"Floppy" B-string on L2500 Tribute

[hofex]

Hi folks, I´m new here and I have one question for you.

I got new Tribute L2500 last year and I love it. The only problem is that it has quite "floppy" kind of "muddy" low B. The E played on 5th fret of B string doesn´t sound just the same as the open E string and the whole B string sounds a bit weaker and "shaky".

I use DR Black Beauties and the B is 0,125 stringed through the body. The action is quite low but without fret buzzing.

Do you have any advise for me how to improve the string tension? Is it possible somehow to get the really tight and clear sound of the low B? Anyone experienced anything similar on Tributes?

I question also because today I went to a local quitar shop and there was a cheap 5 string Peavey and it had better intonation of the low B than my beloved Tribute (didn´t try it with amp)...

Can the intonation of my low B be improved? Can a guitar technician help me or do I have just to buy specific string?
Thanks everyone for answers or tips!

[LilRay]

Try a tapered set of strings. I was under the impression that the 2500's had decent B strings?

Also the Peavey might've been 35" scale, and the tribby is 34' scale, thus the difference in the B. Longer scale = tighter B (Most of the time). But you might have to get used to the longer scale. Some guys try and end up flipping the basses.

Hope this helps.
God Bless, Ray

[CElton]

Originally Posted by hofex

Hi folks, I´m new here and I have one question for you.

I got new Tribute L2500 last year and I love it. The only problem is that it has quite "floppy" kind of "muddy" low B. The E played on 5th fret of B string doesn´t sound just the same as the open E string and the whole B string sounds a bit weaker and "shaky".

I use DR Black Beauties and the B is 0,125 stringed through the body. The action is quite low but without fret buzzing.

Do you have any advise for me how to improve the string tension? Is it possible somehow to get the really tight and clear sound of the low B? Anyone experienced anything similar on Tributes?

I question also because today I went to a local quitar shop and there was a cheap 5 string Peavey and it had better intonation of the low B than my beloved Tribute (didn´t try it with amp)...

Can the intonation of my low B be improved? Can a guitar technician help me or do I have just to buy specific string?
Thanks everyone for answers or tips!

Sounds "shakey" or plays "shakey". I've found that DR B strings don't play nice with some basses. I had an L2500 Tribby and found the DA XL170's to sound and play great.

The E note played on the B string will never sound like an open E, IMO. That's just the way it is and it's just a different tone that is available to you.

Make sure you press down hard where the B string rolls over the saddle to bend the string and get a good witness point. This might help "clear" up your B string.

[hofex]

My next string will be DR Steel Tapered - they are already at home... The Peavey was 34 scale (I think it was Millennium 5 AC BXP) and I also tried some Yamaha (don´t know what type) - also sounded bit better than my Tribby (dry sound)...

The string plays and also bit sounds little shaky (IMHO)... when i press the string really hard against the fret, the pitch changes a bit (I think it´s quite normal with the thick strings) and the intonation is not completely precise even when i press it just enough to play the note at the correct pitch...

Thanks for your tips... maybe I´m just expecting too much from the Tribby ...

[chunkstyle]

i had success with a set of LaBella Hard Rockin Steels with a .128 tapered B. the tone was very even string to string. the B string still wasn't nice and tight, but at least it sounded the same as the other strings.

[LilRay]

Originally Posted by hofex

My next string will be DR Steel Tapered - they are already at home...

Thanks for your tips... maybe I´m just expecting too much from the Tribby ...

I don't know, i'd bet it would be just a matter of finding "the" strings. You might try a .130 too.

God Bless, Ray

[Ken Baker]

A couple things here sound a little fishy:

Originally Posted by hofex

The string plays and also bit sounds little shaky (IMHO)... when i press the string really hard against the fret, the pitch changes a bit (I think it´s quite normal with the thick strings) and the intonation is not completely precise even when i press it just enough to play the note at the correct pitch...

This kind of tells me that the bass needs a proper setup by a qualified technician. If intonation is far enough off that you can hear it during normal fretting, then setup is probably off overall. Too high action, saddle height, intonation; all could be off - maybe quite a bit.

Originally Posted by CElton

The E note played on the B string will never sound like an open E, IMO. That's just the way it is and it's just a different tone that is available to you.

Absolutely! The string just isn't anchored as well by a finger compared to the tuner.

Originally Posted by CElton

Make sure you press down hard where the B string rolls over the saddle to bend the string and get a good witness point. This might help "clear" up your B string.

Yes! This will clear up intonation issues and sharpen the tone once the overall setup is correct.

As to strings, it's really a matter of preference. I use Infeld Superalloys, which are a light-medium set, and the B is better than on my 35" scale Lakland. YMMV, of course.

IMPORTANT! If you are stringing the bass thru-bridge and not thru-body, this could be the source of a less-than-clear B string. The bridge really needs to be nailed down tightly for a good B, so either string it thru-body (as recommended by G&L) or do the bridge mod as detailed in this thread.

Originally Posted by hofex

Thanks for your tips... maybe I´m just expecting too much from the Tribby.

I think you may be expecting too much of the setup. While we don't have hands on the bass, which would help with a diagnosis, what you describe sounds like a setup problem.

Ken...

[hofex]

Maybe I expressed myself not correct (sorry for my english)... I would say the exact expression for my feeling of the string is "dull"... I think I have pretty good setup - low action just a bit above the level of fret buzz... B is strung through the body so I expected something like the EBMM Stingray´s B (which I tried last week)... anyway I´ll try to visit quitar tech and see what he will say... also will try the tapered steel...

thanks anyway

[bassmanrocke]

Does the tribute have a tilt on the neck. If you can get more of a neck angle from the bridge you can tighten up the strings a bit, but all 5 strings will be tightened.

[Temcat]

Originally Posted by Ken Baker

IMPORTANT! If you are stringing the bass thru-bridge and not thru-body, this could be the source of a less-than-clear B string. The bridge really needs to be nailed down tightly for a good B, so either string it thru-body (as recommended by G&L) or do the bridge mod as detailed in this thread.

FWIW, I have the opposite experience with my MIA G&L L-2500. When strung through bridge, I get clearer B string sound.

Also, as LilRay has already pointed out, tapered strings definitely help. In fact, LaBella Slappers which have a tapered B string are my preferred strings on this bass.

Finally, I've had better definition with .125 to .128 Bs than with .130+ ones.