5 speed, 6speed 4 speed, no problem
Buy an cheap shimano or sram 7/8 speed cassette, pull it appart and only use the gears u want.(You need a second one or a singlespeed kit for spacers) thats what I allways do. The distance between the gears has to stay as it was befor you did pull it appart. If you end up with 5 gears you take an 8 speed shifter and block 3 gears you don't have with the rear derailleur block or stop screws (you may need longer ones).
Thats an 8 speed which I made a 6 speed and added a 42T on the left, so thats a 7 Speed 13-42 where the most left chainring is missing.
Somtimes it does not shift very good if u leaf gears out, u can then use a grinder to make the shifthelpers on the gears bigger. The cassette above needed some help and is now running very smooth.
I am running a damped 10 speed shimano derailleur with an 8 speed Sram shifter on it. A front chainguide is not needed even on the hardest offroad abuse
P.s. If you trying to bend the front derailleur make it hot befor u bent it. It is hardend if you heat it up once, the steel looses his hardness and is easy to bend. If you don't make it hot it might break.