Why do people prefer 4 string bass over a 5 string one?

[Kraku]

I would assume bass players would want to play even lower notes than what a regular 4 string is capable of delivering. But still a huge number of bass players stick to mere 4 strings. Why is that?

 

[MadAsAHatter]

I would assume bass players would want to play even lower notes than what a regular 4 string is capable of delivering. But still a huge number of bass players stick to mere 4 strings. Why is that?

My best guess would be a 5 string only adds 4 lower notes and they're not needed for most songs.

 

[Infernal_Death]

If you are a bass player in the context of rock or normal metal i would assume there simply is no need to go that low.
Also a 5 string is always more expensive then its 4 string counter part, weights more, string exchange is more expensive, pickups are more expensive, necks are wider and so on.
I guess you could also ask why most guitar players are playing 6 strings and not 7, 8 or 9 strings ? Those guitars also have an extended range over a 6 string so from that viewpoint they are also "the better choice".

My spector bass is a 5 string and that was clearly my choice. But the main reason for this was that in my band we downtune to B so the 5 string perfectly fits. Funny enough the bassist of my band (i am the guitar player in that band) is also playing a 5 string but he also downtuned, like the guitars. So his low B string is actually a F# string.

 

[thegame]

It’s bad Feng Shui to play instruments with an odd number of strings

 

[Speeddemon]

I'm originally a guitar player, but I dabble in bass guitar as well and own two; a Tokai Hard Puncher '81 (great Fender P-copy from Japan) and a Cort Artisan NA-4 (active with Bartolini MKI pickups).
Both 4 strings, but very different in sound, function, character. I have 0 interest in a 5-string bass, just like I have 0 interest in 7 and 8-string guitars. Like @DanTravis62 I find it often a crutch to add 'heavy', while it's more skillfull to write truly heavy riffs on a 6-string that's tuned in E, Eb or maybe D at most. But that's just my 2 cts.

 

[Dan Gleesak]

I prefer a 5 string bass but I write most of my stuff on a 7 string guitar

 

[TheGreatGreen]

For most rock, the B string just turns into something you have to work around and devote concentration towards keeping muted while you play the other strings.

In other words that low B string just ends up being a hassle and a liability.

 

[boltzthrower]

1. String spacing. Most 5’ers have tighter spacing. Matters a lot for finger style.

2. Heft/bulk. A lot of the 5’ers are actually thinner/lighter than a 4 string so the tone has less beefy oomph.

Lots, but def not all, 5’ers are more guitar like in sound and feel but bass is about bringing the thunder, not woodly doodly doo waniking.

 

[skoora]

Don’t get ahead of yourself now. Still waiting for your speaker shoot out.

 

[SgtThump]

1. String spacing. Most 5’ers have tighter spacing. Matters a lot for finger style.

2. Heft/bulk. A lot of the 5’ers are actually thinner/lighter than a 4 string so the tone has less beefy oomph.

Lots, but def not all, 5’ers are more guitar like in sound and feel but bass is about bringing the thunder, not woodly doodly doo waniking.

Was going to say string spacing. I play with my fingers and do not like the closer spacing of a 5 string.

 

[Robostyle]

Don't play bass on the regular, but when i do i prefer 4 strings because i'm not that good at it lol.

 

[VonBonfire]

Because five string bassists have one more problem than four string bassists already do and most bassists have a lot of problems already.

 

[thegame]

I always found 7 string guitars have this inherent hugeness and certain growl to the tone that most sixes don’t, in a way I’m not particularly fond of. I believe it’s because of the extra mass a 7, 8, etc string neck adds to the equation. I’d imagine 4 string bases have more snap and generally sound more upfront than 5 and 6 string basses for the same reason. Of course I’m referring to the same note register between instruments (eg. playing the E A D G strings only and ignoring the low B, etc) just for comparison’s sake.

 

[TheBiggestJerk]

My main gig is as a bass player.
I’ve been slinging bass for close to 40y and I’ve owned 2 five strings. In a lot of contexts the low B gets in the way and barely gets any play time. I’m of the opinion that the bass should be heard, and I cannot hear the low B in almost any useful context, and especially against multiple detuned guitars. The bass just doesn’t pop. Ask Jason. I’d rather the 4 spring and play melodies up high. Plus I think it’s kind of a gimmick.

 

[TheBiggestJerk]

 

[Matt300ZXT]

For every string above 4 bass players have, that's 10db more the rest of the band turns their amp down. If they have like a 6 string bass, they may as well not even be plugged in.

 

[Maguchi]

Had a couple 5 strings before and ended up taking off the 5th string and playing it as a 4 string like Keef does to his guitars. Eventually I just sold it and got a 4 string P/J bass and been happy ever since.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Definitely string spacing. I don’t mind them too much though and I have a couple. For me the B string almost always becomes a D string. When I was gigging I used it for certain shit. Some Rage, some Sublime, Deftones and Chevelle.

I do prefer 4 strings though. Chris Ballew did pretty fuckin good with 2 strings.

 

[TheBiggestJerk]

For every string above 4 bass players have, that's 10db more the rest of the band turns their amp down. If they have like a 6 string bass, they may as well not even be plugged in.

EQ is my secret weapon in my gear for that very reason.

 

[Techdeth]

These days it’s rare I see I 4 string bass ever at shows