Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I played 4 strings since 1969, and a Rick since '72. I loved the way that low B sounded though, so in '88 I bought an Ibanez Soundgear 5 string. The string spacing was pretty tight... even from being used to Ricks!

I've been playing a 5 ever since... in the early 90's I designed and built my own 5 strings, which is what I play today.

This is one of the basses I built. This is my main axe.

Nice find! I have a 4003s5 and didn't have too many problems adapting to the string spacing. Plus it has the most comfortable neck of any five-string bass I've played. I own a Lakland Skyline 55-02, but it only comes out if I want an active bass sound. That's not very often.

I have 13 basses these days ... 12 are 5 stringers and one is a 10 string ... I am seriously hooked on the low B ... I sold all of my 4 string basses ...

When I want to got from four string to five string I put this down






And pick this up

I agree with Bob. I had two five strings, and after the newness wore off. I sold both of them. They were a pain in the rear for me to play. I could never get used to the string spacing at all. Then I got back into playing Rics and now I have no desire to pick up a five string. I never say never, mind you, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

I love 5 string basses. I have 8 of them, but life was just not right until I had a Rick 5 string.

With a couple of exceptions, 5 string still doesn't get it done for me. Maybe it's just the players of today, but I hear very little that inspires.

Just been listening to Jameson on "What's Going On" and that bass is just so brilliant it leaves me in awe...and I've heard it a thousand times.
As the guy from the Average White Band said, listening to him is like going to school and church at the same time. Only 4 strings and more melody, soul and feel than most of his contemporaries of today could get out of 5,6 or more...

I prefer to play it like a 4 and just use the bottom for the low d or grabbing a note closer to where I'm at. It did not change my style just a little lower once in a while!

I want my low B!!!

Bass without 5 strings just plain sucks!!!

Andrew, I agree with you about the awesome playing if James Jamerson. If a 5 string bass was the standard back in the 60's he just would have made awesome bass lines on one of them...and had the option of going a bit deeper when he or the record producer felt it should be.

I think his son plays 6 string basses.

more strings ... well this is going too far ...

.....you could land a medium sized Boeing on that .

See!.. He's still only using G,D,A and E...Possibly...

That's one of those new Harpitars. It's the music of the angels.

People who like their low B can keep it. I have no use for it at all! I love my four strings. Getting rid of my five stringers and going back to the four put the enjoyment back into playing bass for me. I just don't like the string spacing or the neck width on most of those fivers.