Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Well, after years of telling myself I don't need a 5 string bass I have made the plunge and bought one.

Not wanting to spend a lot of money in case I didn't like it, I bought a brand new Dean Edge 5 which set me back $380 including HSC. I have to tell you, I love it!!!! For a Korean made bass and the money I spent, the finish, electronics and fretwork are great!!! I bought it over a Korean Fender Jazz which was just awful. Floppy B with sharp fret ends. Just sounded terrible.

At first I had trouble with the B string....just because it was there, but I have worked at it and now use it as a thumbrest until I need it. It's still a little awkward but, I'm getting there.

Jeff Rath is correct, 5 is the way to go. I may be contacting him in the future for a Rick conversion!!!!

Nice pick Scott!

Congrats and enjoy!

I picked up a Lakland 55-02 a couple of weeks ago! This is one of the best playing 5er's I've ever played! Love it!

I have two 5er's - a Ric 4003s5 and a Modulus Quantum 5. The Quantum and my 4003 see the bulk of my gigging action.

I really depend on 5 string basses. I play all songs in my band with a 5 string bass, except for two. One gets played with my 4001 fretless, the other gets played with a 12 string.

I have a Dean Edge Q5. I love like it. Plays pretty nice and dooesnt cost much. I like dean alot. Its one of two I 5 strings I actually liked it. One being a Lakland fretless. I didnt care for the Fender 5 strings.

thanks for the compliment ... now you need to try one of these ... http://www.3dentourage.com/425/10string.htm ... Deans are ok but they have the typical Korean made flaws and the quality is not like made in America ...

I find even on classic rock songs that I don't need the low notes the low b can be used as a thumb rest ... but the 5th string can add to just about any type of music ...

I almost never switch basses during a set ... the 5 string covers it all ... I take 2 or 3 basses and switch just for variety each bass gets at least one set ...

in these modern times it bothers me that Ric is not producing 5 stringers in any volume ... if they made a good one with wide pickups and wide bridge string spacing they could sell a bunch ...

I have a Epiphone Embassy 5, and, for the money, it ROCKS. Nice fit and finish and a nice tune-up by Mr. Rath, and it is a great player.

those embassy basses are a well kept secret ...

I've had a few 5 strings, the first was a Yamaha BX-5 that I had John Carruthers turn into a fretless. then I had a string of three Zon 5 string basses, two fretless and one fretted, of which I still have the last fretless that was custom made for me by Joe, and I had a Rick Turner Renaissance fretless 5 string, but the neck was too fat for me so I sold that and bought a fretless 4 string model. Great bass, as those at MARF who tried it will testify to.

I find that the B string has utility beyond just the 5 notes below an E. When you are playing up on the neck, the B gives you access to some of your low notes without having to reach down for them. Also, it give you slightly different voices for some notes.

GULP!

Can you accomplish pretty much the same thing with BEAD tuning? I've read of people here that have done it this way......just curious, I suppose.

I've been thinking of trying this, hoping to get the advantage of the low B, but still having the spacing of the 4 stringer.

*please don't flame....innocent question here...

I'm sure that works just as well, but you should only really do that if you can afford to lose your high G and up. Personally, I can't (almost every song I play requires or is made significantly easier by the presence of the G-string), so that's why I bought the 5-string Tobias. It needs a new bridge (it's a cheap Tobias, not the like $3000 ones . . .) because the saddles on the stock bridge are **** and don't adjust well, and it probably needs a nice Bartolini preamp (actually, I wish it was just completely passive . . . I don't need the preamp, but there's no bypass), but the low B is perfect for some stuff. I had Chromes on the bass, but now I've got D'addario XL's, and it's a lot brighter, albeit buzzier. I end up using the low B as a finger rest most of the time, but it helps to know that if I ever need a low B, I've got it, and it sounds good.

playing a 5 banger is cool ... but playing a 5 string Ric is better ...

BEAD tuning is ok but yes, you do loose the high notes. The extra string increases your options in any given postion. As for 6 and 7 stringers, the same would hold true but the necks get so wide you need gorilla hands to play them. A lot of people can handle more than 5 but I think that will be my limit, at least for now.

For some songs, you just NEED that THUMP of the low C or D. You just NEED it!!

Not to mention, thru my rig, it shakes my guts around. That in itself is worth it!