Beginner: 4 string Intermediate: thinks more strings makes you better or makes playing harder Pro: does what the gig calls for, whether that’s 4, 5, or whatever else
I played guitar for decades and then just jumped to elite with four strings. Its the perfect size and has all the notes I want to use. And it is *so* much more fun than guitar. Just plucking a string is pure delight. There is something tactile about it.
The piccolo bass is the 8-string guitar of the bass world. I feel like it is mostly for people that want to play the other instrument but don't want to say they play bass/guitar, however I have to agree that yes, string gauge will shape the tone a bit and more importantly I believe it should feel more familiar to play than changing instrument completely (but not wanting to learn to play on the other one is a skill issue honestly), 8-string is also more versatile so it makes more sense than the piccolo outside of a band and allows you to change register easily (like my trusty 5-string)
I mostly agree with you man, I prefer a 4 string short scale if I had my pick, but I found that tuning my 5 as EADGB(C) I got some extra harmonic ability in the higher end without having to really change the way I normally play much. I don't really need that low B for what I do, but the xtra higher end has been pretty handy.
The visually impaired owner picks up the poo. The dog is trained to show them where the turd is. My friend has a guide dog and this was part of the training for both dog and owner.
@@bigmoneymandan360 I believe the dog circles the turd to indicate its position. My friend then feels around with a bag over his hand until he finds the treasure.
I remember when I started bass decades ago. I had crossed paths with a famous bassist. I asked him if I should do 5 string as I was just starting and his exact words were, "Every iconic bassline ever written was done on a 4 string. It's all you need." So I never went to 5 string and I'm eternally happy I didn't.
Yeah, same with cabinets, so much talk about the latest and greatest available but most classic songs were played through 4 x 12’s or 2 x15’s with no clever baffling or trickery. There was an old Bruce Foxton cab on eBay recently, nothing special just a box with a pair of drivers in it. £1,600 though!
I love 5 strings personally. I play quite a few songs that would require me to tune down all the time, but I don't have to. I also frequently alternate between the E string and the 5th string from the 5th fret down, so I do use the 5th string a lot and honestly can't live without it.
About the 5 string beginning at 3:33 1) Small hands are more of an issue for guitar players when you have to hold chords, especially on 7 string guitars (guitarists usually omit the 5th for full 13th chords on 6 string guitars). If you're holding down root notes on bass, it's less of an issue. Bass is like playing guitar one note at a time. So, for me, playing bass is kind of like playing guitar solos all the time. I treat bass like a melody instrument. 2) Low B strings are best for low tunings. I often tune C F Bb Eb G so it becomes like a guitar in C standard tuning with a high G. If you prefer E as a low string, go for a thinner gauge low string and tune E A D G B for more melodic content up high (although bassists might prefer C and F on the high strings). For guitarists, 5 string basses are nice because they feel more like guitars, especially if the strings are closer together like a Jazz bass. P basses can feel huge with high action and strings that are far apart, but the tone (especially a PJ) is great. I agree that playing notes below the root can be confusing and force you to think about intervals (for example, 4ths going up are 5ths going down). This is a specialty of jazz players who determine the identity of the chord by the root they play while the guitarist fills out extended chords beyond the root (in jazz, 7ths, # 9ths, # 11ths, 13ths). Some chords like fully diminished 7th and dominant 7th chords can have their entire identities changed by what root note the bassist plays while the guitarist keeps the same shape. 3) I agree that 5 string bass below A1 can be too low (Korn tuning). Guys these days are omitting bass players and using 8 string guitars and are sludging around in the 1 and 0 octaves. Not for me because it fights the bass and kick drum in the mix. My advice would be to try a 5 with a high string instead. A lot of 5s come in 35" scale length instead of 34". You might like a 34" better. Bassists have their own skills that are hard for guitarists to master as well, like proper intonation on a fretless with flatwound strings. There's also slapping and groove. You can tell a real bass player from a guitarist playing bass, especially in rock.
So, the main reason I have switched entirely over to 5 strings now is that my band does songs in a very wide range of keys, and I like having a piano-like range to cover the low end in every key. Also, once you start thinking in intervals, it gets much easier to play. 5th fret and up from the B string to the D string is the equivalent of a 4 string starting open, so you can play every note fretted or open.
True that, being able to play a low E fretted gives you so much more control and it gives you more options on sound, as a fretted note has a different timbre than an open string. Like, I get that a Low B isn't gonna be played a whole hell of a lot, but if you're playing covers you WILL get mileage out of the Low D and Low C.
Too LOW?!?! A BEHS can never be too low. I actually love the low notes that you can feel as much as you can hear. I'm glad you left out the last step (tiny hands, tiny brain, and a tiny...yea, best left out mate. 😜👍
I just saw a guide dog helping his disabled owner earlier this morning. As you expect, no one cleaned up after the dog! Thanks for the bass enthusiasm.
Misa is one of the most underrated bassists playing today. Absolutely phenomenal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a band more locked in live than Band-Maid and it’s that rhythm section of Misa and Akane that are just world class.
Ode To The Five String Bass by Nelson Montana (My apologies in advance to my 5 string loving brothers)
There once was a time, when 4 strings were fine, and an E was as low as youd go. But the desire to go deeper, turned out to be a keeper and they added a B as you know. I too joined the crowd, the mantra was so loud The five is the one that will last. But after many a gig, trying vainly to go big, my love of the B was soon past. The notes didnt speak with the clarity that Id seek. And I found that I'd use it less and less. It just got in the way, I keep thinking an E was an A, till finally asking, "is this for the best?" It wasnt for James or Jaco or Chris. Victor Wooton and Steve Harris never fell. Jeff Berlin said Nay and hoped itd just go away and Sir Paul would eschew it as well. The Ox took a stand, amid the demands. as did John Paul Jones and Flea. Rocco didn't veer and Sting just sneered -- unimpressed -- as was Pino and Geddy Lee. Claypool went back, and accepted the fact -- it was good enough for Bootsy and Clarke As did Osborne and Kaye, heading the way, and forever making their mark. Then again, there was Anthony, who played mighty fancifully -- with even more strings than six! Yet there are those, who still propose...he should stick to a four and a pick. Of course theres a case, within the right space, to add some well placed low Ds But these days if thats needed, Ive finally conceded Ill just play it on the god damn keys!
Hi Danny, fellow small handed behs player from Newcastle here… I struggled to get my head round a 5 for years and made me feel ill when I tried to play… But having been gifted one during the lockdowns, I cracked it. You have to change from playing generally open strings and play much higher up the neck around 5/7 fret, which then feels natural again as on the fifth it’s an E. but you have an extra string at the top. Anyway it worked for me! The behs looked great with the sharpie on 😂
That makes sense. As a guy with fairly long fingers, I hate short scale basses for the opposite reason. They feel tiny, like it should be a guitar but isn’t.
I, too, was not a fan of 5 strings until just before Christmas 2023. Walked into a local pawn shop and saw an Ibanez hanging on the wall. Asked if it was active or passive and the broker had no idea...he just handed me the bass. Passive with a single humbucker. Played a little and the neck wasn't nearly as big as others (in fact not much bigger than a precision bass). Price tag was $200 and he told me there was a 20% holiday discount. Being of Welsh and Scot blood I still balked, since the wife was drooling over jewelry. She finally said "hey dumba$$ you're getting $100 for your birthday and $50 for Chistmas." Yep, I walked out with a gently used bass for $20.
I have small hands also - the frets are farthest apart at the nut end of the neck, and get closer together as you move up the neck. With a 5-string bass, I can move up the neck and down a string to play bass lines that would painfully stretch my hand at the extreme end of the neck.
Yup, same. For a fretted bass, 6-string is my go-to. The added timbral options and flexibility within a given position open up so many options. Not even concerned with the extra high range-all about tone and ergonomy for me. That said, for a fretless bass, I tend to prefer 5-string max. I'm not super keen on the timbre of a C-string on a fretless neck.
I freaking love 5-string basses! Go on, bro, try to make me doubt my devotion! 😈 UPD: watched the whole video, I totally understand you and my situation was exactly the opposite: I always needed the lower register, but downtuning couldn't work for my perfect pitch ears. So I just switched to 5 strings and probably feel as happy as you feel with 4 strings 😊 PS: and sometimes I drop the lowest string to A to match the lowest note of the grand piano, which is actually the first instrument I've learned.
@@trappedinamerica7740 in fact not as perfect as some other musicians' ears: I can "tune" my ears down a half step. But usually no more than that. So even D standard tuning is a complete disaster for me. Eb may be OK.
I started playing 5 string about 10 years ago because I got sick of tuning down for certain things and not knowing where I was on the neck note wise. Now, it’s all I play.
Hope this helps....I have a standard 6 string bass. Hate the low B and high C. Screws with my head. Bought custom strings from a company called Kalium, in order to convert to guitar tuning while keeping roughly the same string tensions. SO..... E 110 A 82 D 61 G 45 B 31 E 20 plain IT"S AWESOME, easy to play, and sounds great. I can do chords without sounding like mud. Tapping is easier. Scales and chords are just like guitar. This has totally changed my game. The strings cost a total of $48 for the set, so roughly a few bucks more than a standard set of 6 string bass strings. Shipping took about 6 weeks, so if you have gigs coming up....plan ahead.
I literally spent 29 years as a 4-string player before I converted to 5-string and I'm pissed I waited so long. I have Danny (or Donny... Trump) sized hands also, but I learned how to play on a 3/4 double behs at age 11, so somehow my pinky still works on a low B. Edit: BTW, it's not always about hitting low notes, sometimes it's just easier to have three octaves easily accessible at all times.
I gotta say - you made me do it! I really liked your videos, style (and accent lol) for a while now, and I just wanted to say thank you and keep making great content! More than worth my 2€ a month. ;]
I have always had 4s and that includes my fretless but I have a new acoustic electric 5 and am looking forward to doing my solos with chords and harmonics as the low B will give me more range!
I enjoy 5 string because it gives me more options and I have to downtune less often to play songs. And I enjoy playing low so much that I have to remind myself to lay off the B string a bit. I have small enough hands that a 6 string might be cumbersome, but my Spector Dimension 5 fits me just right I'm a bit surprised you didn't mention how clanky and floppy the B string gets, especially downtuned. That's the reason I went multiscale. Anyways, I respect that it's your personal preference to dislike 5 strings. No one should feel obligated to play one, but definitely try one out to see if its for you before you by - first time I played one I knew i had to buy one. I just remember when I started playing 15 years ago, it was cool to hate on players with a pick, and I let that influence me to the point that now my pick playing ability is far below what I would like. Now that picking is becoming accepted more generally by the wider bass community, I'd hate to see that negative energy focused on the 5 string and scare people away from trying out what could be their ideal instrument.
Can you tune a 5-string so that the extra string is a higher string? Like e, d, a, g, b? I've only just taken up the base and always thought that's what five strings were set up for was to move you up a little bit. Not down
I like my 5-string basses even tho I'm not a huge fan of low tunings What I just do is complement 6-string guitar work in E standard and pick notes on the B string when the situation allows for it (which is actually quite often) Like when a song is in D minor and the guitars are playing up the 5th fret on the A string or on the open D string I just go for the 3rd fret on the B string Or just whenever the guitars are going to notes that are between B and E I use the B string I mean I could pick the notes higher up the register, but what's the point in that when the point of bass is to fill up that low end?
I got my first 5'er in'97... other than a few acoustics, I haven't owned a 4-string since. One thing to do if you're playing songs where you don't need the low B at all is to anchor your thumb on the low B. My playing style was "floating thumb", where my thumb would switch between being anchored at the pickup and anchoring on strings (usually the B, but occasionally on E and A, depending on the songs...)
i got a 5 string multi scale, because it helps with the low end tone and keeps it at the roughly 34 inch mark at the higher end. constantly having to flick between drop tuning and normal got annoying, and the extra range feels amazing, so i think it was worth it in the end.
Best argument I heard in favour of a 5-string is if you're a session player who often plays with horn-sections and so having Eb on tap is helpful. I like them because I play a lot of loud, heavy, blues-inspired music in E, and hitting a low V for emphasis just as the the music peaks is cool too
So Danny - I live in a place where top brand equipment isnt available. I play on a 4 string and I saw a 5 string Tagima Millenium which I adored. I checked if there was a 4 string variant available and it is - just not locally. Im thinking I just remove the 5 string or something... what do you think?
Ayo, greetings from America. I gotta the "what's half of mine is yours" part was clever af, yo. 🤣 You outsmarted the system! You either getting half of absolutely nothing (shout-out to the artists of that amazing bop), or you share in my debt! 🤣 Tehk ya pick!
I have one of those Gio 4-string basses, and when i pick hard, i get a horrible slap, or pop via the pickup. Do you think, if i lower the pickup, I’ll still get decent attack, but lose that pop? It drives me crazy, ruins takes, and makes me play with far less intensity than i like
I fell in love with my active ibanez 5 string back in 1996. As soon as i picked it up, I knew I was going to get a student loan to afford it. As far as I recall, it was the first 5 string bass produced by ibanez in their soundgear line. Still got it to this day.
Danny Sapko, national treasure! Love your videos. Always crack me up and love your playing too. You are the best ambassador Bradford could ask for. You should have been the voice of Bradford! Keep doing what you are doing! (Subscribed, liked etc.)
As someone with very large hands, I also dislike the 5 string bass because why would you play more than 4 strings? Wanna a B string? Just buy one and kick off the G one since you wouldn't be using that anyways when you got that low tunning.
I wanted to play some type o negative riffs and I was really tempted to get a standard 5 stringer so I could have that low B (Type O play in B std often). But I think they actually play on a 4 string bass, just with the low 4 of a 5 string on (so BEAD). maybe I'll do that instead
Hey Danny new around here your stuff is awesome and I'm happy to support. In memory of Steve Albini passing this month can we get a tone study on Albinis band Shellac? Particularly the tone on the album At Action Park?
We need a NOPE Signature Bass!!!
Why not BEHS as well?
But seriously, it will need lacquer or the writing will wear off.
With *Yep* under the 4 Standard Strings.
Correction: we need a NOPE signature behs.
Yeah that design legit went hard af
I'd like mine with a Paolo Di Canio on the fret boad lol
beginner: 4 string
intermediate: 5 string
expert: 6 string
elite: 4 string
or
metal: 5 string
prog metal: 6 string
death metal: 4 strings and an obscene amount of notes
beginner: 4 string
intermediate: 5 string
expert: 6 string
elite: whatever is needed to get the job done
Beginner: 4 string
Intermediate: thinks more strings makes you better or makes playing harder
Pro: does what the gig calls for, whether that’s 4, 5, or whatever else
I played guitar for decades and then just jumped to elite with four strings. Its the perfect size and has all the notes I want to use. And it is *so* much more fun than guitar. Just plucking a string is pure delight. There is something tactile about it.
@@datutturugang666 elite metal: does more with fewer notes, see also Black Sabbath
You uploading a 5 string bass hate vid and featuring the exact same one i got weeks ago got me feeling funny
That low B keepin you big as hell
I learned on a 5 string.
What can I say. I loved Korn. It's was 99' , good times
Rest your thumb on the B and your good. It's the slapping on the E that's tricky as to not hit the B
He never said it was a bad example of a 5 string. He simply said it sucks and he hates it.
As soon as you master slap on a five string youve mastered slap on a 4 string!@@jamesadamgleason9471
Danny's character development:
-Starting to like jazz music (prefer Django's style)
-Got a 5-String Bass
All left is the piccolo bass.
Yea right then he could so Joey DeMaios' Behs Tone XD
he owns a guitar, so he already has a 6 string piccolo bass
The piccolo bass is the 8-string guitar of the bass world.
I feel like it is mostly for people that want to play the other instrument but don't want to say they play bass/guitar, however I have to agree that yes, string gauge will shape the tone a bit and more importantly I believe it should feel more familiar to play than changing instrument completely (but not wanting to learn to play on the other one is a skill issue honestly), 8-string is also more versatile so it makes more sense than the piccolo outside of a band and allows you to change register easily (like my trusty 5-string)
Correction 5 sting behs and piccolo behs
Tell this man to check out Charles mingus for god sake
A wise Behs sage once told me...'there's no Behs without B...'
BASS without a B is just ASS!
@@NegoClau That or its an ace!
This thread is gold. Lol. Both sides are right.
@@NegoClau lmao
lol
‘Five string are wrong, f**K off!”
Perfect!😂😂
I much prefer 4 string fretless over five string anything.
I mostly agree with you man, I prefer a 4 string short scale if I had my pick, but I found that tuning my 5 as EADGB(C) I got some extra harmonic ability in the higher end without having to really change the way I normally play much. I don't really need that low B for what I do, but the xtra higher end has been pretty handy.
do you use a different string for that, or did you really crank that low B up to an E ???
@@ph0end definitely uses different strings
@@ph0end used the top 5 strings from a 6 set
I like my basses 6 strings, an octave higher, and with a tremolo system
Dude that one shortcircuited something on the way getting where it's supposed to hahaha brainmelter for a sec
I like a Bass vi with the tremolo for good bass solos. But I still prefer my 24 fret 4 string.
@@gumbly4174 hes talking about a guitar
@@julianoncrack Yeah, I know, i put that together before I commented dawg.
Ultra short scale piccolo bass VI!
"What do you need more strings for, you gonna play bigger chords ?" - Lemmy.
Au contraire, with 5 strings you don’t need to stretch your fingers as much for certain chords
@@hvze9848 Chords?
What the hell is a chord?....
You mean that thing I plug into the wall?
Sorry, im a bass player.
The visually impaired owner picks up the poo. The dog is trained to show them where the turd is. My friend has a guide dog and this was part of the training for both dog and owner.
That is so genius.
Wait what?
@@bigmoneymandan360 I believe the dog circles the turd to indicate its position. My friend then feels around with a bag over his hand until he finds the treasure.
@@barondelararie is the Treasure worth the hunt?
Wow the things i have learned on the web!!
Be £2 less poor. For all the joy you spread and Yorkshire solidarity.
That “nope” design is fantastic!!!!
Missed opportunity to call it "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Behsment".
Damn.
🤣🤣🤣@@DannySapko
Fuckin-A, that was good
I remember when I started bass decades ago. I had crossed paths with a famous bassist. I asked him if I should do 5 string as I was just starting and his exact words were, "Every iconic bassline ever written was done on a 4 string. It's all you need." So I never went to 5 string and I'm eternally happy I didn't.
Yeah, same with cabinets, so much talk about the latest and greatest available but most classic songs were played through 4 x 12’s or 2 x15’s with no clever baffling or trickery. There was an old Bruce Foxton cab on eBay recently, nothing special just a box with a pair of drivers in it. £1,600 though!
I love 5 strings personally. I play quite a few songs that would require me to tune down all the time, but I don't have to. I also frequently alternate between the E string and the 5th string from the 5th fret down, so I do use the 5th string a lot and honestly can't live without it.
THIS!!!!!!
ditto! ..and I have small hands (which is why I foolishly stayed away from it for so long!)
About the 5 string beginning at 3:33
1) Small hands are more of an issue for guitar players when you have to hold chords, especially on 7 string guitars (guitarists usually omit the 5th for full 13th chords on 6 string guitars). If you're holding down root notes on bass, it's less of an issue. Bass is like playing guitar one note at a time. So, for me, playing bass is kind of like playing guitar solos all the time. I treat bass like a melody instrument.
2) Low B strings are best for low tunings. I often tune C F Bb Eb G so it becomes like a guitar in C standard tuning with a high G. If you prefer E as a low string, go for a thinner gauge low string and tune E A D G B for more melodic content up high (although bassists might prefer C and F on the high strings). For guitarists, 5 string basses are nice because they feel more like guitars, especially if the strings are closer together like a Jazz bass. P basses can feel huge with high action and strings that are far apart, but the tone (especially a PJ) is great.
I agree that playing notes below the root can be confusing and force you to think about intervals (for example, 4ths going up are 5ths going down). This is a specialty of jazz players who determine the identity of the chord by the root they play while the guitarist fills out extended chords beyond the root (in jazz, 7ths, # 9ths, # 11ths, 13ths). Some chords like fully diminished 7th and dominant 7th chords can have their entire identities changed by what root note the bassist plays while the guitarist keeps the same shape.
3) I agree that 5 string bass below A1 can be too low (Korn tuning). Guys these days are omitting bass players and using 8 string guitars and are sludging around in the 1 and 0 octaves. Not for me because it fights the bass and kick drum in the mix.
My advice would be to try a 5 with a high string instead. A lot of 5s come in 35" scale length instead of 34". You might like a 34" better.
Bassists have their own skills that are hard for guitarists to master as well, like proper intonation on a fretless with flatwound strings. There's also slapping and groove. You can tell a real bass player from a guitarist playing bass, especially in rock.
Finally. It's here.
So, the main reason I have switched entirely over to 5 strings now is that my band does songs in a very wide range of keys, and I like having a piano-like range to cover the low end in every key. Also, once you start thinking in intervals, it gets much easier to play. 5th fret and up from the B string to the D string is the equivalent of a 4 string starting open, so you can play every note fretted or open.
I was skeptical at first, but I love my 5 for these exact reasons
True that, being able to play a low E fretted gives you so much more control and it gives you more options on sound, as a fretted note has a different timbre than an open string. Like, I get that a Low B isn't gonna be played a whole hell of a lot, but if you're playing covers you WILL get mileage out of the Low D and Low C.
Too LOW?!?! A BEHS can never be too low. I actually love the low notes that you can feel as much as you can hear. I'm glad you left out the last step (tiny hands, tiny brain, and a tiny...yea, best left out mate. 😜👍
I started playing a 5 string because of Polyphia, now I play a 5 string Jazz Squire and a 5 String no-name fretless
once you get a 5 string, you don't go back
I just saw a guide dog helping his disabled owner earlier this morning. As you expect, no one cleaned up after the dog!
Thanks for the bass enthusiasm.
Bro, your videos are gold.
I come here for the behs… and stay for the comedy.
You are a very funny man, Danny! 😂
And a damn fine behsist. 👍🏻
I love Danny's channel and I'm not even a bassist, but Danny is so goofy but also a very talented musician as well so you can't help but love him.
"Do you think I can still return it?" NOPE!
Why is your voice so calming, I was stressed until now, but this video worked like magic and now I’m comfy
I thought I was the only one
MISA from Band-Maid made me fall in love with five string. She uses it to perfection.
Misa is one of the most underrated bassists playing today. Absolutely phenomenal. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a band more locked in live than Band-Maid and it’s that rhythm section of Misa and Akane that are just world class.
I, for one, love having a full length thumb rest.
*_“Who picks up dog shitt when it’s a guide dog?”_*
Hit me like an absolute freight train
Was not prepared at all for it lmao
How do you confuse a bass player? Give him 1 extra string. 😂
Thanks
Ode To The Five String Bass
by Nelson Montana
(My apologies in advance to my 5 string loving brothers)
There once was a time, when 4 strings were fine, and an E was as low as youd go.
But the desire to go deeper, turned out to be a keeper and they added a B as you know.
I too joined the crowd, the mantra was so loud The five is the one that will last.
But after many a gig, trying vainly to go big, my love of the B was soon past.
The notes didnt speak with the clarity that Id seek. And I found that I'd use it less and less.
It just got in the way, I keep thinking an E was an A, till finally asking, "is this for the best?"
It wasnt for James or Jaco or Chris. Victor Wooton and Steve Harris never fell.
Jeff Berlin said Nay and hoped itd just go away and Sir Paul would eschew it as well.
The Ox took a stand, amid the demands. as did John Paul Jones and Flea.
Rocco didn't veer and Sting just sneered -- unimpressed -- as was Pino and Geddy Lee.
Claypool went back, and accepted the fact -- it was good enough for Bootsy and Clarke
As did Osborne and Kaye, heading the way, and forever making their mark.
Then again, there was Anthony, who played mighty fancifully -- with even more strings than six!
Yet there are those, who still propose...he should stick to a four and a pick.
Of course theres a case, within the right space, to add some well placed low Ds
But these days if thats needed, Ive finally conceded Ill just play it on the god damn keys!
Brilliant!
Good on ya! Even though we finally got to ya with the 5 string BEHS stuff, you gave it a fair shake. And frankly, that's what we love about ya ❤
Hi Danny, fellow small handed behs player from Newcastle here… I struggled to get my head round a 5 for years and made me feel ill when I tried to play… But having been gifted one during the lockdowns, I cracked it. You have to change from playing generally open strings and play much higher up the neck around 5/7 fret, which then feels natural again as on the fifth it’s an E. but you have an extra string at the top. Anyway it worked for me! The behs looked great with the sharpie on 😂
That art on that bass looks sick! Ending was hilarious too!
Interesting perspective, got me thinking!
4:51 i wish more people used this philosophy in general.
Four String Righteousness!
I do love the extra depth of my 5 string over my 4.
Go go Danny!
That makes sense. As a guy with fairly long fingers, I hate short scale basses for the opposite reason. They feel tiny, like it should be a guitar but isn’t.
Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the god of bass, the master of shorts DANNY SAPKO
I, too, was not a fan of 5 strings until just before Christmas 2023. Walked into a local pawn shop and saw an Ibanez hanging on the wall. Asked if it was active or passive and the broker had no idea...he just handed me the bass. Passive with a single humbucker. Played a little and the neck wasn't nearly as big as others (in fact not much bigger than a precision bass). Price tag was $200 and he told me there was a 20% holiday discount. Being of Welsh and Scot blood I still balked, since the wife was drooling over jewelry. She finally said "hey dumba$$ you're getting $100 for your birthday and $50 for Chistmas." Yep, I walked out with a gently used bass for $20.
I have small hands also - the frets are farthest apart at the nut end of the neck, and get closer together as you move up the neck. With a 5-string bass, I can move up the neck and down a string to play bass lines that would painfully stretch my hand at the extreme end of the neck.
good point.
someday i'll see Necrobutcher's tone... but your behs playing is always da behst!
Danny says that he doesn’t wanna learn a 5 string but did a pretty good job on this one
I love your energy and your smile
Cracked me when you got the snips out
And the video was 5 minutes 50 seconds to boot!
I've got this exact model in orange/copper tuned down to G-C-G-C-F. Those Ibanez basses are monsters in terms of sound for the price!
I'm not a huge fan of 5 string basses, But 6 string basses: That's another story.
They are guitars and another channel.
Yup, same. For a fretted bass, 6-string is my go-to. The added timbral options and flexibility within a given position open up so many options. Not even concerned with the extra high range-all about tone and ergonomy for me. That said, for a fretless bass, I tend to prefer 5-string max. I'm not super keen on the timbre of a C-string on a fretless neck.
@@trikkke11 Tell me you've never seen a 6 string bass without telling me you've never seen a 6 string bass
@@cheeki-breeki I've never seen a guitar with such a long neck and such a thick strings. It's an abomination.
I just dislike odd numbered strings tbh, rather just get a 6. I also have small hands and short of stature.
That fckn blue hat is crazy man, I thought it was some sort of cel-shaded animation
I freaking love 5-string basses!
Go on, bro, try to make me doubt my devotion! 😈
UPD: watched the whole video, I totally understand you and my situation was exactly the opposite: I always needed the lower register, but downtuning couldn't work for my perfect pitch ears. So I just switched to 5 strings and probably feel as happy as you feel with 4 strings 😊
PS: and sometimes I drop the lowest string to A to match the lowest note of the grand piano, which is actually the first instrument I've learned.
I couldn’t play a 4 string any longer. It’s what you get used to and how you use it that matters in the end. I’m a proud 5’er though
Perfect pitch ear
Run into many exceptional people in UA-cam comments…
@@trappedinamerica7740 in fact not as perfect as some other musicians' ears: I can "tune" my ears down a half step. But usually no more than that. So even D standard tuning is a complete disaster for me. Eb may be OK.
I started playing 5 string about 10 years ago because I got sick of tuning down for certain things and not knowing where I was on the neck note wise. Now, it’s all I play.
03:26 start the video, you're welcome.
Hope this helps....I have a standard 6 string bass. Hate the low B and high C. Screws with my head.
Bought custom strings from a company called Kalium, in order to convert to guitar tuning while keeping roughly the same string tensions. SO.....
E 110
A 82
D 61
G 45
B 31
E 20 plain
IT"S AWESOME, easy to play, and sounds great. I can do chords without sounding like mud. Tapping is easier. Scales and chords are just like guitar. This has totally changed my game.
The strings cost a total of $48 for the set, so roughly a few bucks more than a standard set of 6 string bass strings.
Shipping took about 6 weeks, so if you have gigs coming up....plan ahead.
five string violins are superior fight me
"The neck on this thing feels miles away from [a 4-string]".
My Ibanez 6-strings in the corner: "We will haunt this man's dreams..."
I literally spent 29 years as a 4-string player before I converted to 5-string and I'm pissed I waited so long. I have Danny (or Donny... Trump) sized hands also, but I learned how to play on a 3/4 double behs at age 11, so somehow my pinky still works on a low B.
Edit: BTW, it's not always about hitting low notes, sometimes it's just easier to have three octaves easily accessible at all times.
Clicked on this so quickly.
Every time I have an idea, I’m calling it a “brain wave” from now on. 🔥
FINALLY
Its hilarious how serious his facial expressions are so angry 😅
Hi Danny
3:49 is when he actually gives his reasons if you want to skip all the filler.
Finally
Hey Danny, greetings from germany. Problems with the thickness of a 5 string? check out the Warwick Corvette Taranis ^^
No one should hate 5 string bases they are good great tone
I gotta say - you made me do it! I really liked your videos, style (and accent lol) for a while now, and I just wanted to say thank you and keep making great content! More than worth my 2€ a month. ;]
Thank you!
@@DannySapko My pleasure!
Danny!!
what would you choose?
Great Ham Sandwich or funk bassline in e
I have always had 4s and that includes my fretless but I have a new acoustic electric 5 and am looking forward to doing my solos with chords and harmonics as the low B will give me more range!
I enjoy 5 string because it gives me more options and I have to downtune less often to play songs. And I enjoy playing low so much that I have to remind myself to lay off the B string a bit. I have small enough hands that a 6 string might be cumbersome, but my Spector Dimension 5 fits me just right I'm a bit surprised you didn't mention how clanky and floppy the B string gets, especially downtuned. That's the reason I went multiscale.
Anyways, I respect that it's your personal preference to dislike 5 strings. No one should feel obligated to play one, but definitely try one out to see if its for you before you by - first time I played one I knew i had to buy one. I just remember when I started playing 15 years ago, it was cool to hate on players with a pick, and I let that influence me to the point that now my pick playing ability is far below what I would like. Now that picking is becoming accepted more generally by the wider bass community, I'd hate to see that negative energy focused on the 5 string and scare people away from trying out what could be their ideal instrument.
Thanks for giving hope I have shorts hands and play 5 and fours, love your video's and your accent.
Can I boil the package and use again? for extra eco friendly
I like that rumble sound on that 5 string bass.....
Just discovered you and I have to say I haven't laughed so much in ages. Well done I'm subscribed and I won't a t shirt
Don't worry, Danny. Now Ibanez has no other choice but to release Danny Sapko's signature NOPE behs!
Can you tune a 5-string so that the extra string is a higher string? Like e, d, a, g, b? I've only just taken up the base and always thought that's what five strings were set up for was to move you up a little bit. Not down
I like my 5-string basses even tho I'm not a huge fan of low tunings
What I just do is complement 6-string guitar work in E standard and pick notes on the B string when the situation allows for it (which is actually quite often)
Like when a song is in D minor and the guitars are playing up the 5th fret on the A string or on the open D string I just go for the 3rd fret on the B string
Or just whenever the guitars are going to notes that are between B and E I use the B string
I mean I could pick the notes higher up the register, but what's the point in that when the point of bass is to fill up that low end?
I got my first 5'er in'97... other than a few acoustics, I haven't owned a 4-string since.
One thing to do if you're playing songs where you don't need the low B at all is to anchor your thumb on the low B.
My playing style was "floating thumb", where my thumb would switch between being anchored at the pickup and anchoring on strings (usually the B, but occasionally on E and A, depending on the songs...)
i got a 5 string multi scale, because it helps with the low end tone and keeps it at the roughly 34 inch mark at the higher end. constantly having to flick between drop tuning and normal got annoying, and the extra range feels amazing, so i think it was worth it in the end.
if you love shortscale 4 string bases whats you're fav, I play a mustang and love it but cant think of many other short scales
Best argument I heard in favour of a 5-string is if you're a session player who often plays with horn-sections and so having Eb on tap is helpful.
I like them because I play a lot of loud, heavy, blues-inspired music in E, and hitting a low V for emphasis just as the the music peaks is cool too
So Danny - I live in a place where top brand equipment isnt available. I play on a 4 string and I saw a 5 string Tagima Millenium which I adored. I checked if there was a 4 string variant available and it is - just not locally. Im thinking I just remove the 5 string or something... what do you think?
I'll put my money's worth in, all the best bass lines have been done on a 4 string.
Ayo, greetings from America. I gotta the "what's half of mine is yours" part was clever af, yo. 🤣
You outsmarted the system! You either getting half of absolutely nothing (shout-out to the artists of that amazing bop), or you share in my debt! 🤣
Tehk ya pick!
I have one of those Gio 4-string basses, and when i pick hard, i get a horrible slap, or pop via the pickup. Do you think, if i lower the pickup, I’ll still get decent attack, but lose that pop? It drives me crazy, ruins takes, and makes me play with far less intensity than i like
I fell in love with my active ibanez 5 string back in 1996. As soon as i picked it up, I knew I was going to get a student loan to afford it. As far as I recall, it was the first 5 string bass produced by ibanez in their soundgear line.
Still got it to this day.
3:45 the video starts here
Your longer videos are really good.
Danny Sapko, national treasure! Love your videos. Always crack me up and love your playing too. You are the best ambassador Bradford could ask for. You should have been the voice of Bradford! Keep doing what you are doing! (Subscribed, liked etc.)
5 string is great if you're in a band that does a lot of drop-D stuff. You don't have to constantly retune.
I got a 5 string ibanez a few months ago. it did take a while to get used to but now its great. You sound great on yours!!👏👍love your channel👏👍🎸🙏🤗
The tone was amazing, please tell us how you got it
I have a black bass.. i want to do the same thing. What did he used to write the white letters?
As someone with very large hands, I also dislike the 5 string bass because why would you play more than 4 strings? Wanna a B string? Just buy one and kick off the G one since you wouldn't be using that anyways when you got that low tunning.
“When I completely master the 4 string bass I’ll switch to the 5 string bass.”- Geddy Lee
Get a 7-string tuned to low F#
I wanted to play some type o negative riffs and I was really tempted to get a standard 5 stringer so I could have that low B (Type O play in B std often). But I think they actually play on a 4 string bass, just with the low 4 of a 5 string on (so BEAD). maybe I'll do that instead
Hey Danny new around here your stuff is awesome and I'm happy to support.
In memory of Steve Albini passing this month can we get a tone study on Albinis band Shellac?
Particularly the tone on the album At Action Park?