can't get the B string properly intonated...

BoneMachine · #1 02-27-2007, 03:04 AM

Hello

I really really need your help and insight on this. Two days ago, I pick my bass up (I had left it in another room for the night) to practice, and I notice that there is some buzz on frets 22 - 24 of the D and A strings. Also, the B string, played open gave an obscure rattling sound.
I figure it must be the weather going crazy, since last week it was snowing and now we have sunny days. So I'm trying to setup the bass again. I adjust the straightness of the neck with just a little relief and then I begin messing with the string heights at the bridge, to eliminate the buzzing. Then I try to intonate, and I notice that the B string is a little sharp at the 12th fret, so I move the saddle backwards. In fact, it's so far back that the spring holding the saddle is quite tense at the moment. Also, the angle of the B string at the saddle scares me a bit, plus the string is still not perfectly intonated and I'm afraid to move the saddle further backwards...

What can I do? Thanks so much for your help.

Bruce Lindfield · #2 02-27-2007, 03:08 AM

Depends on the bass and the string - but sometimes you need a tapered B string to get it right, as the string is too thick.

You could buy a single tapered core B?

BoneMachine · #3 02-27-2007, 03:17 AM

Would a tapered B string be the one which is thinner at the bridge? Excuse my ignorance.
On a sidenote, the bass is an MTD kingston 5 string and the strings are fender 7250s' (0.45 to 0.125)

Bruce Lindfield · #4 02-27-2007, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoneMachine

Would a tapered B string be the one which is thinner at the bridge?

Yes - this would mean you could get the right angle, which a thick B string may not be able to manage?

Without seeing the bass in front of me - it's impossible to say for sure, but I have had basses and strings that were too thick to go over the bridge properly unless it was a tapered B.

JackANSI · #5 02-27-2007, 01:43 PM

You can experiment with different guages of B string as the guage effects intonation slightly.

jeffhigh · #6 02-27-2007, 02:27 PM

you can cut a few coils off the spring to enable the saddle to go back further

dragoon419 · #7 02-27-2007, 07:49 PM

Buy a new string, one smaller then the one you have now might work.

BoneMachine · #8 02-28-2007, 04:32 AM

I asked my teacher and he said that it is normal for most basses under the 5k $ mark to not intonate properly on the B string. Mine is not terribly off (it's at 441 - 442 Hz instead of 440), using a korg tuner. He also said that I could move the saddle a bit forward to avoid the curious string angle thing, without affecting the B string's intonation, and so I did, and in fact nothing happenned to the intonation setting. So until I get a new set of strings with a taperwound B (maybe also taperwound E), I' ll have the bass set up this way.

Thanks for your help

Bruce Lindfield · #9 02-28-2007, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoneMachine

I asked my teacher and he said that it is normal for most basses under the 5k $ mark to not intonate properly on the B string.

Hmmm - not sure about that !!??

B strings can be too thick at the point wher they cross the bridge - but I don't believe it's anything to do with how much you pay for your bass!

You just need to get the right strings!

BoneMachine · #10 02-28-2007, 05:13 AM

I figure he meant that it's normal for most production (non custom) basses to have problems accommodating a fat B string (even 35'' basses like mine). I have used gauges ranging from 120 to 135 for my B string and never had anything quite like this happen before. But then again the weather has never been wackier...

Thanks again for your help. Maybe I need to start searching about the best strings for me again!