• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

34" Scale with a good B?

P

Poop-Loops

Inactive
Mar 3, 2006
5,488
8
40
Auburn, Washington
#1
I'm saving my pennies up for a mid-range guitar (Err... from $1000-2000?), but I have no idea what to look for.

I wanted a Dingwall, but I tried my teacher's 34" singlecut bass (don't know the brand, looks like a custom job, zero-fret and stuff like that), and man was that B awesome. It was a .135, but still, it was much better than my 35" scale's B, which I have a .130.

Anybody know of specific models or brands that have a really good B at 34"? Would help if it was a 6-string, too.
 
#5
bassteban said:
Ken Smith, Warwick, Stambaugh & the very occasional Fender. My experience.
Edit: Oh yeah- I had a Stingray 5 that had a nice B, too.
Click to expand...

+ 1 on all accounts. If you can find a used Sadowsky, that would be a nice 34" scale B String.

But just because your 35" scale bass doesn't have a good B string, don't write off 35" scale basses all together. Lakland, Roscoe, and various others.
 
#13
I am in love with my new Matt Pulcinella Level 5 JJ...the B string is tight and has great tone.

Matt's basses are affordable as are others. I agree that the Music Man B string is good as well and so many love the Sadowsky B...you can find a used Metro in your price range.

Try to play as many as you can before you decide.
 
#17
I dunno, I have played a lot of the aforementioned basses in the 1-2k range and haven't been very satisfied. I found G&L to be ok and Tobias (Growler and Killer B), Fenders, and the SR5 to be fairly sloppy. I 'spoze you can change out the strings to get a better low B, but I'm NOT dropping that kind of coin to hope things will get better.

I love the low B on my USA Peavey Cirrus and Millennium basses. Even with the Peavey strings, the low B is still decent, but much better with different strings. My Rob Allen is thunderous.

The best 34" scale low B I have ever heard is on a USA Curbow. I doubt you'd see too many for under 2k, unless used and you're lucky.

Some dudez say that scale doesn't matter, some say it's all about strings, others say construction. In my book, it's all of the above. If scale didn't matter, you could turn a guitar into a bass without any problems.

I guess this is proof that taste in low B strings is very subjective and should be taken with a grain of salt. What works for me might not work for you, but perhaps it might work.
 
#18
James Hart said:
it's more due to construction than an extra inch.
Click to expand...

I gotta add that although construction is key, in cases of equal construction with equal string gauge, longer will always be tighter. It's not my opinion, just physics:D I suggest you play as many options as you can, and my bias is that you at least try the Dingwall. Not only will the B kill, but the tension will be more even from string to string (again,physics). Maybe 2 xtra inches matter more :-)

My Elrick and 5501 have good 35" B strings. The Elrick is particularly well-built using zero fret and both are 35". I've also tried MTD USA, Fender USA, Modulus Q and Alembic 5s. The Dingwall was the only one I've heard/played that didn't need its' B string plucked with less intensity than the rest to sound uniform. I also have a CB custom fanned 5 from 32-35" that also has a good B and the superb string to string consistency, but its' B can't compare to the 37" Afterburner.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back