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Bad string tension on Weston Spectrum V

Discussion in 'Hardware, Setup & Repair [BG]' started by 5string5fingers, Jul 27, 2009.

  1. Jul 27, 2009 #1
    5string5fingers

    5string5fingers

    Mar 18, 2008
    Tifton,Georgia
    The low B and E strings on my Spectrum are rather floppy. I've owned 2 5 string before this one,an ESP and Jazz deluxe 5, and both of them have had nice string tension on the B string. But on this bass,the b string is barely playable and the E string's tension is around what what other 5 strings low b is. Anybody know what the culprit could be?
     
  2. Aug 7, 2009 #2
    5string5fingers

    5string5fingers

    Mar 18, 2008
    Tifton,Georgia
    bump?
     
  3. Aug 7, 2009 #3
    JustDavid

    JustDavid

    Oct 21, 2008
    Halifax, NS, Canada
    Strings or bass?

    One thing I noted upon buying my last 5 string was it's B felt very floppy. Which was weird: Fender 7250s, or something like that, & I'm fine with TI Jazz Flats' B & they don't come much lower tension than them. Messing with it & checking into it, I noted the Fender B felt less tense than the rest of the set, so maybe it's a string imbalance I was sensing rather than a floppy B.
     
  4. Aug 8, 2009 #4
    5string5fingers

    5string5fingers

    Mar 18, 2008
    Tifton,Georgia
    Yea I haven't changed the strings on it yet, I thought it could be that but they're heavier gauge that what I normally play with so I figured the tension would be more at least it has been with my previous experiences with heavy gauge strings.
     
  5. Aug 8, 2009 #5
    JustDavid

    JustDavid

    Oct 21, 2008
    Halifax, NS, Canada
    For a rough "balanced tension" check, at the 12th fret pull the B string across the fingerboard towards the E then the E towards the A etc. Then do G towards D, D towards A etc. Not deeply science-y but it should give you a sense of how consistent the tension is.

    I found that Fender B was less tense than the rest of that set but tenser than the TIJF's B. And that the Fender B felt floppier than the TI. I didn't check deeper, just ended observing that I prefer somewhat balanced tension.

    I'm fingerstyle over the neck pickup. A bridge picker might not find the same results. Heck, I'm pretty weird: NO ONE else might find the same results.
     
  6. Aug 8, 2009 #6
    5string5fingers

    5string5fingers

    Mar 18, 2008
    Tifton,Georgia
    I've got a 5 string jazz and the string tension is pretty good. I play right in the middle between the two pickups. Is there anything I can do to balance the string tension out across the strings or is just how the instruments built?
     
  7. Aug 8, 2009 #7
    grifff

    grifff

    Jan 5, 2009
    Try new strings.
     
  8. Aug 8, 2009 #8
    JustDavid

    JustDavid

    Oct 21, 2008
    Halifax, NS, Canada
    It's in how the strings are built. If you are very sensitive to this on your string of choice, you might need to mix sets or add a stronger B to a EADG set. Or find a similar sounding set that's more matched.
     
  9. Aug 8, 2009 #9
    Fliptrique

    Fliptrique

    Jul 22, 2002
    Szczecin, Poland
    Endorsing Artist: Mayones Guitars&Basses
    Also relif is very important - a neck that is to flat with a low action may cause strings to feel a lot more floppy than an average relif/action setup.

    I`ve found it extremely important to have a proper setup when it comes to 5 string basses. Well, all basses, actually :)
     
  10. Aug 8, 2009 #10
    5string5fingers

    5string5fingers

    Mar 18, 2008
    Tifton,Georgia
    I agree, when I first got the bass the neck actually had slight back bow on it,took me about a week to get a little bit of relief back on it. It's alot better than it was. When I first got it,the E and B strings are virtually unplayable. I'll try getting my usual set of D'Addario Nickels on it. I have no idea what strings these are,they seem kind of cheap.