Club Fbass (thread 13)

[monsterthompson]

Just action/intonation required to switch.

I loved the tone of the F-bass strings, but couldn't get past the weird warbly noise (discussed elsewhere in this thread) that becomes prevalent above the 12th fret... (which I personally believe to be overtones caused by the difference in string mass between the normal and exposed parts of the string - the ratio of which increases as notes are fretted further up the neck).

That said, it doesn't seem to bother others... So not sure what the differentiating factors are (specific basses, ears, preamp settings, etc)

This is what I’m a bit concerned about, along with strung availability. I’ve had tapered strings before and been a little unsure of them. I’m probably transferring that to the exposed core. I’ve read other threads with mention of the warble.

Is the bridge easily accepting of “”standard” string sizes? I’ve had experience with 5 string basses that aren’t happy loading certain B strings due to the wrap.

 

[Acoustic356]

@monsterthompson I use Fodera strings on my Fodera, Fibonare, and F-Bass.

I love their presence, and they seem to last forever.

With that said, I had to do A LOT of set up when I swapped out the F-Bass strings.

 

[Dave Hill]

This is what I’m a bit concerned about, along with strung availability. I’ve had tapered strings before and been a little unsure of them. I’m probably transferring that to the exposed core. I’ve read other threads with mention of the warble.

Is the bridge easily accepting of “”standard” string sizes? I’ve had experience with 5 string basses that aren’t happy loading certain B strings due to the wrap.

Its a Hipshot B; no troubles.
I've never experienced a warble.
If you get a BN5/6, you should at least give the the Fbass strings a shot. George's basses have arrived where they are from a purposeful design and subsequent evolution...including the strings.
If you don't like them, trash 'em, put on your favs, and adjust the bridge.
No sweat!

 

[monsterthompson]

Its a Hipshot B; no troubles.
I've never experienced a warble.
If you get a BN5/6, you should at least give the the Fbass strings a shot. George's basses have arrived where they are from a purposeful design and subsequent evolution...including the strings.
If you don't like them, trash 'em, put on your favs, and adjust the bridge.
No sweat!

That’s what I was hoping to hear.
I’m likely going to get to a dealer in the next week, so I’m hoping to experience them in person

 

[groovin_bassman]

I have never had the chance to play the F Bass strings, but hope to do so in the near future... until then, Dean Markley SR2000’s (exposed core strings) are what I’ve been using and they are absolutely killer!

 

[Tom7]

I use FBass (exposed core) strings on my BN6s, and round wounds on my BN5.

I do get the warble with my BN6s and FBass strings, but since BN6s have a C string, I find I don't play above the 14th fret very often on a 6-string bass, and when the strings break in, the warble goes away.

I hate the warble period, but I love FBass strings enough to put up with it. They are thick and that mass vibrating over the pickups contributes to the meaty tone, but the exposed core wire over the bridge saddles makes the strings really soft to play.

I think that the softness of the strings improves my technique and makes me articulate my lines more, rather than just play them straight and boring like a piano would.

And I think the softness of the FBass strings helps me a bit with fatigue too, which matters more to me these days because I've had operations on my hands and they are not at all as strong as they used to be.

The bridge of the BNs is totally adjustable for whatever strings you want to experiment with; I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[Tom7]

About to place an order on my first F Bass!

A couple questions for you all...

Can BNs get vintage and growly? I prefer the BN as I really dig the matching pickup covers and the new pickguard shape they’ve been using with some BNs recently.

Has anyone regretted not getting fret dots on a plain maple fingerboard?

Are exposed pole pieces an up charge?

A just for fun - I’m going for a coral pink finish over an ash body. Trans or solid finish?

Thanks all!

I'm surprised the guys haven't been talking about the pickups on BNs.

The BN series has a pickup made by George (not Aguilar) that are AMAZING in my opinion.

BN pickups are *STACKED* single coil pickups.

On basses built after 2004*, the default is single coil. In single coil mode, the BN is growly, thick, meaty, and aggressive if you make it so with the preamp controls.

However, if you pull up on the bridge volume knob, you put the pickups into hum-cancelling mode. In hum cancelling mode, the bass still has a Jazz Bass vibe, but the tone is smoother and sweeter. Think Nathan East.

When I can only bring one bass to a gig, it is almost always an FBass BN5 or BN6. They are just far more versatile in tone than any other bass I've played.

* Before 2004, hum bucking was the default and you had to pull the knob up to get the biting single coil sound.

 

[Tom7]

About to place an order on my first F Bass!

A couple questions for you all...

Can BNs get vintage and growly? I prefer the BN as I really dig the matching pickup covers and the new pickguard shape they’ve been using with some BNs recently.

Has anyone regretted not getting fret dots on a plain maple fingerboard?

Are exposed pole pieces an up charge?

A just for fun - I’m going for a coral pink finish over an ash body. Trans or solid finish?

Thanks all!

As for fret dots, I like wood, and I don't like covering it up — especially when it is pretty.

Besides, and this is dumb, but I like it when other musicians can't instantly tell where I am on my finger board. I know (hopefully), because I have dots on top that I can see, but others are going to have to try a bit harder.

I don't know why I like that; I know it's dumb, but it has a very very very itty bitty bit of appeal to me.

 

[Tom7]

About to place an order on my first F Bass!

A couple questions for you all...

Can BNs get vintage and growly? I prefer the BN as I really dig the matching pickup covers and the new pickguard shape they’ve been using with some BNs recently.

Has anyone regretted not getting fret dots on a plain maple fingerboard?

Are exposed pole pieces an up charge?

A just for fun - I’m going for a coral pink finish over an ash body. Trans or solid finish?

Thanks all!

I should talk about the pickup placement too. On a BN5, the woods are like the 1970s Fender Jazz basses: ash bodies and maple fingerboards, however the pickups approximate the placement of 1960s Fender Jazz basses, which had alder bodies and rosewood fingerboards.

This mix of 70s woods with 60s pickup placement, in my opinion at least, adds to the BN series' versatility.

Thanks to the organic FBass preamp, I think a BN5 can dial in an awfully good 60s tone and a great 70s tone.

It's easy to be impressed with a BN5 when you first handle it, but when you really get to know her, she is simply irresistible.

 

[Tom7]

This is a little thing really, but BNs are 34.5 inches in scale length, a half inch longer than a standard Fender Jazz Bass.

That makes their B strings tight and chest crushingly solid.

However, when you increase the scale length of a bass, you don't just tighten the B string, all strings are affected.

Which brings me to the C string on a BN6.

I eventually sold my Fodera and my Yamaha 6ers, because I just stopped playing them.

35 inches makes for a tighter B string, but to my ears, it makes the C string so tight that it is strident and tinny sounding, and doesn't sound like a bass in tone.

The 34.5 inch scale length of an FBass BN6, however, hits that sweet spot of a great B string and a great C string, so for 6-string basses, I'm pretty sure I'll only be an FBass man.

 

[monsterthompson]

...but when you really get to know her, she is simply irresistible.

 

[bass08053]

I just want to say that everything @Tom7 said rings true as usual. 1000% agree with all his BN thoughts. I’ve played so many basses out there and nothing is a chameleon like a BN. It just fits to any style you want to play.

 

[Acoustic356]

I have found 1 flaw in my F Bass that is ANNOYING and I found this at the worst possible time - while on stage.

Black dots, half on a dark fingerboard, with a non-reflective white circle?

On a blacklight/dark stage... you are LOST.

 

[TolerancEJ]

I have found 1 flaw in my F Bass that is ANNOYING and I found this at the worst possible time - while on stage.

Black dots, half on a dark fingerboard, with a non-reflective white circle?

On a blacklight/dark stage... you are LOST.

View attachment 3508396

These were recommended by Roger in the Sadowsky Club. If they're approved by him, they must be good.
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[Acoustic356]

These were recommended by Roger in the Sadowsky Club. If they're approved by him, they must be good.
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Thanks! This is exactly what I have been searching for all day....(instead of working...) JK

 

[Dave Hill]

Thanks! This is exactly what I have been searching for all day....(instead of working...) JK

Just put those on my 70 P!

 

[TolerancEJ]

Thanks! This is exactly what I have been searching for all day....(instead of working...) JK

You're not the only one

 

[wthompson007]

Just curious....
Side dots only, or did you also apply the face dots?

 

[petebass90]

Yes I agree they must be an annoyance that's why I always go with Luminlay dots. Now they have blue and green colors! I got blue haha

 

[wthompson007]

Yes I agree they must be an annoyance that's why I always go with Luminlay dots. Now they have blue and green colors! I got blue haha

I had the problem of disappearing dots on my VFPJ. I have a rosewood board with white pearloid dots. You'd think no problem, but in some situations they just disappear. So when I had my VFJJ built, luminlay all the way! I went with green.