I've been thinking about what I liked about my 5 string.  I've decided it's the comfort of playing everything I'd normally play in 1st position at the 5th fret.  Could a 5 string be made with an extra short neck?  Basically imagine capoing a 5 string w/low B at the 5th fret and then chopping the excess off.  The resulting bass would be tuned E-C, be shorter (good for travel?) weigh less, and definitely have no neck dive, opening up the use of small body shapes, if so desired.  What do you think?  Am I crazy, or could this work?

Why not just use a standard set of 4 bass strings in E A D G tuning and add a C string from a 6-string bass set for the high notes to your comfortable 5 string bass? After listening to some Michael Manring and Trip Wamsley tracks, that's what I tried (and failed) :-)

It's not so much the high notes I'm after.  I just figured this was an interesting way to play in a little more comfortable playing position.

That's a very good point and you're not crazy at all for considering it. Looking forward to seeing the results.

I know there are several medium scale (32) 5's floating around.  If I remember correctly, there is a featured custom (Direwolf) that is a 32 5 stringer.  The same owner also had another 32 5 string built.  
 
Were you hoping for a short scale (30)?  They've done that too, but I can't remember any examples off the top of my head.

This months Featured Custom is a 29 scale 6 string. I think they are calling it a bass : )

scroll down to the middle. 32 5 string.
 
http://www.basscentral.com/alembicbass/ltd.shtml

You can tune your 5 strings with eadgc, it's work fine ! I did it with my MK5
http://club.alembicguitars.net/Images/411/43157.html?1226333927

The idea seems to be trying to make a much shorter scale Bass than 32. If you cut a neck to the 5th fret you'll get something like a 25 1/2 scale Bass and I think you're right, it'll work better if you use thickier string. That way you may get a more proper (or regular) string tension in such short neck. Great idea and I think it will work as you expect (althought it seems too short for my taste).

Mario,
Yes, that's pretty much what I'm going for.  Purely hypothetical right now though.

You may find that the thickness of strings needed to do this may make playing in the higher end of the neck uncomfortable as the frets will be pretty narrow. I notice this on my Short scale SC bass when playing up the neck on the lower strings.
 
Jazzyvee

There is another question...
 
If you do this as a 24 fretted Bass, the PUs will need to be pushed to far towards the Bridge and this will affect the tone. I don't know if this change would be necessaraly bad, but certainly different.

Sean,
For all intents and purposes you have described a 5 string piccolo bass tuned hi C~low E on a short scale, typically 30, very easy to play with light bouncy strings tuned an octave higher in the guitar register. If you cut a bass neck off at the middle, be prepared to put a new fingerboard on it with frets in the correct positions for the new scale length. Also, a new truss-rod, and a re-positioned head stock. It might cost less if you search for this configuration already built than modifying a longer scale bass.  
Kris

Hey, Kris, I think was talking about a new build, and the chopping off the excess line was meant as an illustration of the effect, not the actual plan.
 
Peter

Alembic made a 4 string 28 scale length bass a while back. The FTC thread is here.  
 
Keith