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34" Low B....What do you use?
- Thread starter JDJen
- Start date
On my Sadowsky 5 I've used DR Steel LoRiders and HiBeams and Chromes.
Now I'm using DR DDTs (45-125), and the B is the best I've ever played. Just tight enough and awesome fundamental all over the neck. Not excessively bright, but very true harmonics.
Now I'm using DR DDTs (45-125), and the B is the best I've ever played. Just tight enough and awesome fundamental all over the neck. Not excessively bright, but very true harmonics.
All other things being equal, a heavier gauge will always produce more tension at a given pitch. It will also sacrifice definition, which may or may not matter to you. Flats will also be "tighter" to the touch at a given pitch.
knuckle_head
Commercial User
- Jul 30, 2002
- 2,621
- 58
- Disclosures
- Owner; Knuckle Guitar Works & Circle K Strings
Definition is more a matter of construction and rigidity than size.
In the .130 to .135 range most manufacturers go to a 4 wrap string - this steals overtones and makes a string more/too rigid.
Dean Markley makes a 3 wrap .135 that is quite articulate, and I make a .136 3 wrap that is as well - most if not all others are a 4 wrap at these gauges.
A .125 is a decent match for a .095 E, a .130 or .136 is a good match for a .100 E, and a .140 is a good match for a .105 E - IMO
I use the OEM Fender 8250's on my 2008 Jazz V. They have the .130 taperwound B, and .110 taperwound E. I use the same type on my four string Jazz, as I think they're excellent.
I finally had success after a long time and alot of failures. I have a MIM Fender 4 string 34" scale with top bridge mounting. The DR DDT's were a giant failure because of the length of the fat part of the string.( the core will break on these every time on one of these basses. I am sure they would be fine on a 35" scale bass or a thru body mounting. The success I have just had was with Circle K strings, balanced set. My B string is a .142 and sounds awesome. It has alot of definition and I am also tuning down a 1/2 step to Bb, which lessens the tension a little so you would think it would cause problems, but no. I did all the things that I have read here on this forum. Got a good bone nut and carefully filed it. Raised my saddles a bit. Loosened my relief just a tad. Leveled and raised my pickups, since they had been a bit tilted for EADG. I could actually increase the tone towards the bassier side and it sounds very good. These Circle K string have wonderful voicing. 
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I have used from .115 to .135. And for brands I have used DR, D'Adarrio, Rotosound, Carvin and more. I always play rounds and sometimes steel and sometimes nickel. All of my basses are 34" or 33 1/2".
I use these on my Fender 5's as well. Good strings, very consistent. I also like the Sadowsky sets.
My favorites, generated through playing many 5 strings and being really demanding about my B string performance, in rough order are:
DR DDT 125
LaBella/Pedulla Steel .128 (tapered)
Labella/Pedulla/Carvin Nickel .128 (tapered)
Fender 8250 (exposed core)
Sadwosky Black Stainless
Sadowsky Blue Stainless
Dean Markley Blue Steel
Slinky 130
Elixer 130
D'Addario Pro Steel 135 (can be great, can be too magnetic)
LaBella Flatwound 128 (tapered)
Some basses don't care at all and work with anything. Most basses will work better with strings toward the top of that list (particularly the top 3).
DR DDT 125
LaBella/Pedulla Steel .128 (tapered)
Labella/Pedulla/Carvin Nickel .128 (tapered)
Fender 8250 (exposed core)
Sadwosky Black Stainless
Sadowsky Blue Stainless
Dean Markley Blue Steel
Slinky 130
Elixer 130
D'Addario Pro Steel 135 (can be great, can be too magnetic)
LaBella Flatwound 128 (tapered)
Some basses don't care at all and work with anything. Most basses will work better with strings toward the top of that list (particularly the top 3).
I am a Circle K fan these days .136 B with the standard .045-.105. I also like their .136 Balanced set.
TI jazz flat's .136 is a great B string with their .040 to .100 set. The Fender 8250's are good, but a bit growly and buzzy for me. The Chrome .130 is a great B as well.
For me the second tier is La Bella and Sadowsky.
TI jazz flat's .136 is a great B string with their .040 to .100 set. The Fender 8250's are good, but a bit growly and buzzy for me. The Chrome .130 is a great B as well.
For me the second tier is La Bella and Sadowsky.
- Aug 5, 2005
- 7,243
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- Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses
I would never use a .125 for anything other than a dropped C. For a B-string with a 34" scale, you should bump it up to a .135.
I use a D'Addario .145 (available as singles from JustStrings.com) on my EB-3 5-string. That, coupled with my bridge mod, transformed a low-end bass into a bass with a great low end. Stupid pun, but it worked. -- Tom
- Oct 29, 2005
- 1,038
- 39
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- Endorsing Artist: Aguilar Amp Gruv Gear and Mono Cases
When I had a my Squier Affinity Jazz V, I really liked the factory Fender 7250-5M strings (.125 B) and the Ernie Ball Power Slinky set (.135 B) I had on it. The .135 definitely had better feel, but I liked the sound of the Fenders more.
Well i would say whatever feels/sounds good.
I 've played almost every available brand for my Yamaha 34" scale TRB from 1992. (not the signature JP model). Currently it's strung with an .120 b-string from Bulkmusic. They are made in Italy and play just fine. Because of the smaller gauge i would even say that they have more fundamental harmonics than heavier gauges - but that's maybe just me. They are still bright, after being strung for 2 months now (i don't sweat and clean them with microfiber cloths) and that's amazing because i play 4 gigs/week 5-6 hours straight.
My two cents ...
I 've played almost every available brand for my Yamaha 34" scale TRB from 1992. (not the signature JP model). Currently it's strung with an .120 b-string from Bulkmusic. They are made in Italy and play just fine. Because of the smaller gauge i would even say that they have more fundamental harmonics than heavier gauges - but that's maybe just me. They are still bright, after being strung for 2 months now (i don't sweat and clean them with microfiber cloths) and that's amazing because i play 4 gigs/week 5-6 hours straight.
My two cents ...
Last year i tried a set of Bulk strings for 5string bass (a friend of mine is an endorser and gave me good reviews about them).
I unmounted them after less than 2 days: in my opinion they were the deadest of the lifeless strings (as new) i've ever tried in my life.
They should sell them inside a box made like a coffin ....
IMHO.
