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Best low B string in the Biz?
- Thread starter Zanderwestcoast
- Start date
A stiff neck is important, so multi-laminates or graphite tend to help a low B. String choice is important to, strings make or break a low B. Then pickup choice and placement make a play too. Pickups close to the bridge seem to have less issues than neck pickups, most weak low B's I've played have been worse on the neck pickup but not too bad on the rear one. I have tried taper core low B strings and they were thunderous. A longer scale length can help a bit too, but not as much as some would suggest. Some say carbon rods or twin truss rods help, but I believe that's down to neck stiffness. I've just built a 34" scale 6 string, 5 piece neck laminate, Status Hot Wire strings and single truss rod...no carbon rods and a pair of Nordstrand dual blade pickups....the low B is very very nice and tidy.
Birdsong has one on a short scale that is said to be top notch. I have not played it, but others speak very highly of it!
I've played a Warwick Thumb 5 and a Dingwall ABZ 5. I also have a Spector Forte 4 SS. Based on my Spector experience, I'd expect it to be very good in the low B on on a fiver, and hazard a guess that it could trump the other two. I wasn't as blown away by the Dingwall as I wanted to be, but I think it had more to do with the pickup than the structure and inherent bass tone.
Exactly! I got a super p5 recently and man did it change my mind about the look of dingwalls. It's 35-32 though so not as extreme as 37-33 or whatever the others are.
I've got a 33" parallel fret LEJ with an awesome b. Piano like tone all the way up it does not do, but tight and focused it does. The b is all about fundamental to me anyway. Doesn't sound any less good than my Dingwall.
A Modulus Quantum B does sound like a piano string, unfortunately it didn't sound like a bass. I had one, couldn't wait to get rid of it, I didn't even have it long enough to take a picture of it, and it was heavy as well. The best I've had were Roscoe (still have one ), Zon, which does sound like a bass (still have one), Lakland 55-94, and Elrick. Honorable mention to Sadowsky, Fbass, P5, VM P5, Nordstrand, Modulus Genesis, Benavente, Rob Allen, and Sukop, oh and MTD,and Warick Infinity.
I just went on a big quest for a 5-string. It wasn't just about the B, but of course that was an important part. I loved the B strings on Modulus and Zon 5s I played at Planet Bass, but sonically they weren't for me. 35" was definitely more piano-like on both instruments, but 34" was really good too.
But other factors led me to a Mike Lull M5V (Ash/Maple), which has an absolutely authoritative 35" B that seems totally integrated with the instrument. It's just another string rather than something different than the other 4, and I preferred the feel of the neck (YMMV). I also was surprised at how much I liked the B string on the following 34" basses: a Fender Jazz Deluxe (USA), G&L M2500 Tribute, and surprisingly a Squier Vintage modified jazz V (though it didn't do as well as I went up the neck). At first I thought it might be bridge mass, but I'm going with the stiffness and assembly theory others have advanced.
Years ago I played a Sadowsky and remember being impressed.
<Shill>The Kingston Artist I have for sale also has a great low B.</shill> But it's true. And it convinced me to give 5 another try. I'm just not a MM tone kind of guy, I think.
But other factors led me to a Mike Lull M5V (Ash/Maple), which has an absolutely authoritative 35" B that seems totally integrated with the instrument. It's just another string rather than something different than the other 4, and I preferred the feel of the neck (YMMV). I also was surprised at how much I liked the B string on the following 34" basses: a Fender Jazz Deluxe (USA), G&L M2500 Tribute, and surprisingly a Squier Vintage modified jazz V (though it didn't do as well as I went up the neck). At first I thought it might be bridge mass, but I'm going with the stiffness and assembly theory others have advanced.
Years ago I played a Sadowsky and remember being impressed.
<Shill>The Kingston Artist I have for sale also has a great low B.</shill> But it's true. And it convinced me to give 5 another try. I'm just not a MM tone kind of guy, I think.
Best I've Played.
Roscoe.
MTD
Modulus
I also played a 33" JP Zia 5 that sounded wonderful. ( Showing if a bass design is done right, scale makes little difference ) Or ???? JP got lucky. JMO
Roscoe.
MTD
Modulus
I also played a 33" JP Zia 5 that sounded wonderful. ( Showing if a bass design is done right, scale makes little difference ) Or ???? JP got lucky. JMO
My two favorites low b tones out of the basses I've owned are my stingray and my warwick thumb nt5. They are actually pretty different from one amother but I like Both for different reasons. I prefer the attack of the stingray. But like that low mid growl of the thumb.
I do think a lot of factors come into play to a good low b sound though. The amp, or DI used, the right amount of compression. Strings that are tight enough that they aren't rediculous to play but flexable enough to get all the overtones for a full sounding low b.
I do think a lot of factors come into play to a good low b sound though. The amp, or DI used, the right amount of compression. Strings that are tight enough that they aren't rediculous to play but flexable enough to get all the overtones for a full sounding low b.
The best one that I've tried is the BTB Ibanez bass. The best I've heard is the Sadowsky.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
For me I like my 33 1/4" scale Rickenbacker 5 string basses with lighter strings ... .125 .95 .75 .60 .40 and a flat neck ... all of that brings out the mids and I get a great growl. I have tried fatter strings and a longer scale and I don't like the tone at all
Roscoe B. I am a 4 string player that got wow'd and want my only 5'very ever to be a Roscoe. Can't some EQing help achieve the bottom end you looking for? Best B in my limited experience.
Another vote for Modulus here.
I had two Quantums in the past and really miss them.
Q6 with a 36'' scale, Q5 with a 35'' scale. Both had a fantastic low B, the best I've heard so far, and both sounded fantastic in the recording studio; best tone I've ever had on any recording.
My Boerjes 5 has a great low B, friends of mine play Lakland, Lefay, Sting Ray, Warwick, etc, mostly great b strings.
The Quantums, however, were in a different league.
I had two Quantums in the past and really miss them.
Q6 with a 36'' scale, Q5 with a 35'' scale. Both had a fantastic low B, the best I've heard so far, and both sounded fantastic in the recording studio; best tone I've ever had on any recording.
My Boerjes 5 has a great low B, friends of mine play Lakland, Lefay, Sting Ray, Warwick, etc, mostly great b strings.
The Quantums, however, were in a different league.
After trying out 34", 35" and Dingwall 37". I have to say Dingwall´s low B didn´t impress me much, but I´m sure I have to give it another chance as I didn´t have the right time for it. So, the battle between a 34" and 35" is somehting I don´t understand for a better B string. If you have a really good construction than it doesn´t matter. Now, the tone between different scale lenght is where I hear diferences. The higher the scale and the B sounds more...let´s say Hi-fi....
So after the quest for the best B string for me and trying out Sadowsky, Lakland, Smith, Elrick....you name it, I was about to pull the trigger on beautiful Smith BSR and there on stand was sitting an Adamovic Saturn with its ebony fingerbard and pau ferro top....I said...let´s try it. I tell you it was love at first note and feel and the B string was simply great.
Now the best B string and the best bass overall I have experienced is an Adamovic Halo (my avatar picture), not boomy, not even a bit of flopiness, even with the other strings and not even a bit of wolfie tone as you go up the fingerboard. But it´s not only my Halo but also all the Adamovics I tried out, beautiful bass and beautiful tone. And also, Nikola is such a great person to deal to, his knowledge on woods blows my mind.
So after the quest for the best B string for me and trying out Sadowsky, Lakland, Smith, Elrick....you name it, I was about to pull the trigger on beautiful Smith BSR and there on stand was sitting an Adamovic Saturn with its ebony fingerbard and pau ferro top....I said...let´s try it. I tell you it was love at first note and feel and the B string was simply great.
Now the best B string and the best bass overall I have experienced is an Adamovic Halo (my avatar picture), not boomy, not even a bit of flopiness, even with the other strings and not even a bit of wolfie tone as you go up the fingerboard. But it´s not only my Halo but also all the Adamovics I tried out, beautiful bass and beautiful tone. And also, Nikola is such a great person to deal to, his knowledge on woods blows my mind.
