Oh dear...I've got a floppy B-string...!

[Guest mytilini]

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Evening everyone. I'm new to Basschat, but would really like some help on a 5-string I've just bought. I've been a 4-string player for too long and needed to get a 5-string for my band's new songs. So, bought a Bruce Wei Custom Shop mother-of-pearl inlaid active jobby; twin soap-bar pick-ups, active, luthier-made bone nut, 35-inch scale, through-body string-fitting bridge, etc.

Thought I'd stick to my standard Picato 735LM nickel roundwound strings in .040", .060", .075", .095" guages and add either a .115" or .120" for the bottom-B. Picato suggested the .120". I tried both, agreed that the .120" is better. My luthier did the set-up correctly, but I'm REALLY disappointed with how the low-B has turned out.

It's indistinct, floppy, not a "solid" tension and actually makes trying to pick-out the pitch of the lowest five frets' notes VERY difficult.

Any help or ideas please? Should I use heavier guage strings all round? I've been used to 34-inch scale fretted & fretless basses with those guages from the one manufacturer - I'd hate to have to change the guage of the top 4 strings, but how do I increase the tension and definition of the bottom string....? Does it matter if I have to go to, say, a .140" or above...?

I humbly await your constructive suggestions - please...!

[bassmandan]

is there a through body stringing option? if not I'd consider making some modifications (or having some made on your behalf) to enable that......

.... but before you do try a .130", I've never used anything lighter than a .125" and even that's generally regarded as pretty light!

beyond that I guess playing around with the pickups/preamp may be something to consider if you're not getting the full frequency range, what are you plugging it into?

[lowdown]

I had sim problems ...
and started to use a 135 B string..thru the body...
And it really tightened things up...
Infact i went with Warwick Black Label's 45/135..
Every thing nice and tight...though i do tend to use a high action.



Garry

[mybass]

For some reason inherent in the type of steel/nickel used in the string, same gauges of different strings can feel and pull differently. Remebmer, that low B is prone to elasticity, it will want to resonate/vibrate even when you aren't playing it so the thicker gauge strings should act and sound better. You may now find yourself looking at a different string manufacturer to help with this problem. I think Picato are a reasonably priced string but you may have to "up" your price now. That low B is a bit of a doozy to control.



[quote name='mytilini' post='66677' date='Sep 27 2007, 11:27 PM'][font="Arial"][/font][size="2"][/size]
Evening everyone. I'm new to Basschat, but would really like some help on a 5-string I've just bought. I've been a 4-string player for too long and needed to get a 5-string for my band's new songs. So, bought a Bruce Wei Custom Shop mother-of-pearl inlaid active jobby; twin soap-bar pick-ups, active, luthier-made bone nut, 35-inch scale, through-body string-fitting bridge, etc.

Thought I'd stick to my standard Picato 735LM nickel roundwound strings in .040", .060", .075", .095" guages and add either a .115" or .120" for the bottom-B. Picato suggested the .120". I tried both, agreed that the .120" is better. My luthier did the set-up correctly, but I'm REALLY disappointed with how the low-B has turned out.

It's indistinct, floppy, not a "solid" tension and actually makes trying to pick-out the pitch of the lowest five frets' notes VERY difficult.

Any help or ideas please? Should I use heavier guage strings all round? I've been used to 34-inch scale fretted & fretless basses with those guages from the one manufacturer - I'd hate to have to change the guage of the top 4 strings, but how do I increase the tension and definition of the bottom string....? Does it matter if I have to go to, say, a .140" or above...?

I humbly await your constructive suggestions - please...! [/quote]

Edited September 28, 2007 by mybass

[Mr. Foxen]

Does the string sound ok when you aren't plugged in? That will tell you if its your bass or your rig. Heavier strings is always the way to go.

[obbm]

I run 40-120 on a Lakland DJ5 with no problems with the B. In fact I've used those gauges on all the 5s I've owned without having to go up a gauge or two.

[d-basser]

on my 35" string thru sixer I have just dropped from a .135 to a .130 cause overall the set was to tight, the .135 was a seriously tight B

[mybass]

Also...the way a bass built can affect the string tension. I have an old Aria Pro bass thru neck 34" inch scale. The string tension feels tighter than on other basses using the same strings and gauge as on another bass. The thru neck on the Aria is "set " at an angle to the body surface, basically it tilts back from the body similar to Gibson guitars with their set and glued in necks. This type of manufacture to me, gives more tension on the strings so that two basses (with the same string type/gauges) can have a different string tension.



[quote name='mybass' post='66700' date='Sep 28 2007, 01:16 AM']For some reason inherent in the type of steel/nickel used in the string, same gauges of different strings can feel and pull differently. Remebmer, that low B is prone to elasticity, it will want to resonate/vibrate even when you aren't playing it so the thicker gauge strings should act and sound better. You may now find yourself looking at a different string manufacturer to help with this problem. I think Picato are a reasonably priced string but you may have to "up" your price now. That low B is a bit of a doozy to control.[/quote]

[Paul_C]

I used a .110 on my Status 6 before fitting flatwounds, the current B sting is now a .136 though I haven't noticed that much of a difference

[bassmandan]

[quote name='obbm' post='66999' date='Sep 28 2007, 04:41 PM']I run 40-120 on a Lakland DJ5 with no problems with the B. In fact I've used those gauges on all the 5s I've owned without having to go up a gauge or two.[/quote]

that is 35" [i]through[/i] the body aswell though presumably isn't it? I've always liked the idea of a .120" B but none of my fives have ever been interested!

[metalmaniac]

On the subject of bein floppy, anyone seen this (bottom one)

[url="http://www.bunnybass.com/e-zine/amusing/amusingbass54.shtml"]http://www.bunnybass.com/e-zine/amusing/amusingbass54.shtml[/url]

but seriously ive heard that to increase the tension in your B on normal bridges a pc spacer can be added about 1/8th to 1/4 inch which you thread the string through before the bridge, and increasing tension.
Is this true... ive heard Yay and Nay.. so if anyone actually has solid knowledge may you please enlighten me.

Im sick of bein floppy... I need to achieve maximum stiffness, otherwise I just cant get it on.

[alexclaber]

Try a more balanced tension set of strings - so keep the heavy B but use a lighter E, much lighter A and D and slightly lighter G. 40-55-75-100-130 is fairly balanced. For a heavier set 45-60-80-105-135, though that's not quite so even.

Compared to the usual 65 D and 85 A all B strings are floppy.

Tension is directly related to scale, tuning and mass per unit length. Feel can be affected by break angles, bass construction and string stiffness, etc.

Alex

[Guest mytilini]

Nice to see how the advice keeps coming in! I've bitten the bullet now; phoned the luthier AND Picato (who ONLY make hex-core strings, apparently...!) and we've all agreed to go for broke with a 40/60/80/100/130 set-up....God help me, I'll need ruddy G-clamps to press that lot down.....!

To "Bassmandan", the 35" is the scale length and Picato are making me some strings with a 1/2" longer full-diameter windings than usual, to take care of going through the body.

I'll let you know how I get on....!

[ARGH]

130.

nowt lower.....

you WILL have to adjust your plucking technique,its a phat and fat string,takes a lot more effort to move such a thing,in the end its practise...but you will get rattles,and you will gain strength to compensate.


keep at it.