I have been playing bass for about 5 years and I have used four string basses only. I am thinking of saving up for a 6 string bass, should i stick to four string, or go to 5 string and then go to 6? Any opinions/comments?

Well from a money saving point of view, I'd just go for the 6 string. Beautiful creatures.

I'd just go straight to 6, but try it out before you go off and buy one. Took me about a week to get used to playing more then 4-strings.

I think to fully understand your instrument, you need to see ALL sides of it. If I were you I'd go straight for the 6 string.

If you really want a 6 string, I see no point in getting a 5 string first. I played a 6 string several years ago, and I hated it. I swore I'd never buy one, but I found one in a music store early this year, picked it up for fun, and fell in love with it. I love it.

As with any instrument, PLEASE, try before you buy!

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to buy a 5-string and then later a 6-string if what you want is a 6-string.

Do you need the extended range?

I tried five and six strings but never found them that comfortable, so these days I just have a few fours with different tunings for different needs.

Sixes are good if you do a lot of chordal work, but other than that I can't see any real advantage. Well, except perhaps being able to play a whole song in one position, but It's not like it's hard to move your hand around a bit.

If you're worrying about not being able to get used to it, just get a 6-string and practise with it; you'll soon get used to it. No need for a 5 string.

I started with a 4 string and moved to a 5 string. I recently bought a new bass and when deciding how many strings I wanted, I said fuck it and bought a 6 string. After doing all of that I think I should of just bought a 6 string in the first place. I play my best on the 6 string. Getting used to it only takes a couple of jam sessions. I can switch back in forth between bass' no problem.

that's my biggest problem with playing my 4 strings, then playing my 6 string. It takes about 4-5 minutes to get used to it. No biggie though.

If you want to play jazzy stuff, experiment, or just want to play higher notes, get the 6 string. Otherwise, you may do better with a 5 string. Again, PLEASE do yourself a favor and play one for a few minutes before you buy it. You may not like the 6 string bass at all. Just try it out and see what fits you.