5 string basses should be 35” scale

[Johnny L]

B String Play in One Act

35" scale length B string: Aren't you a little short for a B string?
34" scale length B string: I'm here to rescue you!

 

[glitchslap]

Floppy B strings are intolerable.

Leo made the modern bass at guitar 34” scale to accommodate 4 strings. It is perfect for that specific purpose. Years ago I switched to 5 string and got an American Deluxe Jazz V. It was beautiful, sounded great, but the low B felt a bit like a rubber band.

Years later, Musicman Stingray 5. I loved that bass. It was slightly better with the low B. Still didn’t feel right. At the same time I played an Ibanez 6 string for solo bass arrangements. The high C was fun but that low B was rubber city.

Then I got a Lakland 55-02. Dammit, they got it right. The 5th string is taught, clear, and feels like a natural extension of the bass. It’s big, no doubt. I had to adapt to it but it’s the best 5 string I have ever owned.

My query is, what’s next? Does Sadowsky make a 35” 5 string? I want to get my high end, forever bass at this point in my life. I have pondered owning a Sadowsky for the build quality and tone. Does the B string sing with clarity? Should I go with an American Lakland? What are your thoughts?

 

[Lownote38]

Both of my 5 strings are 34" scale. I've never had an issue with the B strings on either of them.

 

[glitchslap]

Well bobknowsbass, you are incorrect in that broad of statement. It has everything to do with the individual build.

 

[chadhargis]

I used to be a "I must have a 35 inch scale" guy. That was before I played a really well made 34" scale bass. I've owned a Dingwall with a 37" B string, and yes...it's amazing. There is some science behind the longer B string. But at the end of the day, a very rigid neck with a good neck joint works just fine at 34".

I just had a bass built for me and it's a 34" scale. The B string is AMAZING. Of course, it's a 7 piece neck consisting of maple, wenge, and purpleheart with a wenge fingerboard and it's attached to the body via a slab of bell brass embedded in the neck using machine screws to attach it to the body.

 

[K Altavilla]

I don't know... I have an Ibanez TR 300 Expressionist Bass, it's a mid-line J bass copy and when I bought it , it was strung with a 125-60 set so it's tuned like the 4 lowest strings on a 5 string. Standard 34" scale, and it feels soooooo right. Nice even tension across all 4 strings. Don't know what to tell you, other than I think your issue ain't the scale length.

 

[DavidJamesNHBass]

Fanned frets. Dingwall.
Physics just like a piano’s design.

 

[J. Gary]

Not sure what the scale length is but I love my Ken Smith 5er.

 

[Shadi]

I think carrots should be a 69" scale...

 

[gg69]

I have 34" basses whose B sounds better than my 35"'s. There are many more factors other than scale length.
My suggestion for a 35" that doesn't break the bank would be an Ibanez BTB.
With 35" one can even start experimenting with F#BEAD

 

[Gary Stevens]

If your only reason is string tension, you're using the wrong gauge string.

I disagree. Bass string gauges are limited. The thickest available set will still have a rubber band feel on the low B at 34". 35" scale will help remedy that.

 

[Gary Stevens]

This is physics, folks.

 

[Lothian]

Floppy B strings are intolerable.

Leo made the modern bass at guitar 34” scale to accommodate 4 strings. It is perfect for that specific purpose. Years ago I switched to 5 string and got an American Deluxe Jazz V. It was beautiful, sounded great, but the low B felt a bit like a rubber band.

Years later, Musicman Stingray 5. I loved that bass. It was slightly better with the low B. Still didn’t feel right. At the same time I played an Ibanez 6 string for solo bass arrangements. The high C was fun but that low B was rubber city.

Then I got a Lakland 55-02. Dammit, they got it right. The 5th string is taught, clear, and feels like a natural extension of the bass. It’s big, no doubt. I had to adapt to it but it’s the best 5 string I have ever owned.

My query is, what’s next? Does Sadowsky make a 35” 5 string? I want to get my high end, forever bass at this point in my life. I have pondered owning a Sadowsky for the build quality and tone. Does the B string sing with clarity? Should I go with an American Lakland? What are your thoughts?

It's all a matter of build quality (and taste to a certain extent) - I have owned several 35' 5 string basses, and they were all rubbish (expensive, too). Eventually, I found the perfect 5 string bass (fretless as well), and guess what, it has a 34' scale length and a phenominally tight B string...

 

[ltownbass]

I agree that 35s do seem have a better B all else being equal but I don't find 34 too bad either. Counter-intuitively, lighter string seem to work better for me on the low B in 34 and 35 (Obviously with higher action to accommodate)

 

[Berniez40]

I have a 34" Po Boy Alembic (Warmoth Neck and Body Alembic Electronics) that has a solid "B" though not quite as firm as the other strings. However--- my other Frankenbass--A Dearmond Pilot redone with all Bartolini Electronics is a 35" er and the B feels firmer, which is great for consistency--but not always for what I am playing.
For instance--when I want to imitate an upright sound I move my right hand up above the neck of the 34" Po Boy and soft stroke it. When I employ that technique then my somewhat "loosey goosey" B sounds almost exactly like my upright in the lower register. Perfect sound and feel for the task at hand.
For Regular to more accented lower register tunes the Low B on the 35"er gets the nod.
Different Strokes---Different Styles---Different Sounds------Too much to factor in to simply allow string length alone to dictate one's choices.

 

[lu296]

35" fatigues my hand. I once owned a 33" R Bass 5 string and the B sounded great.

 

[mdmarkle]

Fodera makes a 33 inch scale with a massive B string. It’s all about construction. Just making a normal 4 string and tacking on another string is a bad idea. If you compensate (scale length, neck through, multi scale) you get different results with varying degrees of success. Years ago, I heard Pino Palladino tuned a four string down a step on D’Angelo’s Voodoo for a low sound. I have a bass now tuned like this and one in normal tuning. I own a 5 string J, but rarely play it.

 

[Gusdfunk]

The Ken Smith strings that come standard for their 34" 5-strings are TCRM-5 (.044 .063 .084T .106T .130T) and are juuuuust fine. No noodle. No 35" muscle-memory fake-out.

 

[FunkHead]

I disagree. Bass string gauges are limited. The thickest available set will still have a rubber band feel on the low B at 34". 35" scale will help remedy that.

The spec that matters is "Tension"! 35" will barely help add tension over 34". Maybe a few %! Higher tension strings add tension.
So much misinformation revolving around this topic.

 

[Gary Stevens]

The rubberyness of a string is a function of 3 things with a forth modifying factor. 1 String diameter, 2 string length between nut and bridge saddle, and string tension as appliedby the tuner. Forth is string construction. La bella deep talking bass strings feel stiffer to me than daddario chrome flats, gauge, scale and note being the same.