Tapered Low B???

[Gastambide]

I have been wondering about trying a tapered low B on my Ibanez 5-string. The B on that bass has always lacked a solid fundamental, even with the DR High Beams I'm currently using. I get a lot of annoying overtones. I know many of you use tapered strings on your low B. What is the difference in tone? Is there really a noticeable improvement? And if so, HOW does it sound differently?

Thanks!

[tsheldon]

I am a big fan of the tapered Low B string. I use it for three reasons.

1. To my ear it tightens up the sound of the fundamental considerably
2. It make B strings a lot easier to change. You dont' need to wrestle to get the b string to bend smoothly over the bridge so it tunes up much easier.
3. Chicks dig it.

Number three I'm not sure about.

I actually do not like the rest of the strings to have exposed or tapered cores however as I seem to notice a strange, unnattural out of tune overtone wierdness when playing harmonics (at least on my basses). Though I've never heard anyone but me complain about that so perhaps I'm being oversensitive.

[porteous]

I use a taperwound B string on both of my 5-string basses- it's the way to go, IMHO. Otherwise, the string has to bend too much crossing the bridge, which makes proper intonation difficult. My Pedulla Rapture has Pedulla strings, which come with a tapered B string standard. For my Modulus bass, I get a regular 4-string set of D'Addario XL strings, and then order the separate tapered low B. Check the D'Addario website- you can see a list of single tapered B's in many gauges and styles (steel, nickel, flats, etc). Then you can order the individual strings from juststrings.com, or other vendor...