Not digging the Exposed Core "B"

[Scott Cutrer]

I got a set of Smith Rockmasters(6) for my Modulus, and I did not like the B string at all. It felt like the bass lost the gutsy bottom end. Then I looked at an old bass player mag from 96 that evaluated strings, and surprise but the reviewers said that for the most part they did not like the tone of the exposed core B strings. They said that it seemed that although a good idea as far as clarity, it really did not work because it seems that the lack of string mass over the bridge caused less resonance in the bridge and body from the B string.
Thought it was interesting.

[john turner]

wow. that's not ever been my experience - i've been very happy with the bass response of the dean markley sr2000's i use on the low b (and the low F# too). maybe its the strings.

on mine, the core is not totally exposed, but rather, exposed down to the last winding.

[Scott Cutrer]

John, I used to use the Dean Markley Will Lee 6 String set on my first Quantum 6 and I liked em. But these Ken Smiths are not doing it at all. The bass sounded better with the dead (original) strings that were on it as far as the "B" string goes. It might be the guage however, these are really light.28-120. I dont think I have ever used a 6 string set that light. I think it might be a combination, maybe. What do you use now?

[Marty Forrer]

Seems to me that there are no "blanket" facts on this subject. For example, I tried SR2000s and the B did not work on my bass. In contrast, the Pedulla Rapture 5 has an exposed core B, and it's one of the best! Also, F-basses come with LaBella Super Steps, and they too are one of the best.
Conclusion; exposed core strings will work fine on some basses and not others.
Result: we're just as confused as we were before!

[Scott Cutrer]

True. That has been my experience on a few other equipment issues. You summed it up to a T Marty. Now, anybody try the Ernie Ball Slinky 6 string set? Still looking for a good 35" scale 6 string set.

[AllodoX]

I have Ernie Ball slinkie's on my 5-string bass..
Nice, full tone with good high-mids.

[Scott Cutrer]

Thanks AllodoX, I think I am gonna try them out. And I think you were right Jophn, I think it was the strings. While waiting to play an outdoor gig today, my bass sat in the sun for maybe ten minutes and the stinkin strings fell apart. all six of em just went. They expanded and just laid on the fingerboard and I could not tune them up. I put the old dead strings on it and it was fine, I had to do it 10 minutes before we played a big Military Memorial Concert for the Victims of this past weeks tragedy. I have only gotten one other bad set of Smith strings in the last 15 years, so that aint too bad I guess, but I will try the Slinys tomorrow!

[john turner]

wow, a .120" low b is pretty darn small. i use a .135"

any particular reason you switched from the sr2000's? i am not too keen on the gauges of the a, d, and g strings in the lee signature sets - i like 'em a bit lighter, and the low B heavier.

[Marty Forrer]

I came across a guy who plays a 5 with a high C tuning set, but tunes them for low B tuning. This means his B is .105. Now THAT'S small!!

[Chasarms]

Originally posted by Scott Cutrer
Anybody try the Ernie Ball Slinky 6 string set? Still looking for a good 35" scale 6 string set.

I have been using EB slinkies on both of my basses for a little more than a year now. I like them. Nice and bright. Good feel. Reasonably priced.

The B string is not exposed core on the bridge end. However it is on the nut end. This is cool in that it wraps around the post better but the tolerances are pretty tight. I have a G&L L2500 and and a MIA Jazz Deluxe 5. Both are 34" scale and have the string through body option. I string both through body and when I get the strings up to correct tension, there is no more than 3/16" of an inch of the fully-wound portion of the string on the tuner side of the nut.

You could not use these strings through body on a 35" scale bass. The exposed part of the core rest in the nut slot.

If you don't string through body, they'd probably work.

Chas

[fleetwood]

Hi Guys,
While I've got your attention - well, some of you maybe. Please could you tell me how you get strings to settle down and stay in tune when you renew them. I changed the strings on my basses ( 5 and a 4 ) week before last and I'm forever tweaking them up. Maybe more on the 5 string than the 4 string but even so, I had those old strings on my 4 for the last umteen years without any probs whatsoever. Sorry now I bothered to change them. Oh, by the way, we're talking Flatwound here. In fact Rotosound Jazz Flats.

[Chasarms]

Depending on how much you play, it'll take a while for them to stretch out.

[fleetwood]

Gee thanks Chas. Thats really cheered me up. Can't I just tune them up a note for a couple of days?

[AllodoX]

when adding new strings, fret the string on the 12th fret, crank the string up, then let it " slap " down.. this helps.

[Chasarms]

Originally posted by fleetwood
Gee thanks Chas. Thats really cheered me up. Can't I just tune them up a note for a couple of days?

Actually, you can just grab them and stretch them out a little. I suggest just using one hand to support the neck, and grab the string with the other and pull it up off the board. It won't break. This helps them to stretch out quicker.

chas

[c-ba55]

Originally posted by Scott Cutrer
I got a set of Smith Rockmasters(6) for my Modulus, and I did not like the B string at all.

I typically get Smith Rockmasters for my Pedulla Rapture J2 5-string, and like them quite a bit. One time, I couldn't find any, but I did find the exposed core version, so tried those since I kind of wanted to anyway. The B-string could not be tuned! No amount of setup allowed it to be consistently flat or sharp up and down the neck. Even in the space of relatively few frets.

Back to the regular rockmasters now, and loving it.

[Chuck M]

I use Ken Smith tapercore mediums on my Smith 5 and 6 strings and my Lull modern 5. They sound great and last a long time. Great sounding B strings with fine intonation. I've never had a bad Smith string.

Chuck

[eli]

Originally posted by fleetwood
Hi Guys,
While I've got your attention - well, some of you maybe. Please could you tell me how you get strings to settle down and stay in tune when you renew them. I changed the strings on my basses ( 5 and a 4 ) week before last and I'm forever tweaking them up. Maybe more on the 5 string than the 4 string but even so, I had those old strings on my 4 for the last umteen years without any probs whatsoever. Sorry now I bothered to change them. Oh, by the way, we're talking Flatwound here. In fact Rotosound Jazz Flats.

Most new string untuning IME is caused by sloppy turns on the tuning peg rather than the string actually stretching after being tuned to pitch. And I am a "cheap string" whore.

First, when installing the string, do your best to maintain tension on the string as you wind it for the first time. I go so far as to pull the strring toward the bridge wth my right-hand fingers against my palm, and "bend" the string aroung the tuning peg with my right-hand thumb as I crank the peg with my left hand. This reduces sloppy turns on the peg which just need to be pulled out later.

Also, be sure the turns around the peg are neat and packed together in one layer, never overlapping, going from slot toward peghead. Overlapping turns will take FOREVER to shift and settle. This requires cutting the string short before installing it.

Once the new string is up to pitch, tug up on the string -- away from the fretboard -- an inch or so. Then gently lower it back down (not necessary to let it "smack" back down IMHO). The string will be flat. (You're pulling any residual slack off the tuning peg.) Tune it back up to pitch and repeat until it retains pitch after the tug. This string will NEVER go flat again. As Carlos Santana said: "After a few yanks, they'll know who's boss!"

And when tuning later, ALWAYS begin by lowering the string well below pitch, tug, and tune up. Tug and repeat. Always tune UP to pitch from below, and your bass will stay in tune. If you tune DOWN to pitch from above, you'll always have looseness in the string between the nut and the peg, and the string will be easily pulled flat.

Follow these steps and you will NEVER have tuning problems again. (Unless you're fretless which is a whole different story. )

[fleetwood]

Thanks Eli
That coverage of yours sounds like good sense. I will take it on board and give it a try.