How many strings?

I've seen a Danelectro bass like that.  It was dimensioned almost exactly like a guitar, just with heavier strings.

I think guitars are tuned like that to make chording easier, especially barres.  An E shape barre is hard to play if you have to fret the top two strings a fret lower than usual.

The Fender VI , made briefly in the 60s, was like that.  

Robert Smith, singer/guitarist of the Cure, used to play a lot of 2nd bass parts and solos using a Fender VI.

I'm cool with my 4 strings for now.  At some point, it would not be bad to experiment more in depth with a 5 or 6 string.

I'm more interested in the whole fretless spectrum than the mundane novelty of an extra string or two. I played a friend's 5-string bass (his name's Owen Doel, and believe me, you'll hear of him) and I wasn't all that impressed.

Fretless, hmmmm.  That seems really hard to be certain you are producing the right note because you don't have a fret to rely on to "save" you.  Bless those who can do it!  

;)

It's surprisingly easy - if you can look at two dots and determine the middle with a reasonable degree of accuracy, you can play fretless. There's dots on the side of the neck and, in most cases, on the fretboard itself just like a regular bass. Sure, it takes a little getting used to, but it's quite fun to have that much freedom. Besides, all basses would still be that way if it wasn't for Leo Fender.

Most fretless basses have lines where the frets would be too.  That doesn't mean your pitch is just right, even when you're on top of the line, but it takes out most of the guesswork.

Try to play with closed eyes... You won't see the difference.. 8)

Then try the doublebass.. ;D

Seems that nobody plays anything but a 4 string. Personally I want a four string that just goes lower! Down to on the lowest string maybe...

I low-tuned a Rick 4001 once - BEAD - and it worked just fine. I was writing parts for a 5-string guy in our band and wanted to get comfortable with what he would be able to do. I didn't change strings to a heavier gauge so they were a little flappy, but going up a gauge or using the lower 4 strings of a 5 string set would probably take care of that though.

Just a thought.

Take care.

using the lower 4 strings of a 5 string set would probably take care of that though.

I'm told that you need to change the nut (widen the grooves) if you do that.  It's not a big job.

Depending on your bridge, you may need to get the hole you thread the string through enlarged as well.

I've had two four strings and now have 2 five strings. A Tobias Growler 5 and a Godin A5 acoustic/electric fretless. I can't really play on 4 strings anymore. They feel like toys. And on th fretless note.. it was very daunting at first but It gets more comfortable with time. They just sound so gorgeous.

-Marv