The Five-String Bass Dilemma: When To Bring The B String?

Five-string basses have become a mainstay choice for many musicians, owing to their versatility in a range of musical scenarios. Many musicians in function bands or playing specific genres of music routinely pick up a five-string as their bass of choice, and there are plenty of reasons why. While we generally consider five-string basses to use a BEADG setup and 99% of the ones you’ll find in the wild will come as such, the very first five-string was not designed like this.

Fender introduced the first five-string bass way back in 1965, tuned to an EADGC format. The Fender Bass V only had 15 frets, however, and ultimately offered the same scale and note range as a traditional four-string. Modern five-strings are designed to offer everything a four-string has with the low B in addition. But when is a five-string bass right for you? Let’s find out.

What are the benefits of a five-string bass?

Fundamentally, five-string basses only differ from four-string basses in one way – the extra string. The added low B string that most configurations sport offers a row of additional notes below E – Eb, D, Db, C, and B – that open up your options when navigating the fretboard and when adapting to the needs of your band.

Many songs are recorded or played in Eb, or even D, and having a five-string ensures you can do the song justice. The most notable example would be Stevie Wonder’s Superstition (1972), which is played in Eb standard and requires that hefty low Eb as part of the iconic riff. This means it is almost impossible to properly emulate with an E standard four-string bass. Furthermore, if your singers need to shift keys for specific tracks, the added string can save you headaches reworking bass lines that now include notes below the E.

One of the biggest benefits of a five-string bass comes in the approach you can take to your scales and fretboard knowledge. Unlike a four-string bass, a five-string’s added B string allows you to play two entire octaves of a given scale. We’ve tabbed out an A major scale below, and you can see how easy it is to move across two octaves without the need for major shifting as you head into the second octave.

As beneficial as this is, you will need to adapt your playing mentality to incorporate this effectively. Muscle memory is a tricky thing to break, so be sure to sit down and explore the opportunities offered.

The main benefits of a five-string bass:

• Versatile fretboard
• Additional notes to use below the standard E string
• Convenient for live situations
• Less demand to use multiple basses

When not to use a five-string bass

Our ultimate advice to any bassist is this – play what you love! That being said, there are some situations where a five-string might not be a suitable candidate as your daily driver.
If you’re a beginner, a five-string might not be the ideal first choice. As beneficial as the added string is, it does change the language of the fretboard and the approach you need to take as a bassist. Many training materials will use four-strings as their platform, which can complicate your initial learning.

Second to this, they are just more challenging to play. The wider neck and adjusted string spacing require greater precision when navigating the fretboard, and the added string will catch you out when getting to grips with landing on the E string consistently.

Finally, a five-string bass demands greater control of your playing dynamics. The added string and wider neck makes muting and controlling the bass more difficult than four-strings, and ringing notes and unwanted vibrations can create unwanted rumbles – particularly in the low register.

If you’re up to the added challenge and the pros outweigh the cons, get stuck in and pick up a five-string bass. We’re big fans of them as BassBros and regularly see some phenomenal fivers come through the door.
Notable Five-String Players
There are plenty of five-string bass players that have made their mark. We’ve picked a few of our personal favourites below.

Nathan East

Nathan East has been playing five-string basses for decades at this point and is a Yamaha-endorsed musician. His credits include performing alongside greats such as Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sting, Stevie Wonder, and even Dark Punk for their hit single Get Lucky (2013).

Here he is making full use of his Yamaha BBNE2 signature five-string alongside the legendary Toto:

Tony Levin

Does this man even need an introduction? Tony Levin is the creative mastermind behind many of Peter Gabriel’s hit basslines and is a long-time user of MusicMan’s Stingray 5. We featured the timeless Sledgehammer (1986) bass riff in a deep dive on the Stingray if you want to learn how to get that signature sound.

MonoNeon

Although not quite the household name as our previous five-string fretters, MonoNeon has quickly become a highly-regarded bassist and has worked with some big names including Prince. He is notable both for his virtuoso playing ability, front-and-centre style, and for playing his basses upside down to conventional wisdom.

MonoNeon is now an endorsed Fender artist and has his own signature five-string model. Here he is performing live at The Mint in Los Angeles.

The Bottom Line

As with any tool, you need to think about your needs as a bassist and make a choice based on that. If you’re hankering for that low Eb or D and are using multiple basses, hipshot drop tuners, or are regularly changing tunings between songs, a five-string could be the perfect solution. If you’re looking for a greater tonal range and want the extra low grunt, particularly for metal or heavy rock, then a five-string is also a great choice.

Fundamentally, however, five-strings are more difficult to control than a four-string – the necks are thicker, the basses weigh more, and the chance for rogue vibrations is higher. If those concerns are too much, it might be best to stick with a classic four-string bass.

Get one in your hands and see how it feels. We stock a selection of five-string basses across price ranges, so feel free to get in touch and arrange an appointment!