# 5 string bass? --that's not ugly lol. 35"? Canada



## thebeesknees22 (Feb 20, 2021)

hey dudes!

I sold an amp and now I'm looking for a 5 string bass. ...that's not butt ugly... lol I don't know why, but there are soooo many super ugly basses out there.

Anyway, lol ... I'm thinking 35" scale. My 4 string basses are all 34" and if I tune down to drop Ab then it's just bit too floppy even with heavier strings on. (but I haven't gone super heavy yet on my 4 string basses because I was going to have to file the nut a bit wider for those strings to fit)

I want something a little bit snappier feeling. ....but maybe I'm just overthinking it and I shouldn't worry about it and just stick to 34".

Any suggestions? I was going to go with another Sterling bass since I love my 4 string and they look great, but it seems like those are all 34" scale...  ...but maybe that's fine with the right gauge strings on?

Budget: Preferably $1500 CAD or under, but that's not a deal breaker. Spending a crazy amount on a bass when it mostly gets lost in the mix seems a little dumb... but if I have to go a bit higher for something nice then I can. 

*Not a fan of ridiculously wide necks or overly fat necks...but I can adjust if need be.

I suppose I could try a solar bass. Some of the schecter's look cool. Not a fan of the looks of ibanez basses. sorry....they're just ugly this year. 

Fenders are fine, but they're getting pretty pricey in Canadian dollars. I'm not sure what else is out there that looks cool and doesn't go into the $2500-$5k CAD range. 


thanks dudes!!


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 20, 2021)

What do you consider an "ugly" and "not ugly" bass?

Almost everything comes in a 5-string format these days, so assuming you don't think your existing bass is ugly, get one of those with another string. 

Honestly, don't sweat the 34" vs. 35". It's not a huge difference.


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 20, 2021)

lol, I figured that question would come after I posted it, but I didn't feel like editing my original post.

So my current basses: (which I love)
4 string Sterling. Natural/burst type finish. 
4 string Fender Jaguar (which I love the offset body style)
4 string Line6 variax bass looool. (it was my first bass and i got it on clearance for $400. It was a good bass to learn on, but I kinda hate the piezo fake sound...but it works well when tuned super low. Looks are ok. Basic. Balance and neck feel are actually really great suprisingly)


Also Not ugly:
Some of the schecter's look cool
C-5 Apocalypse
Riot-5 Bass -is kiiinda interesting in a way. In a way kind of not.
Dingwalls are kind of ok but expensive
Skervesen bronto and chicken hawk basses are insane, but I don't want to go full custom on a bass....yet. (I will.....someday... get a chicken hawk though... they're super awesome looking imho...but I'm sure they cost as much as a cheap car lol)
Thunderbird basses (or that style like the ESP versions are cool.)
B-1005 MULTI-SCALE - ESP looks alright
There's a pic of a seafoam green GB bass on the ESP, but i guess it's not available anymore because it's not an option if you click on it. I'm a huge fan of seafoam green though. 
etc.... 
Mayones BE series looks ok. 

Ugly: (apologies if anyone likes these)
Ibanez basses... the whole line. Is just...not my thing
Jackson basses - mmm not my thing either
Warwick - definitely not my style
Half of the mayones line lol - they're pretty hit and miss. 

borderline:
G&L - the body shapes are kind of ok, but also something seems a little...off on the body shape. Just ever so slightly. 


Ideal most wanted:
skerv chickenhawk or bronto, but that ain't happenin' for a few more years. I need to save up for that lol. 
--also: I really someday would like a seafoam green bass. But it has to be just right. I've seen some that are terrible looking and some that are amazing.

Anyway the above don't all come in 5 string varieties, and most are 34" but that might give you an idea of ugly vs not ugly lol haha


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 20, 2021)

I saw this sterling: (34" though, but if that doesn't matter much then...mmmmaybe)

https://www.long-mcquade.com/170516...H-Stingray-5-String-Bass-HH---Daphne-Blue.htm

But it says "Truss Rod: Single Action"
...i thought all modern truss rods were dual action these days? Maybe it's not so in the bass world?


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 20, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> I saw this sterling: (34" though, but if that doesn't matter much then...mmmmaybe)
> 
> https://www.long-mcquade.com/170516...H-Stingray-5-String-Bass-HH---Daphne-Blue.htm
> 
> ...



Single action is still pretty much the standard. I wouldn't worry about it.


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 20, 2021)

k k 

mmm... Maybe I will go for this sterling then. I'll think about it for a day lol I need to stop doing impulse buys haha


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## Hollowway (Feb 21, 2021)

I can't really tell what you like and what you don't like, as some of them on the "like" list look similar to the ones on the "ugly" list, so I'll just throw out a few I think are cool.

LTD Stream (but it's 34")
Used Carvin if you're cool with used
Spector (these are super nice looking to me, and 35" scale)
LTD F bass. (These are 35" and I love the aggressive look. Not sure if you will, but if you don't, then you're a stupid loser. )


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## LordCashew (Feb 21, 2021)

I think the economical thing would be to bite the bullet and file the nut on one of your existing basses for even heavier strings. That will get you the “snappier” feeling more than anything else, and going to a five with the same string gauge and scale length probably won’t change anything on that front. 

If you do just want a fiver, the Sterling would probably be fine. You might even see an older generation of Dingwall Combustion near your budget occasionally, though they sell quickly.


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## profwoot (Feb 21, 2021)

I just bought one of these. idk i think it looks pretty cool.


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## Winspear (Feb 21, 2021)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Honestly, don't sweat the 34" vs. 35". It's not a huge difference.



Yup. I'm a scale length _slut _myself but couldn't agree more still. Regular tension Ab requires about 165 gauge - a 35" will only reduce that to 160. That's how small the difference in tension is. 
I think bassists are so traditionally insistent on 35 being necessary for 5 strings because they never tried using a heavier B string than what comes in stock sets, so they like the little extra tension as every little helps when your string is too thin. I'm sure most of them would have been happy with a custom set on 34 had they tried. 

But yeah, you're looking at big strings and filed nut on either scale length. 35 will just sound a little brighter but it's barely any different.


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 21, 2021)

lol yeah those are some beefy strings! That's a waaay smaller difference than I expected. Good to know!

Thanks dudes! I almost fell for the hype... again! haha

I think I'll still get a 5 string. I'll do what I need to if I have to file the nut a bit. I'll probably sell my variax bass after I get one, and not bother adjusting the nut on it. Between selling that amp, and if I sell the variax then I'll come out almost even on a newer/better bass.



Hollowway said:


> I can't really tell what you like and what you don't like, as some of them on the "like" list look similar to the ones on the "ugly" list, so I'll just throw out a few I think are cool.
> 
> LTD Stream (but it's 34")
> Used Carvin if you're cool with used
> ...



The Stream looks great!


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## Hollowway (Feb 21, 2021)

Winspear said:


> Yup. I'm a scale length _slut _myself but couldn't agree more still. Regular tension Ab requires about 165 gauge - a 35" will only reduce that to 160. That's how small the difference in tension is.
> I think bassists are so traditionally insistent on 35 being necessary for 5 strings because they never tried using a heavier B string than what comes in stock sets, so they like the little extra tension as every little helps when your string is too thin. I'm sure most of them would have been happy with a custom set on 34 had they tried.
> 
> But yeah, you're looking at big strings and filed nut on either scale length. 35 will just sound a little brighter but it's barely any different.



And once you go to longer scale you realize that you need higher tension just to compensate for the longer scale itself. It's counter intuitive, but longer scales require higher tension because of string sag (clearly I don't know the technical term for this). I used to wonder why bass string tensions were so much higher than guitar tension. But when you start getting to a longer scale it's necessary. I don't know exactly where the trade off is, and I'd love for one of us to find a physicist who could write an equation to figure out the best balance between scale length and tension requirements. For instance, I have a 30" 10 string and a 32" 10 string. The 32" requires WAY thicker of a string than I would have imagined. Granted, a longer scale helps with inharmonicity and tension, but it's not like it's the end-all-be-all solution for tuning lower. I work in the window next to Winspear in the Scale Length Slut Red Light District myself, and I will also agree with him. I've got basses from 30" to 40" scale length, and guitars from 25.5" to 32" (don't @ me about Gibson scale lengths or I'll get my Scale Length Slut Red Light District pimp to slap you) and it's remarkably doable to have low notes on shorter scale lengths than you'd think.


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## Hollowway (Feb 21, 2021)

profwoot said:


> I just bought one of these. idk i think it looks pretty cool.


I want the sixxer version of that. But I also want a ZBM7 Kiesel. And I want to stop buying basses entirely, too.


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 21, 2021)

Lol! @Hollowway you have a 40" scale bass?! That's awesome! 

Sounds massively long. Are you a giant? I don't think my fingers could stretch that far haha


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## Scordare (Feb 21, 2021)

I don’t have a specific bass to recommend..but I will ditto on not worrying so much about scale length. I have some 34s with killer sounding B strings. Some 35s I have played were very uncomfortable because of the longer neck vs my short arms. 



Hollowway said:


> I want the sixxer version of that. But I also want a ZBM7 Kiesel. And I want to stop buying basses entirely, too.



..and Damn it, Hollowway!! Will you stop mentioning that Kiesel 7! I have a Galveston UB7000 bass that I love playing.. but that ZBM7 is a weekly thought for me! There can’t be that many people ordering it and who knows if it will be discontinued from lack of sales..


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## InfinityCollision (Feb 21, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> Lol! @Hollowway you have a 40" scale bass?! That's awesome!
> 
> Sounds massively long. Are you a giant? I don't think my fingers could stretch that far haha


Orchestral double basses usually have a scale length around 41-43". 40" isn't pushing anything notable when you consider how bass left-hand technique generally works. You don't stretch for a lot of those intervals, you just move your hand or go to another string.


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## Hollowway (Feb 21, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> Lol! @Hollowway you have a 40" scale bass?! That's awesome!
> 
> Sounds massively long. Are you a giant? I don't think my fingers could stretch that far haha



Tom (@Winspear ) has one, too. It's the Quake bass from Kalium. I have mine tuned to C#0 and it's ridiculous.  I wanted to get another one, and tune it to standard, just so I'd have insanely crisp bass notes. But yeah, it's not that much different than a regular bass. It's just a few frets longer at the low end.


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## Hollowway (Feb 21, 2021)

Scordare said:


> ..and Damn it, Hollowway!! Will you stop mentioning that Kiesel 7! I have a Galveston UB7000 bass that I love playing.. but that ZBM7 is a weekly thought for me! There can’t be that many people ordering it and who knows if it will be discontinued from lack of sales..



I know, I worry about the same thing! I keep waiting for a used one to pop up, but the one that did (on Reverb) was not in the US, and not particularly pretty. There have been 2 GIS but one was super expensive and the other was plain walnut, which didn't really do it for me. I feel like I'm going to have to put an order in before they drop it. It's completely useless, because we can get any number of 7 string basses for less than $2000. But I need a pink 7 string headless model, and in the words of Veruca Salt, I want it now.


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 21, 2021)

haha that Quake bass is huge! That's awesome


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## Hollowway (Feb 21, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> haha that Quake bass is huge! That's awesome


It really is. I just shows that there's so much more we can do with guitars and basses. I mean, when you consider that the theorbo was around 400 years ago it's rather embarrassing that we consider a 40" bass unusual. We have a super computer in the palm of our hand, but 99% of guitars sold today are the same scale length and number of strings as they were 100 years ago.


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## Merrekof (Feb 22, 2021)

I was gonna recommend a Dingwall combustion 5...

..also, I agree that Ibanez does make ugly basses. The SRX was okay though


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 22, 2021)

Sawweeet! I found that Sterling ray 35 in daphne blue used. I pulled the trigger. Should get it later this week or next. Saved around $350 in the process. 

@Merrekof I do like the combustions! They're just more than what I want to spend right now. I'm trying to keep a new bass on the mid range ish end so I can go for a Skervesen velociraptor 6 string too in the next few months. lol


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## ixlramp (Feb 23, 2021)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Honestly, don't sweat the 34" vs. 35". It's not a huge difference.


Not huge, but 35" helps significantly.


Winspear said:


> Regular tension Ab requires about 165 gauge - a 35" will only reduce that to 160. That's how small the difference in tension is.


That is actually a significant improvement. The string is thinner but also longer, stiffness is roughly determined by gauge / length so you get a double advantage. Stiffness of big gauges is such an issue even a .005 reduction is tonally significantly helpful.


thebeesknees22 said:


> Thanks dudes! I almost fell for the hype... again! haha


It is important to make clear that it is absolutely not 'hype', and most of those who are posting about this are not claiming it is. It is a scientific fact.
Extra scale length is the most effective tonal improvement for large gauges and low tunings.


Hollowway said:


> And once you go to longer scale you realize that you need higher tension just to compensate for the longer scale itself.


Yes but only very slightly higher. For 34"->35" the necessary slight increase in tension does not remotely undo the advantage.

34" will not be a disaster, it is not absolutely essential. But ... 35" will help significantly, especially for tunings as low as Ab.
Most 5 string basses are 35" anyway, for very good reason, so you can probably find something suitable for you in 35".
Keep in mind that 34" is clearly problematically short for B, let alone lower pitches and larger gauges. 34" was chosen by Fender for E.

I am disappointed in seeing so much misleading and excessively anti-scale length talk from those who know better =)


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 23, 2021)

well now ya tell me lol

I already bought the 34" scale! 

haha


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 26, 2021)

Shazaam! 

It came in today! It's pretty awesome especially for the price. Got it used for $1199 CAD (before tax). 

I most definitely need beefier strings on this though. The ones that are on here aren't quite cutting it at drop G#. (no idea what gauge is on this right now. probably a standard light set)

I probably should have waited until tomorrow to post pics when the sun is out since the lighting in my apartment is so yellow, but...whatever. Here it is:


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## Hoss632 (Feb 27, 2021)

I agree with you on a lot of basses just being ugly looking now days. I had thought long and hard about a sterling 5 string. And while they are great basses I just don't like the neck shape. For me at least this is the bass I'm leaning towards right now.


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## Winspear (Feb 27, 2021)

Looks nice! I recommend you pick up the D'addario 107 gauge balanced 4 string set and their single 160 for drop G# and see what you think.
Re. above discussion, it's not 'hype', certainly every little extra scale length helps and does make a tonal improvement - but there seems to be a divide often drawn that 34" 'can't' and 35" 'can' when the difference isn't really huge (a considerably smaller difference than tuning a 35" a semitone lower and capoing it at fret 1)


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## StevenC (Feb 27, 2021)

Winspear said:


> Looks nice! I recommend you pick up the D'addario 107 gauge balanced 4 string set and their single 160 for drop G# and see what you think.
> Re. above discussion, it's not 'hype', certainly every little extra scale length helps and does make a tonal improvement - but there seems to be a divide often drawn that 34" 'can't' and 35" 'can' when the difference isn't really huge (a considerably smaller difference than tuning a 35" a semitone lower and capoing it at fret 1)


Not to derail too much, but Tom what are your scale and string recommendations for F#?


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## LordCashew (Feb 27, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> Shazaam!
> 
> It came in today! It's pretty awesome especially for the price. Got it used for $1199 CAD (before tax).
> 
> ...


I like it! A tort or pearl pick guard might look good on that color.

If the strings currently on it are in decent shape, you might be able to get by just replacing the low B (Ab) for a while since the other strings are only going down a half step. At least that’s what I’d do because I’m a little cheap.  If you’re going to do some serious recording definitely get a good fresh set.


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## John (Feb 27, 2021)

Late to the conversation, but I've been a fan of Lakland. I have a 5514 with a 35" scale, for example:







Alternatively, if you don't mind the wait or in lieu of other crazy good deals, Maruszcyk (based in Poland) can make 35" scaled basses on a build-to-order basis.

https://www.public-peace.de/maruszczyk-instruments/mi-bass


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## Winspear (Feb 27, 2021)

StevenC said:


> Not to derail too much, but Tom what are your scale and string recommendations for F#?


Definitely 37" at that point if possible, ~174 is nice imo


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## thebeesknees22 (Feb 27, 2021)

LordIronSpatula said:


> I like it! A tort or pearl pick guard might look good on that color.
> 
> If the strings currently on it are in decent shape, you might be able to get by just replacing the low B (Ab) for a while since the other strings are only going down a half step. At least that’s what I’d do because I’m a little cheap.  If you’re going to do some serious recording definitely get a good fresh set.



You read my mind! 


@John - nice! what's the little switch for on that?

This sonic blue one from Maruszcyk looks awesome
https://www.public-peace.de/maruszczyk-instruments/mi-bass/jazzus

bah! here's my seafoam green one. Man... I want this lol
https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/MARUSZCZYK_Jake_C4P_Sea_Foam_Green_32.html


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## John (Feb 27, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> @John - nice! what's the little switch for on that?




Thanks, it's a coil selector switch.


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## Gtan7 (Mar 2, 2021)

Ibanez BTB are often 35" scale and not typically ugly if you get a nice top IMHO (but dunno how i feel about neck thrus, i'm convinced i like the bolt on snap and the fret access of set necks)

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/btb1935_1p_01.html


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## profwoot (Mar 3, 2021)

I've been jamming on my new Ibanez EHB1005ms (c.f., post #9, this thread), and I preeeeetty much love it. It turns out that bass is fun af so that'll be part of it, but overall this thing seems about what you'd expect for $1.2k except for the ridiculous figuring of the roasted birdseye board. It also weighs very slightly less than the lightest guitar in my 6-strong arsenal, which is nice.

The first track that needs real bass is one that requires a semi-tone bend on the 2nd fret disallowed by some heinous toolmarks on said fret, and I'm getting some strange static in the signal that must be either EM interference (that doesn't affect my guitars) or else something to do with the wiring of this thing. I've also had a wee bit of tuning instability, but that's likely to do with the 50-145 [Stringjoy custom] set I just put on here without widening the lower two nut slots. The bridge and nut accepted the 145 with room to spare, in case that's useful for anyone.

As another aside, I find myself losing my place pretty often, and I think the lack of distinction between the fret inlays/side dots and the medium-hue neck&board may be implicated. It being my first bass and first multiscale instrument are as well, but I'm still suspicious of these markers.

Anyway, overall I'm happy with it so far. I'm impressed by the elegant engineering of the bridge pieces, although I have only guitar bridges to compare.


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## thebeesknees22 (Mar 3, 2021)

damn..... I bought a .160 bass string for my low G# string and the bridge string hole on this Sterling isn't big enough to push to very end to the ball of the string. It gets juuuust a bit too thick near the end. I guess I'll have to try a .154... 

lame!


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## LordCashew (Mar 3, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> damn..... I bought a .160 bass string for my low G# string and the bridge string hole on this Sterling isn't big enough to push to very end to the ball of the string. It gets juuuust a bit too thick near the end. I guess I'll have to try a .154...
> 
> lame!


So it’s snagging up on an extra-thick part of the string near the ball? A taperwound string should solve that problem.

Alternatively, take the bridge off and slightly widen the hole with a reamer or drill bit. It’s a non-reversible mod but a nearly invisible one. Just make sure the hole doesn’t get wider than the ball.


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## thebeesknees22 (Mar 3, 2021)

yeah it's snagging. I tried filing it down some, but it was taking forever so I gave up lol. I may go find a proper file at home depot this weekend. 

The hole is on the metal part of the bridge on this particular one so it would have to be a drill for sure. I'm not quite ready to do that to this just yet since I just bought it. (even though I've been on a huge modding kick on some of my guitars) lol

I have a .145 string on order just in case but I have a feeling I won't like it. It was the only thing that didn't cost a fortune. The only .154 (or anything in between a .145 and .160) I could find was a kalium string that would have cost me like $45 or more to ship to Canada. :| ...so I ain't doin that lol 

I'll do some digging for a taperwound! Hopefully they don't cost $50 to ship to canada for one string too lol


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## thebeesknees22 (Mar 3, 2021)

whew ok found a tapered one on amazon. Ordered! thanks @LordIronSpatula ! lol


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## Winspear (Mar 4, 2021)

D'addario XLB145T is the model name, should be easy enough to find from various places these days


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## thebeesknees22 (Mar 7, 2021)

alright, finally got this .160 tapered string on this bass. mmm..Felt like crap tbh. The tension is better I suppose, but I had a real hard time getting the intonation anywhere halfway decent on that low string. It was almost a whole note flat on the 12th fret and i could move the saddle any further. 

so i took that off and put on this .145 and it seems to behave better. Tension feels ok, and the intonation is good. I'll stick with .145's from here on out on this. that was an expensive trial and error process though lol 

gah! bass strings are so expensive lol


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## LordCashew (Mar 8, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> alright, finally got this .160 tapered string on this bass. mmm..Felt like crap tbh. The tension is better I suppose, but I had a real hard time getting the intonation anywhere halfway decent on that low string. It was almost a whole note flat on the 12th fret and i could move the saddle any further.
> 
> so i took that off and put on this .145 and it seems to behave better. Tension feels ok, and the intonation is good. I'll stick with .145's from here on out on this. that was an expensive trial and error process though lol
> 
> gah! bass strings are so expensive lol


Just to clarify: you maxed out the intonation moving the saddle _towards_ the nut, loosening the screw? That’s the direction you need to go if you’re intonating flat, but not usually where downtuners run out of room. Usually a big string causes the opposite problem, intonating sharp and sometimes maxing out the intonation _away_ from the nut, tightening the screw all the way. But introducing a tapered section can affect that.


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## thebeesknees22 (Mar 8, 2021)

LordIronSpatula said:


> Just to clarify: you maxed out the intonation moving the saddle _towards_ the nut, loosening the screw?



yep! I suppose I could have squeezed another 1/16" but it wasn't going to make a big enough difference. 

It's fine though. I think I prefer the feel of the .145 anyway.


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Mar 8, 2021)

Schecter J-5.


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## Marked Man (Mar 14, 2021)

$1500 CAD, isn't that like $500 USD? 

Here's my choice for clarity:

LTD B-1005SE, my first and only multi-scale instrument to date. The Low B gains a LOT of clarity from the 37" scale and the high side is a very manageable 34". Comes stock with excellent Nordstrands with active EQ. Has a a feast of fine woods: 5-piece wenge/purpleheart neck, swamp ash body with rosewood TOP (how often do you see that?), and pau ferro fretboard. The multi-scale thing is quite strange at first, but took me no time to adapt. Would be extremely expensive as an ESP, but the quality is still top notch in LTD form.


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## thebeesknees22 (Mar 14, 2021)

Marked Man said:


> $1500 CAD, isn't that like $500 USD?



Duuuuude, you have no idea. Gear is soooo friggin' expensive up here now. Mid range guitars or basses push $2k a pop. It's super depressing. At this point it would be cheaper to go across the border and buy something even with the exchange rate if the borders were actually open.

That B-1005SE looks great! Nice one man!


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## Winspear (Mar 18, 2021)

thebeesknees22 said:


> yep! I suppose I could have squeezed another 1/16" but it wasn't going to make a big enough difference.
> 
> It's fine though. I think I prefer the feel of the .145 anyway.



To reiterate what was said - you went the wrong direction just so you know  The bigger the string, the further away the saddle goes from the headstock


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## thebeesknees22 (Mar 18, 2021)

well i went the other way too and maxed it out and it didn't really make much of a difference. lol


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