You say you want the best sounding B, but then all of your objections are cosmetic?
So pick your favorite LOOKING bass and call it good.
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Best low B string in the Biz?
- Thread starter Zanderwestcoast
- Start date
So pick your favorite LOOKING bass and call it good.
I have a Roscoe which is great but my Ken Smith "B" is the fullest and punchiest I've ever encountered.
Another vote for Dingwall. I played 5ers exclusively now for better than 20 years...don't own any 4s. EBMM Sr5 is awesome, got one. Pedulla MVP 5 - also awesome, got one of those too along with a custom built 5er and a neck through 6er (6er was patterned after a Ken Smith). I've gotten great sound (both live and studio) out of all of these instruments. Bought my Dingwall ABZ5 a couple years ago and its the one. To my ears, its not just the B-string. My other basses now get used for practice with headphones. When its time to plug in to an amp, rehearse and play gigs, only the Dingwall gets any action.
I'm going to be a curmudgeon for a sec: Sometimes I love the TB answers.
"Go try a Dingwall. Go try a Roscoe."
You might as well say "Go test ride a unicorn." Until TB I had never even heard of these brands and I've been at this for a while. I've never seen anyone playing either of these brands or would even begin to guess on where to go to try one out.
Happens with cabs all the time too. "Bergantino cabs are great" or "You should check out fEARful." Cool; and I hear Sasquatch is tall.
I think people should add qualifiers to their questions like "What is the best X for Y that exists in this physical reality and/or I don't have to sell a child into slavery to afford."
Rant over.
"Go try a Dingwall. Go try a Roscoe."
You might as well say "Go test ride a unicorn." Until TB I had never even heard of these brands and I've been at this for a while. I've never seen anyone playing either of these brands or would even begin to guess on where to go to try one out.
Happens with cabs all the time too. "Bergantino cabs are great" or "You should check out fEARful." Cool; and I hear Sasquatch is tall.
I think people should add qualifiers to their questions like "What is the best X for Y that exists in this physical reality and/or I don't have to sell a child into slavery to afford."
Rant over.
That's fair. I didn't know about some brands either. However, you did ask of "best low B string in the Biz" not just that you have heard of or could afford.
Modulus Quantum 5. It's clean, clear, crisp, deep, it growls, and everything in between. When I go to a gig with an unknown back line, I take the Q because I know it sounds good through anything with no EQ-ing or futzing around necessary. When I bring multiple basses to a gig, a jam, whatever I have had people politely ask if I can switch back to the Q.
the best B i've ever encountered was on a modulus 5 string. i found it at new jersey guitar and bass center* while shopping for my dream bass**. i never could get used to the feel of a string in the middle of the neck (i can play a 4- or a 6- but a 5- feels awkward); i would have bought it otherwise. STRONG fundamental and sustain for hours.
* i am not affiliated in any way. by the way, as i write, their website lists 2 modulus quantum 5s in stock.
** i eventually chose a pedulla buzz 4.
* i am not affiliated in any way. by the way, as i write, their website lists 2 modulus quantum 5s in stock.
** i eventually chose a pedulla buzz 4.
As an owner of a Dingwall ABZ 5, this description make a lot of sense to me.
As far as the bigger question of the "best" 5, I have no idea. It may be a long journey for you to figure that out on your own. My only advice is to try and enjoy said journey. Sometimes the journey is just as fun as the destination.
I didn't ask anything because it isn't my thread; but that's a fair point. Which is why I said people should use some qualifiers if they want realistic responses. Sometimes TB thread look like this:
OP "I"m looking for a new car that handles really well"
Resp1 "The suspension on my Ferrari is awesome."
Resp2 "I had my car custom built by a company that builds 2 a year. Handles great."
OP "I wasn't looking for a sports car."
Resp2 "If you don't want this rare feature on this hand built car, then you can't really have good handling."
Sometimes I just have to shake my head and wonder what alternate realities people live in.
Aah another scale length thread. My 38" parallel fret has a great B, and the rest of the strings have more depth and complimentary undertones than anything I've heard from a fanned fret bass.
the alembic i used to have was a 36" and it had an amazing sounding B string. best i've ever heard
A bit curmudgeonly, but its cool...have your rant...feel better? I too had never heard of Dingwall before spending time here. I said to myself: "Self...what is this Dingwall thing I keep seeing?" Searched more online, found Dingwall's website, learned the what, how, and why and it made sense to me. I certainly wouldn't spend a lot of $ on something I never had a chance to check out in person, so lucky for me I live close to the aforementioned NJ Guitar and Bass center. There I was able to demo back to back a Pedulla MVP5, A Modulus Quantum 5, and an EBMM SR5 (as a reference). The Dingwall was different, and better IMO. There was a noticeable difference without even plugging into an amp. An ABZ is the entry point for a made in Canada Dingwall, and I don't believe its any more pricey than your Pedulla. I've managed to lasso two unicorns here...maybe I should play the lottery?
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
The LB series is 34". Great B string but it does suffer from wolftones up the neck.
Bit of an aside, but this is one reason why I try to attend GTG's in my area.
There were a bunch of different basses represented at the recent BassBootCamp in Philadelphia, and most people are happy to let you check them out - and I'm not just talking about the vendors in the Expo.
I knew someone was bringing a Dingwall and I had a chance to play it a bit and find out how the fanned fret thing really feels.
Anyone who wanted to check out my Roscoe needed only to ask.
I can't speak for everyone but I wouldn't bring out a bass I wouldn't be comfortable letting another interested player check out.
Undertones is probably the wrong word for it...When you play your low B, you hear a collection of sounds. You will primarily hear tones at 61.74hz and 123.47Hz, but the true sound of a low B is 30.87Hz. This octave becomes more apparent with a longer string length, although some people may like it and others not- there's not much fatness at 30.87Hz!
