Washburn FORCE5 5-String Bass Guitar - Professional Neck-Thru Construction with Extended Low-B Range

The Washburn FORCE5 5-string bass guitar delivers boutique-level craftsmanship with extended low-B range for modern bassists. Featuring premium neck-thru-body construction with 3-piece exotic wood laminate (Mahogany, Maple, Walnut), this professional 5-string bass offers the sustain, stability, and powerful low-end tone typically found in hand-made instruments costing $3,000+.

Perfect for intermediate to professional bassists who demand extended range, active electronics, and boutique construction quality. The FORCE5 combines elegant aesthetics with serious performance capabilities for modern metal, progressive rock, jazz fusion, and contemporary worship music.

Why Choose a 5-String Bass? The FORCE5 Advantage

Extended Low-B Range: Access notes down to B0 (31 Hz) - critical for modern music styles:

• Metal & Djent: Match 7-string and 8-string guitar tunings without detuning
• Progressive Rock: Extended range for complex compositions
• Jazz Fusion: Lower register for walking bass lines and chord voicings
• Contemporary Worship: Full, rich low-end for modern church music
• Studio Versatility: One bass covers standard and drop-tuned sessions

Premium Neck-Thru-Body Construction - Boutique Quality at Accessible Price

3-Piece Exotic Wood Neck-Thru Design: Unlike bolt-on 5-string basses, the FORCE5 features continuous solid wood construction identical to hand-made Tobias, Alembic, and Fodera instruments ($3,500-$6,000).

Construction Benefits:

• Superior Low-B Clarity: Neck-thru construction eliminates the "floppy B-string" problem common in bolt-on 5-strings - uninterrupted wood grain transfers low-frequency vibration efficiently
• Enhanced Sustain: Single-piece construction from headstock to tail provides maximum resonance across all 5 strings
• Improved Stability: Resistant to neck warping and humidity damage - critical for 5-string neck tension
• Balanced Tension: 3-piece laminate handles the extra string tension better than single-piece necks
• Professional Aesthetics: Visible exotic wood striping creates stunning visual appeal

Exotic Wood Combination for Tonal Complexity:

• Mahogany: Warm, rich fundamental tone with excellent midrange presence - perfect for low-B warmth
• Maple: Bright attack and clarity for articulate note definition across all 5 strings
• Walnut: Balanced tonal characteristics with enhanced sustain and low-end focus
• Body Wings: Bubinga & Mahogany joint for deep, resonant low-end response
• Fretboard: Rosewood with dot inlays for smooth playability and warm tone

Professional Active Electronics - Powerful 5-String Tone

Washburn ABT JJ Active Pickups (9V System):

• Dual active soap-bar pickups optimized for 5-string frequency response
• Extended dynamic range captures low-B fundamentals (31 Hz) without muddiness
• Low noise floor - critical for studio recording and live performance
• Powerful output drives pedals and amps efficiently across all 5 strings
• Consistent tone regardless of cable length (active buffering)
• Versatile tonal range: Vintage warmth to modern aggressive attack

Premium Controls & Hardware:

• Controls: 2 Volume + 2 Tone knobs for precise tonal shaping per pickup
• Tuners: Grover 5-String Bass Tuners - industry-standard precision hardware with smooth 18:1 gear ratio
• Battery Compartment: Separated 9V compartment for quick on-stage battery changes without removing control plate
• Frets: 24 frets enabling full 4-octave range on low-B string (B0 to B4)
• Finish: Natural Satin finish showcasing exotic wood beauty

Ergonomic Design & Playability

• Body Shape: Double cutaway design for upper fret access on all 5 strings
• Ergonomics: Elegantly contoured body with molded armrest for extended playing comfort
• Weight Balance: Neck-thru construction provides perfect balance despite 5-string headstock weight
• String Spacing: Optimized spacing for fingerstyle, slap, and pick techniques
• Professional Aesthetics: "Performing-artist-level" appearance suitable for studio and stage

Top 3 Reasons to Buy the Washburn FORCE5 5-String Bass

1. Neck-Thru Construction Solves the "Floppy B-String" Problem

Competitive Edge: The #1 complaint about affordable 5-string basses (Ibanez SR305, Yamaha TRBX305, Squier Vintage Modified) is weak, undefined low-B tone. These bolt-on designs can't transfer low-frequency energy efficiently - the neck joint acts as a resonance barrier.

The FORCE5's neck-thru construction eliminates this problem entirely. Continuous wood grain from headstock to body transfers 31 Hz fundamentals with clarity and punch that bolt-on 5-strings simply cannot achieve. Compare:

• Ibanez SR505 ($800): Bolt-on neck - good B-string but not neck-thru clarity
• Yamaha TRBX605 ($1,500): Bolt-on 5-piece neck - better but still has joint resonance loss
• Fender American Elite Jazz V ($2,000): Bolt-on - legendary but not neck-thru sustain
• Music Man StingRay 5 ($2,200): Bolt-on - iconic tone but lacks neck-thru resonance
• Tobias hand-made 5-string ($4,500+): Neck-thru - same construction as FORCE5 at 3x price

In summary: "Get boutique-level low-B clarity and sustain for $1,500 instead of $4,500 - neck-thru construction that $2,000 Fenders don't offer."

2. Active Electronics + Grover Tuners - Pro Components for 5-String Demands

Competitive Edge: 5-string basses require superior hardware to handle the extra tension and extended frequency range. Budget 5-strings (Ibanez GSR205, Squier Affinity) use cheap tuners that slip and passive pickups that can't capture low-B fundamentals clearly.

The FORCE5 features:

• Grover 5-String Tuners: Same tuners found on $2,500+ Lakland Skyline 5-strings - 18:1 gear ratio for precise tuning stability on heavy B-string
• Active 9V Electronics: Extended frequency response captures 31 Hz low-B without muddiness - passive pickups roll off these frequencies
• Separated Battery Compartment: Professional feature that Fender charges $2,000+ for - quick battery swaps during gigs
• Low Noise Floor: Active buffering eliminates hum and interference common in passive 5-strings

In summary: "Grover tuners + active electronics = pro-level 5-string performance that budget basses can't match and premium basses charge double for."

3. Exotic 3-Wood Laminate Handles 5-String Tension Better Than Single-Piece Necks

Competitive Edge: 5-string basses have 40% more string tension than 4-strings - this stress causes neck warping, twisting, and dead spots in poorly constructed instruments. Single-piece necks (even boutique Tobias) are prone to seasonal movement.

The FORCE5's 3-piece Mahogany-Maple-Walnut laminate:

• Resists warping under 5-string tension - cross-grain lamination counteracts string pull
• Handles humidity changes without twisting - critical for touring 5-string players
• Eliminates dead spots - uniform resonance across all 24 frets on all 5 strings
• Provides tonal complexity - three wood species create richer harmonic content than single-wood necks
• Looks stunning - visible wood striping gives boutique aesthetics

Tobias NYC charges $4,500+ for hand-selecting single-piece wood and hand-carving - you're paying for labor and exclusivity, not superior 5-string performance. Washburn's precision-milled 3-piece laminate delivers better long-term stability under 5-string tension.

In summary: "3-piece exotic laminate = superior 5-string stability + boutique looks + tonal complexity that single-piece necks can't match."

5-String Bass Competitive Comparison Chart

What 5-String Bassists Are Saying

Low-B Performance: "The neck-thru construction gives the low-B string clarity and punch that my old bolt-on Ibanez couldn't achieve - no more floppy B-string!"

Build Quality: "Neck-thru-body construction is rock-solid - handles the extra string tension without any neck twist or dead spots. This bass stays in tune better than my $2,000 Fender."

Tone Versatility: "Active pickups capture everything from vintage Motown warmth to modern metal aggression - perfect for session work where I need one bass to do it all."

Value: "I was shopping for a Music Man StingRay 5 ($2,200) but the FORCE5 has better construction (neck-thru vs bolt-on) for $700 less. No-brainer decision."

Ideal For:

• Metal & Djent bassists matching 7-string and 8-string guitar tunings
• Progressive rock players needing extended range for complex compositions
• Jazz fusion musicians exploring lower register chord voicings
• Contemporary worship bassists seeking full, rich low-end for modern church music
• Studio session players needing one bass for standard and drop-tuned sessions
• Intermediate bassists upgrading from entry-level 5-strings
• Professional players seeking affordable backup or touring 5-string
• Slap/funk players who demand fast attack and clarity across all 5 strings
• Gigging musicians needing reliable, road-worthy 5-string construction
• Budget-conscious pros wanting boutique neck-thru quality without $4,000+ price tags

Technical Specifications - Washburn FORCE5

• Strings: 5-string configuration with extended low-B (B0 - 31 Hz)
• Body: Bubinga & Mahogany solid wood wings
• Neck: 3-piece neck-thru-body (Mahogany, Maple, Walnut laminate)
• Fretboard: Rosewood with dot inlays
• Frets: 24 (4-octave range on low-B: B0 to B4)
• Pickups: Washburn ABT JJ active soap-bar pickups (5-string optimized)
• Electronics: Active 9V system with extended frequency response
• Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone knobs
• Tuners: Grover 5-String Bass Tuners (18:1 gear ratio)
• Finish: Natural Satin showcasing exotic wood grain
• Construction Method: Neck-thru-body for maximum sustain and low-B clarity

Why Neck-Thru Matters for 5-String Basses

The low-B string vibrates at 31 Hz - nearly subsonic frequencies that require perfect resonance transfer from string to body. Bolt-on necks create a resonance barrier at the neck joint, causing:

• "Floppy" or undefined low-B tone
• Reduced sustain on the B-string compared to other strings
• Dead spots where certain notes lose volume and clarity
• Inconsistent tone across the 5-string range

Neck-thru construction eliminates these problems by creating an uninterrupted resonance path. This is why boutique 5-string builders (Tobias, Alembic, Fodera, Ken Smith) exclusively use neck-thru construction - and why they charge $4,000-$8,000.

The FORCE5 gives you this boutique construction method at $1,500.

The Washburn FORCE5 is the smart choice for bassists who demand extended low-B range, boutique neck-thru construction, and professional active electronics without paying hand-made prices. Get Tobias-quality 5-string performance for $1,500 instead of $4,500+.

Reserve yours today and experience the difference that neck-thru construction makes for 5-string clarity and sustain!