Q1. Why 4/5 Why Not 5/4, Q2. JacoBeast

[Rayan]

Kurious ... opinions, facts, rumors, court transcripts ...
Q1a.What kauses a bass player to buy/play a 4 string and not a 5,
Q1b. " " " " 5 " and not a 4?

Q2. Were Jaco alive (and well) today and offered an EBMM endorsement pkg, what MM model would he play / design to be named the "JacoBeast" ie. SUB, Sterling, StingRay based 4? SR5? Bongo 4/5 HS, HH? P or no P ?
/Rayan

 

[Ben Clarke]

Kurious ... opinions, facts, rumors, court transcripts ...
Q1a.What kauses a bass player to buy/play a 4 string and not a 5,
Q1b. " " " " 5 " and not a 4?

Q2. Were Jaco alive (and well) today and offered an EBMM endorsement pkg, what MM model would he play / design to be named the "JacoBeast" ie. SUB, Sterling, StingRay based 4? SR5? Bongo 4/5 HS, HH? P or no P ?
/Rayan

The 5 string has lower notes. If you want to play lower notes, you play a 5 string.

I think if Jaco were offered a MM endorsement, he'd play a Fender Jazz.

 

[cgworkman]

Ditto.

 

[Psychicpet]

and I'll make that ditto a trio

 

[TSanders]

a quattro of dittos!!

 

[Samingo]

I simply agree. Sorry guys.

 

[dlloyd]

Kurious ... opinions, facts, rumors, court transcripts ...
Q1a.What kauses a bass player to buy/play a 4 string and not a 5,

Because I'm used to them and have so far felt no compulsion to play lower notes.

 

[tkarter]

Bought and played several 4 strings. Learned how to play. Wanted a 5 to try found the SR 5 I couldn't live without. Suffered through playing it wrong fro enuough time to make me wonder if I would ever get it. Finally got it. Still can play the 4 so I wouldn't say I have made up my mind on either just yet? Question is do I have to?

I only hope I continue to love the instrument for enjoyment. I hope to some day try a 7 string and I am betting it will put a grin on my face and I will hand it back to whom was generous to let me give it whirl. Then I will move back to my SR 5 cuz it just kicks butt.

tk

 

[TSanders]

I play a Bongo 4, and desperatly crave the low notes of a 5, which is why Im on the market for a Bongo 5.

 

[bovinehost]

I got a bunch of four bangers and a bunch of fivers. I don't see any reason why I should have to choose between them. Fours are what I grew up with, learned to play, fell in love with, still adore to this day.

Fivers, to me, solve two issues.

1. What about songs in "D"? You all know what I mean. That D way up on the A string is just sort of wimpy. It always has been, compared to G or F on the E string. And if you play open D, you must now leave the herd, banished, live away from the rest, where the predators will get you first. So um anyway, the fiver solves that problem. You can still play that D on the A string, sure, but if you really want to pump some meat into it, there's that other D....you know, the one on the B string. Ahhhh, yes, that's it.

2. Positioning. It's not always about the low notes. It's about the ability to play "across the fingerboard" rather than "up and down". I like the option of doing that, and of course it also makes it easier to play along with guitarist who are tuned to E flat.

That's my take on it, anyway.

 

[nismaniac]

I got a bunch of four bangers and a bunch of fivers. I don't see any reason why I should have to choose between them. Fours are what I grew up with, learned to play, fell in love with, still adore to this day.

Fivers, to me, solve two issues.

1. What about songs in "D"? You all know what I mean. That D way up on the A string is just sort of wimpy. It always has been, compared to G or F on the E string. And if you play open D, you must now leave the herd, banished, live away from the rest, where the predators will get you first. So um anyway, the fiver solves that problem. You can still play that D on the A string, sure, but if you really want to pump some meat into it, there's that other D....you know, the one on the B string. Ahhhh, yes, that's it.

2. Positioning. It's not always about the low notes. It's about the ability to play "across the fingerboard" rather than "up and down". I like the option of doing that, and of course it also makes it easier to play along with guitarist who are tuned to E flat.

That's my take on it, anyway.

Two great explanations. A five feels normal to me. When I play a four I feel like I'm missing a string, or just can't go everywhere I want to go.

 

[cgworkman]

of course it also makes it easier to play along with guitarist who are tuned to E flat.

WOW - I'm not the only one who thinks this...

 

[Rayan]

Refill Anyone?

tnx for these informed & experienced opinions ... it's not everyday up & comers can listen to coffeetalk with a shop full of veterans /Rayan
[(I'm still kurious to hear what Jaco might have played had someone slipped a Sterling (or SR5) / Piezo into him one day for kicks ... hmmmmm)]

 

[Psychicpet]

tnx for these informed & experienced opinions ... it's not everyday up & comers can listen to coffeetalk with a shop full of veterans /Rayan
[(I'm still kurious to hear what Jaco might have played had someone slipped a Sterling (or SR5) / Piezo into him one day for kicks ... hmmmmm)]

i think he would have played it and still had a way to make it sound like "Jaco"

 

[nismaniac]

i think he would have played it and still had a way to make it sound like "Jaco"

Very good thought. The Jazz bass was an ingredient, but his fingers were the main component of his sound/style.

 

[spectorbassguy]

I played 4 string for 20+ years. Tried out 5 strings in stores a dozen times but felt like an idiot. Then our church did a "bridge" event (Paul Wilbur's Lion Of Judah) and I was tuning every other song down to low D and low C. I finally gave up and bought my first fiver and woodshedded for days. Now I can't even imagine playing a 4 banger. The neck is so darn skinny! And I love the extra range of a fiver.

 

[cgworkman]

Same here. Once you get used to the "range" of the 5 string, the four string is so... Wimpy.

 

[tkarter]

I rather enjoy jumping back and forth between a 4 and 5. Experience would be mucho better were it I had a 4 string EB. The 4 keeps me remembering to move up the neck when needed. I still play the 5 in some ways like a 4 as I am still new to the 5er. I do like to take the G walks and start them on the B string. Just playing is fun ya know?


tk

 

[Samingo]

Hmmm. All interesting and intriguing points. Personally I myself grew up with a fiver on my laps and in my hands and I'll always have a place in my heart for them. To be honest, when I'm just sitting around playing for fun I like to bring out a fiver. Though sadly I am currently without I plan on grabbing a SR5 near the end of next yearish.

When I want to play live however... I prefer fours because they let me have a bit more space and freedome. Though it's a classy gig like jazz or blues I'll feel compelled to pull out a fiver because I've always felt fivers are classier. So I jump between. If I like a bass I like a bass and that's just it, the only thing it may depend on is my mood and the style of what I'm playing. Four or five, as long as it's EB it's in with me.