My husband has a 4 string and wants a 5. I don't see why you can't just add a string instead of spending hundreds of more dollars this soon after Christmas.
2007-01-09 10:04:12 · 6 answers · asked by Evita Rodham Clinton 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Performing Arts
YEP
And how do I know? I did it myself. You didn't mention what kind of instrument your husband has, but mine is a Fender Precision Bass clone.
Briefly, you add one tuner on the "bottom" side of the headstock, see ads for Fender Squire basses for exact location. You can buy single Fender style tuners on Ebay.
You replace the nut with a new one, only cut for 5 strings. You better get the 1st and 5th strings as close to the ends as you can, lol.
You buy a special 4 to 5 string conversion bridge from Allparts. Local dealers can get it and I've seen it on Ebay.
And you can buy single wound strings from Musiciansfriend. Either a low B or a high B depending on what you want.
Finally, bear in mind that the finished product will have strings closer together than any store bought bass I've seen, it will take some getting used to, but then again we did that when we first played bass to begin with didn't we? I've been playing mine almost 2 years now and don't know if I could go back to a 4 string now.
GOOD LUCK!
2007-01-11 01:33:20 · answer #1 · answered by A Toast For Trayvon 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
properly, surely, regularly, guitars have 6 or 7strings, no longer 5. And basses are regularly obtainable in 4, 5, and 6 string fashions. yet besides, no. The strings on a bass are plenty greater and the size plenty longer (meaning the neck is longer). yet once you had a custom "guitar" with an surprisingly long scale length and it replaced into set up for greater strings (which isn't purely putting larger strings on it - it might require a clean bridge, new nut, and severe truss rod variations), i assume you ought to. even with the indisputable fact that it may well be debatable no remember if or no longer such an device must be called a guitar.
2016-10-06 22:00:48 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you have to drill another hole in the headstock, buy a winding pin, drill a hole in the body (if the strings are strung through the body) or else get a 5-string bridge, and also put a 5 string nut in just below the headstock. Then you need to get 5-string pickups. The only reason to do this is if you MUST MUST MUST keep the body, like for sentimental or aesthetic reasons, otherwise, it's almost worth it to just get a new 5 string bass.
2007-01-09 10:11:14 · answer #3 · answered by 1979 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your husband would first have to mutilate his instrument to accomodate the extra string. The he would have to change the bridge and nut -at the top of the fretboard- and then change the pickups......the is a good chance that the bass would be unplayable after the expensive upgrade as the strings would be too close together.
Let him treat himself to a five-string....and a new amp that will let that low B make the roof shiver!
2007-01-09 10:29:36 · answer #4 · answered by olly holbrook 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YES
2007-01-09 10:11:50 · answer #5 · answered by rocker4sure28 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is not a real question is it?
2007-01-09 10:08:19 · answer #6 · answered by Ben R 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋