Does 4 strings not quite cut it for you? Do you find yourself craving deeper bass than you had previously thought possible? Are you in a metal, punk, rock, jazz, or blues band that could be better served with a broader range of bass? If you answer yes to any of these questions then a 5-string bass sounds very much like the bass for you.
A 5-string bass carries the same four strings that 4-string basses do, E-A-D-G, but with an added low B string below the E string. This opens up the tonal possibilities as now the player on a 5-string bass can bring even deeper, guttural bass notes to the mix of their band. 5-string basses also can come in the classic bass packages that we all know and love such as, the Fender American Elite Jazz Bass V, Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay V, Ibanez SR models, Yamaha, and Lakland models.
5-string basses feature the same variety of elite tone woods that 4-string basses contain; alder, ash, mahogany, maple, and others. This allows players whose foundations were made on 4-string basses the chance to immediately narrow down their search for a 5-string bass by selecting the woods most similar to a favorite 4-string instrument.
There are also a variety of options for electronics with 5-strings basses. Some basses feature a preamp in which allows alterations for pickup configurations in order to create tones beyond the basic pickup selection. Bass pickups can be either passive or active; active pickups are more likely higher output and are often matched with a preamp whereas passive pickups are often found on instruments that are lower output. Affordable options of 5-string basses are also available such as Sterling by Music Man and Squier 5-string basses.
5-string basses come in the same variety of finishes to further help the customer find the bass that is not only sonically right for them, but aesthetically as well. At N Stuff Music we carry a great variety of 5-string basses and welcome customers to come demo these basses through a desired amp in order to gain the closest idea of each bass’s capabilities.