.120 for a B string?

[bassbully]

I am wanting to try a set of SIT Silencers on my Lakland 55-01 five. I used SIT silencers years before on fours but never a five. They only have one size set .120-45. I don't see allot of five string B at .120. I'm running a .132 B right now in Chromes. Anybody use this light of gauge as a B? any issues? I hate a wobbly, tubby B string.

 

[jallenbass]

I have one bass with a .120 B string and it works fine for me though I generally like lighter gauges.

 

[bassbully]

I have one bass with a .120 B string and it works fine for me though I generally like lighter gauges.

Well for a B string .120 is light. I'm worried about it being to floppy.

 

[klokker]

TI Powerbass strings have a .119 B string (or they did a couple of years ago). Worked just fine. No "floppier" and certainly not "tubbier" that's for sure.

 

[ixlramp]

A .120 will be low tension of course, but if played carefully is fine, the low gauge will bring more clarity and less tubbiness. Try plucking closer to the bridge.

 

[winegamd]

I used a .118 LaBella Slapper and it sounded great. It was pretty light, but I also play with a light touch and a ramp. Though, it was one of the growlier B's I have used.

 

[JimmyM]

I have a 120 on my only 5. It is a little loose, but it sounds more right with the rest of the strings, which start with a 40 G. It rings better, whereas the thicker strings always sounded dull and dead to me.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

I am wanting to try a set of SIT Silencers on my Lakland 55-01 five. I used SIT silencers years before on fours but never a five. They only have one size set .120-45. I don't see allot of five string B at .120. I'm running a .132 B right now in Chromes. Anybody use this light of gauge as a B? any issues? I hate a wobbly, tubby B string.

I started out using 130 B-strings on both my 5-string and Sixers, but I've used either a .126 or a .128, over the past several years, and neither has felt looser on my basses. I now prefer the slightly lighter gauge. And especially that your Lakie 5501 has a 35" scale, my thoughts are you won't have and floppiness out of a ligher gauge B-string.

 

[ixlramp]

Tensionwise, a .120 B is equivalent to a .090 E (by the '4:3 ratio rule'). However, larger, more massive strings are more prone to floppiness and generally need more tension, so their lowest practical tension tends to be a little higher. Some use a .110 for B.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Too light for me...I prefer .128-.130.

Riis

 

[Clark Dark]

I run a Kalium balanced set with a .118 B string 35" scale, tight and right.

 

[Aidil]

I am wanting to try a set of SIT Silencers on my Lakland 55-01 five. I used SIT silencers years before on fours but never a five. They only have one size set .120-45. I don't see allot of five string B at .120. I'm running a .132 B right now in Chromes. Anybody use this light of gauge as a B? any issues? I hate a wobbly, tubby B string.

not only the tension that matters... A couple of times I've maxed/run out of the saddle positions when doing proper intonation setup using lighter gauge B strings. So, .128, .130, or heavier is preferred for me.

For compressed strings, have you tried GHS Pressurewound? It has .128 low B string. I prefer this than .125 Ken Smith Compressors.

 

[bassbully]

I tried the .120 B silencers and they were a no go. I did not like the B at all. Today I bought a set of NYXL Rounds and put them on...love them.. B is .130.

 

[FNHScar17s]

I use a .125 rotosound swing bass 66. It sounds awesome for lows and power running the right rig and an awesome bass. On my nt thumb 6 a 125 rips it up pretty hard nice and clean and beefy/solid!

 

[KingRazor]

I'd be fine using a .120 on a 39" scale length.

 

[ixlramp]

A couple of times I've maxed/run out of the saddle positions when doing proper intonation setup using lighter gauge B strings. So, .128, .130, or heavier is preferred for me.

It's the stiffness of a string that requires the saddle to be offset, so the larger gauges need more intonation offset. Taperwound increases flexibility so reduces required offset.

 

[HaphAsSard]

It's the stiffness of a string that requires the saddle to be offset

True, but I'd bet that, assuming little or no increase in core thickness between adjacent gauges, the increase in mass and tension would...offset the slight one in stiffness, and cause the larger gauge to need less compensation. You can easily verify this by tuning one gauge to different pitches and re-intonating each time: a given B requires more compensation than the same B up-tuned to C#.