I never thought this day would come

highway_star · Post by **highway_star** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:26 am

I've pretty much dedicated myself to fivers so I get used to hitting the right string. If I ever mistake the B for the E string, I just tell the band I'm harmonizing in fifths.

loendmaestro · Post by **loendmaestro** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:30 am

"How about a Lakland Skyline Bob Glaub? I'm parting with mine.

I have a 50th Anniversary P-Bass that doesn't get used, but I don't think I'm letting go of it anytime soon."

I'll get a Lakland someday, but for now I'm just lookin' for a plain ol' P under $700.

Lemme know if anybody has any leads! (Oh yeah: NO black or Sunburst!)

bob_the_bass · Post by **bob_the_bass** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:37 am

Every time I played a 5 string I ended up using the B string as a thumb rest. Four strings does it for me !!

s4001 · Post by **s4001** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:03 am

My Kubicki has been getting all the attention lately. Sometimes I go thru phases where I don't play much Ric. But I eventually come back to 'ol faithful.

throw_this_away · Post by **throw_this_away** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:21 am

I have just never liked the sound of a 5. Anything past Drop D just gets too muddy for my tastes.

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:50 am

I very seldom play below a d on my 5 but there are some neat things happening up the neck with that extra string.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:04 pm

5ers are great fun once you get used to them but they are clearly not for everyone.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:04 pm

actually I use every single note on my 5 string fret board ... and sometimes I need a low b flat ... some 5 string players tune ADGCF ...

charlyg · Post by **charlyg** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:19 pm

Waste not, want not!

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:59 pm

"I always confuse the top sting for the "E", no matter how much I try to concentrate."

I had the same trouble when I got my first 5er. I almost gave it up, actually stopped playing it for at least three months. Then one day I just picked it up, worked at it quite a bit. I went at it like it was a completely different instrument. It was at least 6 months before I could honestly say I was comfortable with it.

revolver323 · Post by **revolver323** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:24 pm

Muddiness below D disappears with a 35-inch scale bass like the Laklands. I use my 55-94 exclusively. Never muddy on the B, and it's also crystal clear all the way up the neck. I find myself playing the octave B at the 12th fret sometimes. Having the B really opens up the neck for me. I have played 34 inch scale 5ers -- Fender, Music Man, Alvarez, Washburn -- and didn't care for any of them. That extra inch makes all the difference.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 2:31 pm

with a 5 string bass the trick is to turn down the bass and treble and turn up the mids ... that gets the low B to growl ... a 4 string player plays an octave higher and turns up the bass to get that full low sound ... it is a subtle difference ... but in a full band situation with a big pa and subs there is a difference ...

A 5 string bass is great if you play in the keys of F, E, D# or D ... you can fret your low note and you have a good position on the bass for playing scales and bass patterns ...

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:32 pm

Joey said...I went at it like it was a completely different instrument.

I did the same thing. Some songs I can only play on the 5. It's just a matter of changing your mindset and your mechanics.

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:40 am

Face it, we all love Ricks or we wouldnt be here.

Basses are like tools. And we all have alot of tools in our toolbox.

rikk · Post by **rikk** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:40 am

I've got a hipshot D tuner on 2 of my Rics. I'm using it more and more. I've got a Ric 5er, but the low B didn't sound too great so I re-strung it EADGC. I may give it another chance with a B with a different brand strings. What do you think of a hipshot D tuner on a Ric 5 strung EADGC? Well maybe not. I wish Ric had the low D on the headstock like Kubecki.