B string question (G&L L2500)

[Raman]

Glad it's working out!
I try to help when I can.

You did!

I don't want to celebrate victory quite yet. But I stretched it again and it seems to have improved some more.

It's the very 1st time that I've installed flats on a fiver. I've been trying different types on my 4 string bass and really liking them.

Now that I think of it, it makes a lot of sense. When I install new strings, I stretch them to a point and expect that they will settle more from repeated playing and tuning. Although that can work on rounds and on the lighter EADG strings with flats, it makes sense that the mass and volume of the flatwound B string requires more attention. Such a heavy string, when unstretched, could be just too heavy between the nut and bridge. And that would explain my problems. Seems logical.

I will do more stretching tomorrow, get it as stable as I can. Then I will do a whole neck and bridge setup from scratch and see where I'm at.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[dedpool1052]

I look forward to hearing your findings.

 

[Raman]

Alright, so I stretched the B string until it seemed stable and did a neck setup. (I follow John Carruthers' method to the letter for the setup.)

On the positive front, the B string sounds more focused, rattles and clacks less now. (Thanks to @dedpool1052 for the intuition!)
It is still noisier than the other 4 strings, but it doesn't sound like an alien string anymore. It lost a lot of what I would describe as clunky metallic overtones. So, when I play even unplugged, even though I hear more clack and rattle on the B than the others, it's just a whole lot less "in your face" and it blends more with the actual notes being played. It's to a level that I can live with.

Maybe it's normal that the B will be noisier, due to its weight and size. I'm unsure. And maybe it's to do with flatwounds. Again, it's the 1st time that I try them on a fiver so I have no point of comparison. I don't remember noticing anything of the sort when I had rounds on this bass, nor on my previous 5 string (an Ibanez EDA).

On the less positive front, I'm now experiencing fret buzz on the B string, on the higher frets (at the octave and higher). I have raised the saddle to help with that, but it's now a bit higher than I find comfortable. I'm not sure how I will deal with this issue. Some of the buzz occurs on the part of the neck that is bolted onto the body of the bass, so it's not likely that adjusting the truss rod further will be of any help.
When I visited my luthier friend, he measured the frets and none were sticking out or anything. So, I'm ruling this out for the moment.

Finally, still on the less positive front, although the B now behaves a lot better, I can't say I love its tone. Especially when I play open string, I find it sounds hollow.

I will try to play the bass in the next days and see if the string settles in some more, also try to tweak adjustments and see where I can get.
The set of EB Slinky strings is on the way. So I will eventually try those on and see. It may just be that I don't like flats on a fiver, or that this particular bass doesn't work well with them.

 

[Raman]

Final report.

I changed the strings to a DR Lo-Rider Hi-Beam 5-string set that I had. They are brand new.

Going back to roundwounds after 2 years of flatwounds is weird. Like playing with metallic coils and springs.
I'm suddenly, painfully, reminded of finger noise!

But these strings are definitely an improvement for this bass. The B string is a lot lighter and it sounds so much better.

I may yet reinstall flats on it. But it'll likely be a super light gauge: like 125 for the B string.

For the time being, I'm happy that the bass finally plays well.

 

[michael_t]

I changed the strings to a DR Lo-Rider Hi-Beam 5-string set that I had.

Do you have the Lo-Riders (hex core) or the Hi Beams (round core)? They're two different strings.

 

[Raman]

Do you have the Lo-Riders (hex core) or the Hi Beams (round core)? They're two different strings.

Didn't realize. I thought one was a sub-category of the other.
It says Lo-Rider on the front, but Hi-Beam on the back of the package.

I guess the back is advertisement for the other type? Confusing.

 

[michael_t]

Didn't realize. I thought one was a sub-category of the other.
It says Lo-Rider on the front, but Hi-Beam on the back of the package.

View attachment 4750479

View attachment 4750480

I guess the back is advertisement for the other type? Confusing.

"Hi Beam" on the back is used as a general example to illustrate how they're constructed in terms of core-to-wrap ratio. That's what those numbers are all about.

What you have is "Nickel Lo-Riders", which are nickel-plated steel roundwound on a hex core. Lo-Riders also come in stainless steel.

 

[Raman]

There is a quieting of this bass back with regular gauge roundwound strings.
I was slowly falling out of love with it. I think I may be falling back in.