Why is everybody migrating back to the four string bass?

[blacklw234]

Can somebody tell me what is up with this trend of bass players moving from a 5 or 6 string back to a 4 string? Can we blame this on the popularity of Thaddeus Tribbett? What is going on?

[webster808]

Not necessarily, I have a 5 and 6 string myself, and I dont plan on get a 4 string anytime soon lol. Of courrse, you have ppl who look up to Thad as their role model, and try to mimic everything he does and there's nothing wrong with that...but IMO they prolly want to go back to the basics and fundamentals of bass.

[malthumb]

I'm not so certain it's that big of a trend.  I know that I myself from time to time try to devote more time to 4 string.  It makes me work harder to transpose songs that are normally played on a 5 so that I can play them well on a 4.  I'll take a 5 and a 4 to rehearsal and whenever I can use the 4, I do. But there are soooo many songs that we do in Eb and Db that I eventually wind up picking up the 5.

I guess if people are tuning down, the 4 is still an option.  I personally don't like to tune down.

[DWBass]

There were NO 5 or 6 string basses when I started playing (1972)! While I own 2 5 strings I will never get rid of my 4 string jazz! I actually prefer playing it when I play old school music that doesn't go below E! I also slap WAY better on it!

[Fingers!]

I remember seeing a brand new 4 string bass in the store that had b to d strings.  It was intriguing. 

[superjaay]

I play the five for the same reason mentioned above. Most of the gospel we play at my church includes low Db and Eb. There are a lot more choices for basses in the four string setup. I guess that's cause they've been around for so long. I do really enjoy the playing the four, and as my playing improves I may one day be able to play any song on the four,five, or six, but for now I gotta have that jazz V.

[Kelz-Da-Basshead]

I doubt its because of thad. He's popular but i would more attribute it to victors, and stanleys, and bootsys.

[floaded27]

but anything you can do on a 4 you can do on a 5. just dont play the bottom string. or is it hard to resist because its there? if you wanted to train/challenge yourself to play only within the first 5 frets would you cut off the neck? or would u just NOT use the other positions on the bass? thats my viewpoint on it.

i've tried 4's in GC, because thats what they wanna seem to have accessible at times, but its like playing on a tree branch. the neck is so small.

im actually saving up for a 6 (not really for the high string but more so for the neck profile)

[funkStrat_97]

I don't think that there is a wide-scale migration back to 4-string basses.  Despite the popularity of 5- and 6- string basses, I don't think that the four has lost ground and it's safe to say that most basses sold are/have been of the four string variety.  While it's nice to have a little extra range, you really don't need more than four (some wacco out there uses three!).  And on a somewhat different note, I think that active basses ,as great of a tool that they are, are overrated.  Active's are just another option available to you, but quite a few people seem to feel that they are inherently superior to passive basses.  I love my active Jazz V, but there is something to be said of the simplicity and character of a great passive 4-string.

(....this guitar player perspective has been brought to you by funkStrat_97)

[Kelz-Da-Basshead]

i hate when you people do the little words.

[dhagler]

I own two 5's and a 4. My 4 is a fretless Jazz and to me she symbolizes the essence of what bass is all about. I don't get to play her out much but when I just want to relax and play she is the bass I pick up. And if we are playing a full set where I don't need the low B then she is my go to bass.

[stix_clgi]

Well, I haven't been playing too long, but I don't think there's a "trend" of bass player's switching up to 4 strings. I also don't think the influence would be Thaddeus either. Maurice Fitzgerald plays a four string bass every now and then, and the brother that plays for Hezekiah Walker has always used a four string (as I recall anyways). If you could blame anyone in the gospel scene, I would blame them before Thad. (Just my opinion, I'm not trying to start a "who is better" argument...they're all wwwaaaaayyyyyy better than me lol!).

I would say that migrating to a bass with less strings forces us to learn, causing us to progress a players. I have a six and a five for that reason. I learned basics on a four, bought a five the next year, and traded my five for a six string that same year. Most of my progress on bass has been on a six string bass (and I love playing chords). When I my Squier Jazz V, I realized that a lot of what I played on the sixer could be played on the Squier, I just had to learn how to do it. I kinda feel like I have more options now...
I don't know if I would play a four at church, we don't have a set list or anything like that, and the w&p leaders might start in Ab, but the MC might sing an offering song in Db or Eb. Plus, the majority of the soloists at church sing in Db or Eb! Having that B string is great lol...

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

i hate when you people do the little words.

All you gotta do is copy it and paste it on your address(clear it first) bar to read.

[floaded27]

All you gotta do is copy it and paste it on your address(clear it first) bar to read.

if ur in firefox, just keep pressing "ctrl" + "=" to make the font big enough to read it, then press "ctrl" + "0" to reset back to normal size. no copy and pasting needed.

[B3Wannabe]

Bah. Don't nobody want no tiny 4-string!

[Basspicker26]

For me the 4-string represents a certain discipline, and I only use it in certain situations. For instance if I'm doing a CCM gig or session, and the majority of the progressions are some form of...1,6,4,5 etc... using an 8th or 16th note rock pulse then there's no need for me to pull out my 6-string Smith. The added strings in this situation wouldn't allow me to stay true to the form of the music because now I'm thinking about all the chords and riffs I can play to spruce the songs up the way I like...lol At the same time some really funky songs require a certain type of swag that only a 4-string can give. That's my reasoning for using mine.

[hands5]

I don't think that there is a wide-scale migration back to 4-string basses.  Despite the popularity of 5- and 6- string basses, I don't think that the four has lost ground and it's safe to say that most basses sold are/have been of the four string variety.  While it's nice to have a little extra range, you really don't need more than four (some wacco out there uses three!).  And on a somewhat different note, I think that active basses ,as great of a tool that they are, are overrated.  Active's are just another option available to you, but quite a few people seem to feel that they are inherently superior to passive basses.  I love my active Jazz V, but there is something to be said of the simplicity and character of a great passive 4-string.

(....this guitar player perspective has been brought to you by funkStrat_97)

I with you on the Active/Passive thing.I've been playing all my basses in passsive mode for almost the last 2yrs,and I can really say I don't miss an onboard preamp at all,regardless of who's design it is.

[kevmove02]

Forgive me in advance, but since I track statistics and such for a living, I must point out that you can't possibly validate this premise, that there is a migration back to playing 4 string bass. you would first have to show that a significant number of the total population of bass players predominantly play a 5 string bass, then show a shrinking population that are not simply stopping playing bass, but switching back to 4 string.

Besides the statistics, you are using an extremely small sample to make your assumption: gospel bass players who play 5 string vs 4 strings. Then to further attribute this alleged migration to a single bass player.


At best, this makes for good conversation. I wonder how many people who formally played a 4 string decided to never play anything but a 5 or 6 string bass.

[Kelz-Da-Basshead]

Bah. Don't nobody want no tiny 4-string!

You better have some big hands for her. Have fun tuning that thin for 2 hours everytime you play. That low string prolly blows alot of amps quick.

[BassbyGrace]

Well, I haven't been playing too long, but I don't think there's a "trend" of bass player's switching up to 4 strings. I also don't think the influence would be Thaddeus either. Maurice Fitzgerald plays a four string bass every now and then, and the brother that plays for Hezekiah Walker has always used a four string (as I recall anyways). If you could blame anyone in the gospel scene, I would blame them before Thad. (Just my opinion, I'm not trying to start a "who is better" argument...they're all wwwaaaaayyyyyy better than me lol!).

 .  I will admit that Maurice was my reason for getting a four.  On most of my Fred DVDs he has some type of six of five, but for some slap songs, he pulls out that white Performance 4 and goes to town.  I bought my Marcus a few months ago, but Ive come to just like playing it so much that Ive put my Laklands on the bench lol.  I still plan on any other bass I get being a 5 or a 6 though.  Ive also come to realize that I am an active guy over passive.