slight thuddy sound with new strings on my G&L L2500-help

[lovenotfear]

i have a question, i recently changed my G&L strings to dr low riders steels, since the change i get more growl, but my b and e string have gotton a little thuddy after 2 days with the new strings, the b, and e strings are not as clear as it was when the G&L had its stock strings , so i have a tighter tension string which has worked great on the a , d and g strings, and the b is tighter but it sounds thuddy, it does not sound as warm or clear as it used to, in fact it is a little sterile and muffled and does not vibrate as much as it did with the last strings, and the e does not have that zing or growl it did when it had the stock strings, granted the stock strings were not as tight esp. on the b string, but they seemed to have more warmth and clairity in the low end, i use my G&L more for a stingray type sound, and sometime for a p-bass type sound, now on my USA fender jazz deluxe 5 string i use dr low riders steel's and it made the bass sound awesome and the b string sounded great, have any of you had this problem with your g&L L2500 when using these strings, and if so any recomendations on strings, and what strings do they come stock with , i just got this bass 2 weeks ago.

[lovenotfear]

bump

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by lovenotfear

i have a question, i recently changed my G&L strings to dr low riders steels, since the change i get more growl, but my b and e string have gotton a little thuddy after 2 days with the new strings, the b, and e strings are not as clear as it was when the G&L had its stock strings , so i have a tighter tension string which has worked great on the a , d and g strings, and the b is tighter but it sounds thuddy, it does not sound as warm or clear as it used to, in fact it is a little sterile and muffled and does not vibrate as much as it did with the last strings, and the e does not have that zing or growl it did when it had the stock strings, granted the stock strings were not as tight esp. on the b string, but they seemed to have more warmth and clairity in the low end, i use my G&L more for a stingray type sound, and sometime for a p-bass type sound, now on my USA fender jazz deluxe 5 string i use dr low riders steel's and it made the bass sound awesome and the b string sounded great, have any of you had this problem with your g&L L2500 when using these strings, and if so any recomendations on strings, and what strings do they come stock with , i just got this bass 2 weeks ago.

Did you go to a heavier guage string by any chance?
I've found that heavier guage strings actually can make the sound a little muddier rather than clearer, depending on your right hand style.
i.e. if you play near the bridge and go for a more mid bassy clear-note type of sound, heavier strings can muddy it up a bit.

Lighter guage strings can buzz a bit more giving a very agressive sound.

All strings lose their bright metallic sound within a couple days of being installed (i actually prefer the dead sound of strings once the brightness goes away). You can restore it somewhat by boiling them in water for about 15 minutes....

LS

[Randy S]

I've always had real good results with DR strings.

Check your intonation, to start with. The B's can be a pain to get intonated, regardless of brand.

Check the neck relief to see where it is. It may have changed from where it was with the old strings. Everyone is different, so pay attention to how much relief feels right to you.

Have a look at the bridge height adjustment screws. If the bridge pieces aren't square with the base plate, they may shift slightly when the locking screw is tightened. Just put the wrench on them and see that each one is snug. You don't want to change the adjustment, just be sure that both screws are resting solidly on the plate.

Check to see that the string isn't binding in the nut.

Hope this helps. My G&L's are so nice and even sounding, especially with good strings like DRs.

[lovenotfear]

thanks for all of your advice, i will try it all out, i will work more on the intonation this weekend, but i must say aside from the strings issue, i still love this bass, if i cant get it right, i will take it to a luthier or try nickels maybe dr sunbeams with a medium/light gage, and i do play close to the bridge allot, so maybe these strings are to heavy of a gage, thanks you all are awesome.

[bassomane]

Maybe you will have to push the strings down a little bit after the saddle so the B and E String can vibrate more free. Because off the bridge design you have a sharper angle than on a stingray.

[lug]

Originally Posted by bassomane

Maybe you will have to push the strings down a little bit after the saddle so the B and E String can vibrate more free. Because off the bridge design you have a sharper angle than on a stingray.

+1 a good break angle is important espcially if they are non-tapered strings, plus it's a free fix if it works.

[lovenotfear]

so are you guys saying i should adjust the saddles with the alan wrench downward, or adjust the saddle screws in the back of the bridge, and move the saddles in the direction of the neck, or move them backwards towards the butt of the bridge? i hope i am making sense.

[lug]

Originally Posted by lovenotfear

so are you guys saying i should adjust the saddles with the alan wrench downward, or adjust the saddle screws in the back of the bridge, and move the saddles in the direction of the neck, or move them backwards towards the butt of the bridge? i hope i am making sense.

press hard on the string where it rides over the front edge of the saddle to "bend" it over the witness point.

[lovenotfear]

thanks guys , i will give that a try when i get home from work.

[mbrancalion]

My personal experience with the LoRider strings tells me that the lower strings (especially the B) are too much stiff, and the harmonics series gets compromised.
I tried them twice in my basses, and played several basses with them.
I never liked them for the reason above. And i believe that this thudness which is mentionated derives from that.

All of this, IMHO.
Greetings.

[lovenotfear]

Originally Posted by mbrancalion

My personal experience with the LoRider strings tells me that the lower strings (especially the B) are too much stiff, and the harmonics series gets compromised.
I tried them twice in my basses, and played several basses with them.
I never liked them for the reason above. And i believe that this thudness which is mentionated derives from that.

All of this, IMHO.
Greetings.

i am wondering the same thing, they worked very good on my jazz bass, but not on my G&L L2500 in fact the stock strings sounded better to me, so i guess each new bass is different what works good on one bass may not work good on another, in fact i have noticed that when i am plucking on my e string the b will start to vibrate on its own just from the vibration of the instrument without me touching it, it did not do this with the stock strings, i wonder if the b string has to much tension?

[pbass2]

I have LoRider nickels on my L2500 with a 130 B and I love them but I am a "thump" kinda guy---I would agree that especially the B isn't gonna be that ideal if you like that playing down by the bridge, tight and snappy sound. I'm more of a "play up by the neck and roll off all the highs" kinda guy.
It's funny, I didn't like the stock SITs at all, but I will say, when listening back to some tracks I did with them, the B was pretty darn clear.

[lovenotfear]

i am thinking about trying some nickel dr sun beams, that may do the trick, and ya i do play close to the bridge, so i think a little less tension may be best for my playing style.

[DavePlaysBass]

I had a set of steel Lo Riders on an L-2500 and did not care for the sound. It went from zingy to thumpy without a whole lot of warmth.

On my Basswood / quilted maple top / rosewood L-2500 I really like a good broken in set of DA XLs 45-100-130. An 85 and 105 on the A and E sounded boomy to me.

On my ash / maple L-2000, I like TI Superalloys. This is a brighter bass and needs a meatier string down low. I bet Fender 7250s would go great on this bass but have never tried them on a G&L.

Given the full range nature of MFDs, steels may not be the best match.

Dave

[lovenotfear]

Originally Posted by DavePlaysBass

I had a set of steel Lo Riders on an L-2500 and did not care for the sound. It went from zingy to thumpy without a whole lot of warmth.

On my Basswood / quilted maple top / rosewood L-2500 I really like a good broken in set of DA XLs 45-100-130. An 85 and 105 on the A and E sounded boomy to me.

On my ash / maple L-2000, I like TI Superalloys. This is a brighter bass and needs a meatier string down low. I bet Fender 7250s would go great on this bass but have never tried them on a G&L.

Given the full range nature of MFDs, steels may not be the best match.

Dave

i agree, that is exactly how it has been for me ever since i put the dr low rider steels on it.

[DavePlaysBass]

Originally Posted by lovenotfear

i agree, that is exactly how it has been for me ever since i put the dr low rider steels on it.

I almost sold my L-2500 after a month of DR Low Rider Steels. I did eventually sell it though but it was more a GAS induced sale than a disatisfaction with the instrument. In fact I wish I still had the L-2500.

[ljazz]

I find the lows very very boomy with the Lo-Riders on my L2000. I can't dial it out without the whole sound getting f'ed up. The TI SA's really tame that.... perfect strings for the L2K... and probably the L2500 as well.

As a side note.... I love SS Lo-Riders on my MIA Jazz Bass. No other string sound right to me with it.... in fact the TI SA's sound like poo-poo on it.

Ljazz

[lovenotfear]

Originally Posted by ljazz

I find the lows very very boomy with the Lo-Riders on my L2000. I can't dial it out without the whole sound getting f'ed up. The TI SA's really tame that.... perfect strings for the L2K... and probably the L2500 as well.

As a side note.... I love SS Lo-Riders on my MIA Jazz Bass. No other string sound right to me with it.... in fact the TI SA's sound like poo-poo on it.

Ljazz

yep, on my jazz bass i put the same dr low riders ss on it, and they sound awesome, but on my G&L L2500 not so great, on my next string change i am either going to put dr sunbeams or d'addario nickel xl's on it, the ones that it came on the bass sounded better than the dr low riders i have on it now, so i will see how it works out, every bass is different, what works on one bass may not work on another.

[DavePlaysBass]

TI Superalloys do well.