around that high C string ...even though I've been playing a 6-string bass with a high C for the past 29 years!!!

Go figger.
Click to expand...
I'm convinced after reading threads like these, and from personal experience, that we unconsciously landmark using the lowest string on our instrument.

A player moving from an EADG 4 to a BEADG 5 has trouble because his landmark changed.

With you, your landmark moved from a BEADG 5, to an EADGC 5. That landmark change f'd you up.

You'll get used to it with enough time.
 
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#13
tfer said:
I'm convinced after reading threads like these, and from personal experience, that we unconsciously landmark using the lowest string on our instrument.

A player moving from an EADG 4 to a BEADG 5 has trouble because his landmark changed.

With you, your landmark moved from a BEADG 5, to an EADGC 5. That landmark change f'd you up.

You'll get used to it with enough time.
Click to expand...

I thought he was moving from a BEAD 4 to a BEADG 5....
 
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