Agreed. Actually, I was trying to think of a local buddy I could get to go along. The two bassists, from church, I know in this small town live a distance away. Hopefully, something will work out.
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I wouldn’t have thought of that. Thanks!You've been given good advice so far. I see you are also interested in contemporary Christian music also. Lots of contemporary gospel bassists usually go for the five as it gives them versatility when playing with keyboardists with a heavy left hand.
Thanks for the link. The bass pictured by GC is just like the one in the local pawn shop.
Also, the adjustment screws on the saddle aren’t rusty, at all. Just the pup poles and pick guard screws. The strings and tuners appear completely rust-free.
Blessings
OP, give yourself a huge advantage and learn how to play your instrument to actual music. Don’t not undertake to learn the bass guitar with tabs. If you can’t read bass clef, learn. Tabs are inferior music notation.
But it’s not a convincing argument. On a 5-string you still have EADG.
There really isn’t much of a stigma concerning 5-string bass. They’re fairly ubiquitous anymore. While that wasn’t always the case, it’s pretty much the case in the last 20 years.
The advice to grab a bass-playing buddy to go bass shopping is excellent. Do that.
Lastly, there’s an idea around here that “Jaco only needed four.” The fact is he only had four. There were not high quality 5-strings in Jaco’s day.
There's more to a 5-string than just those extra notes! I enjoy playing a lot of lines 5 frets up and one string over...there's also a larger range across the fretboard in each position
Having played a 4 string for over 50 years, get a 5 string. There is no reason under the sun to buy a 4 string, then later having to go through the expense of buying another instrument, then go through the adjustment period. And yes, there is an adjustment period unless all you do is hang out on the root of the chord. Anything where you are playing passages requiring movement accross 3 or more strings, in odd keys will drive you up a wall.
If you want to start with a 4, then do it. Modern Gospel & Jazz can use a lot of the B string, tho.
If you can, try to play the bass you're thinking about buying - you may like the feel of a thinner 5-String neck than a chunky 4.
EDIT: & Welcome to TB! Plenty of friendly, knowledgeable ppl here so don't hesitate to ask any more questions you have, & let us know what you get.
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My first reaction would be "either." But, in hindsight, I would recommend a 4-string first, just to get the foundations down and your comfort level up. Nearly every guitarist can show you quickly what to do on a 4-string, but some get confused a bit with that fifth string. Play the 4 for a couple of years, get comfortable with it, and then move to a 5-er. Just my 2/100's of a dollar.
I wish I started on five strings because that’s what made me really love the bass. If it’s about the occasional low notes, a pedal can do them just fine. If it’s about constant low notes, a low tuned four stringed bass can do them fine. A five is about having more positions to play in, having more tonal variety, playing vertically as well as horizontally, and just feeling in control of having more range.
I’ve played guitar almost as long as bass and I never took bass seriously because it came pretty easy to me as a companion to guitar. Everything changed when I got a five. Finally, I felt like here was an instrument that helped me feel bass and play it like its own entity.
So yeah, no matter how humble us fivers give off, we do like having more strings and feel superior for it.
When other musicians see my five, they expect me to be able to play, and it motivates me to bring it. It’s fantastic.
I’ve played guitar almost as long as bass and I never took bass seriously because it came pretty easy to me as a companion to guitar. Everything changed when I got a five. Finally, I felt like here was an instrument that helped me feel bass and play it like its own entity.
So yeah, no matter how humble us fivers give off, we do like having more strings and feel superior for it.
When other musicians see my five, they expect me to be able to play, and it motivates me to bring it. It’s fantastic.
I have small hands and five string basses are way easier to play for me because hand size means you are restricted horizontally. You’re still just as good vertically. If I’m going to play a four, I prefer short scale. I find a standard 4-string Fender to be a challenging instrument for my small hands.
I started on a 4 string p bass. I always recommend people choose a bass that’s as good a quality as they can afford and is comfortable in their hands despite how many strings it has. We all have different hands. Lot of people like thin little bass necks. I hate them personally. I’m a fan of chunky 4 string necks, and 5 and 6 strings necks myself. I do think where some people go wrong when starting on a five is primarily playing modern music and not learning the d and g string . But since you’re 48 years old I assume the music you’d be into would mean that not being as much of an issue unless your mainly into stadium country music or something which is basically modern rock with twang
this one's pretty important to look out for, to make sure the neck is not twisted - and/or if there's a bow on the neck, it can still be adjusted by the truss rod.
Here's a thread that may help.
How can you tell if the neck is straight?
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If you're going to eventually get a 5-string anyway, you might as well just get a 5-string in the first place. In my experience, it's just as easy to get your foundations down on a 5-string. Plus, a 5-string can literally do everything a 4-string can do, and then some.
Thanks! I’ve been acutely aware of that truth and wonder what Mr. Pastorius would’ve played had there been quality 5-strings. He’d have probably played a 5 and caused even more intense mind explosions!
This^
Here's the deal. A 4 string and 5/6 string are both basses for sure but they are not the same. And it's not just a few more notes. It's a whole way of playing. I played nothing but 4 string for many years and as far as I'm concerned it was always a struggle dealing with the limitations of 4 strings. You are playing up and down the neck, transpositions are a hassle, and when you want to go DOWN to a low note you end up having to go UP.
But it's not all cut and dried. It depends on what kind of music you want to play. Slap a lot? I think 4s work much better for slap. Love classic rock with classic 4 string bass lines. Say what you will but in my opinion classic basslines playing on 5 strings just aren't the same as when played on a 4 string and that is even if you aren't tempted to "improve" the masters. So it's like all things in life. There are different ways of doing things and one way is best in some situations and the other way is better in another one. The KEY is to decide what YOUR situation is and what is best for YOU not what other player think is best for them (includes me).
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If you have really long fingers starting on a 5 is fine but still not a common recommendation. I play a lot of music in BEAD, AEAD, and CGCF (normally 5 string territory) on a 4 string bass with larger strings and a slightly modified nut so if playing down in the low registers for metal is your ball of wax it's worth consideration.
I came from an almost exact place you’re starting in now. I was a drummer all through high school, took 20 years off, then decided to pick up the bass.
Personally, I started on and continue to play on a 5 string. I do it because where I play (at church), key changes are very common. It’s easier to change keys on a 5 because, the progressions are the same if you’re not using open strings.
Where I play (there are around 10 bass players), 90% also play on a 5 string. It’s by no means necessary so it’s literally up to your personal tastes and the type of music you want to play. I do recommend starting on what you’ll want to end up playing on.