So I recently bought a new/used 2009 MIM Fender Jazz V. I've owned 5 string basses in the past (2 Fender Jazz Plus V and an early 90s Ibanez Soundgear) but haven't had one since the mid 90s. Of course, I wanted to set it up to my preferences once I received it. Having not owned a 5 string for quite a few years I did some research on what would be the best set of strings to put on it that would meet my standards. Of course, the local Guitar Center had NONE of my possible candidates in stock (big surprise
). I knew that I wanted to give the tapered B string a try but all they had in the realm was a set of DR High Beam Long Necks. Upon inspecting the B string in the pack I saw that it was indeed tapered but for much more of a length that I expected. "Whatever", I thought, "it'll be fine".
Before I threw them on I sanded/polished the frets, cleaned and conditioned the fretboard and gave the bass a good over all cleaning and polishing. I began restringing it, starting with the B and realized that the tapered end did indeed extend quite a distance past the bridge saddle (about 2" or so). Obviously, these are meant for a bass that can be strung-thu the body and not so much for a top loaded bridge. I thought this to be odd but knew that it wouldn't really get in the way of my playing and went ahead with them. As I proceeded I found that every string except the G string was tapered and all for the same length the B string was. After getting it strung/tuned up, along with a good stretch job, I moved onto truss rod adjustment, intonation and setting the action. For some reason I was having a hell of a time getting the thing intonated correctly. Everything was jiving on the tuner but just didn't sound right acoustically. After futzing with the bass for a few hours I decided I had enough and hung it up for the day. I was busy the next day and didn't have time to get back to it until the day after.
So I attack this intonation thing again. Once again, according to the tuner, everything should be peachy keen yet when I play above the 12th fret it just sounds very off. I widdle around some more when I notice that, even when muting all the other strings, as well as behind the fretted position, I'm getting two different tones out of a single fretted note when I play in the upper register. And not two tones that are in tune with each other. It sounds as if I have a really obnoxious pitch shifter thing going on. In my 20 years of playing I have never encountered this problem. I couldn't really hear it in the lower register but the further up the neck I went the worse it got.
I was absolutely at a loss for an explanation until I noticed that the G string didn't have this problem and it just so happens that it's the only string that isn't taper wound. So what I THINK is the problem is that the 2 or so inches of the exposed tapered section is vibrating at a slightly higher frequency than the rest of the string. Thus causing two different notes to sound at once.
Now I'm no master of physical science but it's the best explanation I can come up with. What I want to know is if I'm on the money with this hypothesis and has anyone else experienced this abnormality. The thing that burns me is that I just paid $45 for this set of strings and now I have to trash them after only three days for something else and HOPE that this is indeed the problem and not anything else.
Also, know that I don't hold DR strings as being the problem. I just think I bought a set that wasn't designed for my situation.
OK, discuss...
