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Honestly, it is a more comfortable experience playing 4 strings for most people. It's similar to the 7 and 8 string guitar thing. Yes you can still play your normal EADGBE stuff, but it's less comfortable and involves more string muting.
With a 5 you can access more range in one position, but unless you need that then you could consider tuning a 4 string BEAD.
I'll point out that IMO, to get a good low B takes a little more robust construction than to get a good E, though this would apply to both 4 and 5 strings. It's not impossible to get a good low B out of a cheap bass - but there's definitely a correlation between good basses and good B strings.
Having said that, sound wise I much prefer a Precision. I've actually had my jazz modded into a PJ pickup configuration. I much prefer it.
The old Indonesian made Squier P Bass Special would be a good place to start.
I compared it to a Squier PJ bass recently and it was a very close thing between the two basses, the Squier winning out due to it being lighter in weight. The strap buttons are a little on the small side, I replaced them with a pair of bass string trees from Axersus, http://www.axesrus.co.uk/Bass-String-Trees-Button-Style-p/bassbuttonstringtrees.htm
Good luck and play well whatever you end up with.
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
Based on the comments here, it'll probably involve 4 strings rather than 5, and will probably be Precizz-ish.
More when it happens
Regarding instruments, I've personally always fallen on the Jazz side of Precision vs Jazz but I know there's a good reason why Leo make the P-bass as it is now, and why many many people prefer them. They work (in a mix) and it doesn't need to be any more complicated than that. Also there's a rabbit-hole of "the world beyond precision and jazz basses" where smaller/lighter bodystyles, humbuckers, active electronics, 24 frets etc etc all come into play. All told, a jazz bass is fairly comfortable but is still on the heavy side; a precision, I'm not 100% sure (because I've played mainly Jazz) but its a bit like tele vs strat in that the jazz bass is offset contoured, and a precision isn't. So, a smaller bass may be even more comfortable, hence there's lots of choices beyond just P and J. 24 frets - I've coped for 20 years without going beyond fret 9, but recently needed to go to fret 12 in actual music performed. So you can see why for some people 24 frets are a bit alien. Similarly, 5 strings, there's pros and cons but lots of people cope with 4 and never miss what they don't have.
Just like six-string guitars, some basses will feel more comfortable than others and is a personal preference.
As a Gibson-man, I was disappointed by Epiphone basses, but most of what is heard on record is generally a Fender.
A couple of things here ;
I don't think you can 'fake it' and get away with it, a bad bass player is like a drummer who can't keep time and a guitarist who doesn't bend strings correctly, it's all obvious to anyone without cloth ears.
Also, the Precision is contoured, much like a Strat, okay it's not offset but on the Jazz that seems to push the neck further away when playing. So in reality it's the Precision that is like a Strat and The Jazz is like a Jazzmaster in terms of design.
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
In my opinion, bass is a role that you must want to play. (Doesn't matter whether it is on bass guitar, upright, tuba or Moog Taurus pedals.) Play with conviction or fornicate elsewhere.
It is beneficial to have some music theory under your belt. There is a paragraph in Sting's autobiography describing a time when he had joined a local jazz fusion band and been "relegated" to bass guitar. Thanks to his understanding of music theory, young Gordon soon realised how his note choices could alter the harmonic structure of what the rest of the band played on top.
They have a lot of plus points but also some serious downsides (for starters, you have to be willing to commit to properly learning muting techniques).
This video has a clickbait title but it actually covers a lot of sensible stuff regarding the pros and cons of five strings.
Left and right hand, it's different to guitar, and it can have a massive impact on your playing too.
The problem a 5 or more string bass introduces is just sheer physical size, it's harder to keep it all clean just due to the distances between strings, and stretch positions your hands get in to reaching the lowest string, if you were to not play accurately.
Bass fingerstyle does require different plucking hand technique but what I think is harder is getting a really even attack and timing, it's not something you can do without practice just because you can play guitar. It's very rewarding when you start getting somewhere with it. There's no right or wrong way when it comes to pick vs fingers but the results and tone are quite different, it's nice to be able to do both.
As long as you listen to the drummer and keep time, then you should have a great time playing bass. Most of the time I play with my fingers, which does also put you in a different mode, though I do play finger style acoustic too.
When our favourite @GSPBasses is fighting fit again, he's going to see what he's got lost in the depths of his workshop. If he's got something in there that would make a viable project, then I'll do that. If not, I'll watch out for a cheap, but not nasty, s/h bass to learn the trade on.
It'll be a 4-stringer based on the comments here.
And if anyone has the Lick Library bass tuitiion DVDs that they've either finished with or would be happy to library-lend, then I'll not have to wait for one of their fairly regularly bogoff deals. I guess they'll be a good place to start my learning journey!
Buy something decent.
And a decent amp.