B-String extension?

[davemao]

So, last night my bass teacher told me that I could firm up my flabby B-string by putting an extender on it. He showed me his, which is a short section of brass tube that he threaded his string through at the bridge to add about 1-1/2 inches to the B-string. He swore that this helped add tension to the B-string.

Now I know I only took 9th-grade physics, but my common sense is telling me that this is impossible! The frequency of the string should be governed by its length and tension. However, the effective length of the string is only measured from the bridge to the nut. Any extra string beyond the bridge would just be like extra turns of string on a tuner... sure the string is longer, but the effective length is the same.

Am I right or wrong here, folks? Does anyone else use a "string extender" and think it actually works?

[KJung]

It surely won't change the tension of the string, but might add some extra mass that could possibly improve the B string fundamental... which could make the string to feel 'tighter'.

Same thing with the 'Fodera Extended B string' at the headstock (which is, I think, a similar concept at the other end of the neck). They claim that it improves B string sound. It just might, but if you look at it, the headstock is larger on basses with that option... which IMO is what is actually impacting the sound.

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by davemao

So, last night my bass teacher told me that I could firm up my flabby B-string by putting an extender on it. He showed me his, which is a short section of brass tube that he threaded his string through at the bridge to add about 1-1/2 inches to the B-string. He swore that this helped add tension to the B-string.

Now I know I only took 9th-grade physics, but my common sense is telling me that this is impossible! The frequency of the string should be governed by its length and tension. However, the effective length of the string is only measured from the bridge to the nut. Any extra string beyond the bridge would just be like extra turns of string on a tuner... sure the string is longer, but the effective length is the same.

Am I right or wrong here, folks? Does anyone else use a "string extender" and think it actually works?

It doesn't change tension. That's factual, and not arguable. Does it change feel in some hard-to-define way? Dunno, maybe.