ah, I see what you mean now. reflection of blue and red lights from a show we did. here's what I do to purple:
As bought for $99:
As modded, now "Hello Kitty,"
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As bought for $99:
As modded, now "Hello Kitty,"
Ok, Fat Beams arrived today and now on the bass. NO B string breakage.
Of note: I followed DR's installation instructions to the letter, meaning I didn't stretch them at all. Other strings I've used will give me tuning issues if I don't, but I'm giving these DR's every chance to behave themselves. It would be nice if the lack of stretching made them last longer. It's possible; fewer metal molecules moving around within the structure.
So far I'm chalking up the lack of B-string breakage to round core vs hex core, either lower inherent tension or the string being able to slip a bit inside the windings.
Right now they sound good, pretty much as they did on DR's website - more upper mid bark than their other strings. Bit damn these have a lot of high end! Tweeter off for sure. They're not fret-clanky as many bright strings are.
But not out of the woods yet - haven't played them with a band. Rehearsal tonight, we'll see.
Of note: I followed DR's installation instructions to the letter, meaning I didn't stretch them at all. Other strings I've used will give me tuning issues if I don't, but I'm giving these DR's every chance to behave themselves. It would be nice if the lack of stretching made them last longer. It's possible; fewer metal molecules moving around within the structure.
So far I'm chalking up the lack of B-string breakage to round core vs hex core, either lower inherent tension or the string being able to slip a bit inside the windings.
Right now they sound good, pretty much as they did on DR's website - more upper mid bark than their other strings. Bit damn these have a lot of high end! Tweeter off for sure. They're not fret-clanky as many bright strings are.
But not out of the woods yet - haven't played them with a band. Rehearsal tonight, we'll see.
If the string is too long, the wound part of the string will wrap the tuner. The fat B string cannot handle the stress of being wrapped, and breaks. DR strings are known for this.
where have you been throughout this discussion?
anyway, rehearsal cancelled tonight, will report when I put some miles on the Fat Beams B string. so far so good though.
An epilogue to wrap this up.
Back from rehearsal. Fat Beams held up well. B-string no breakee, and even though they are bright as anything, I like them a lot with the tweeter turned off. Midrange really pops while keeping a lot of meat in the overall sound.
Of all people, my wife made a good observation. We talk a lot about each other's stuff, even though she doesn't quite get the music equipment thing and I definitely don't get nursing. Anyway, I was telling her about he hex vs round cores; one breaks and the other doesn't. "It's too much stress on the hex core. The round has more mass and can move just enough..." She got it right away. Amazing, out of the mouths of babes...
So this turned out to be a good exercise; you helped me figure out what makes DR B-strings break on my bass, and what DR B-strings I can use (round cores.) And the Fat-beams are killer, lemme tell ya.
thanks!
Back from rehearsal. Fat Beams held up well. B-string no breakee, and even though they are bright as anything, I like them a lot with the tweeter turned off. Midrange really pops while keeping a lot of meat in the overall sound.
Of all people, my wife made a good observation. We talk a lot about each other's stuff, even though she doesn't quite get the music equipment thing and I definitely don't get nursing. Anyway, I was telling her about he hex vs round cores; one breaks and the other doesn't. "It's too much stress on the hex core. The round has more mass and can move just enough..." She got it right away. Amazing, out of the mouths of babes...
So this turned out to be a good exercise; you helped me figure out what makes DR B-strings break on my bass, and what DR B-strings I can use (round cores.) And the Fat-beams are killer, lemme tell ya.
thanks!
One final thing... A shout-out to Jason at Bass Strings Online. I discovered from this thread that he has DR make for him B strings in a shorter speaking length, meaning no break. Just saying, I'll be buying my stuff from him because of this.
- Sep 9, 2007
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- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
Your wife is onto something, although it's not entirely correct.
Because of the hex shape, the cover wires are allowed to "dig in" more to the core wire, which lends to the stiffness. This doesn't happen as much with a round core; because of the shape, it will lead to a comparatively looser wind (all things being equal). So, while the breakage IS due to more stress being on the hex core from the cover wires, it's due to the shape of the core wire and not so much the added mass of the round core.
Thanks, Jon, good stuff! I'll tell her. She won't be impressed, however. She knows she's always right...
Question for you guys while were talking about this.
I've got a Fender MIM active jazz 5 with the 5 inline headstock. I'm a huge DR nickel lo riders fan. The increased tension is a must for me if I'm going to avoid full on clank mode. I'm too heavy handed. The first set I put on this bass, the B string broke at the post just like we're talking about. I put a different brand, same diameter (130) B on as a temporary replacement which did fine for a couple of weeks. Got a replacement lo rider B and its been fine ever since. I put the same set (45-130) on a Yamaha and it did fine as well. I love these strings but I can't see taking the chance of a breakage anytime I change strings.
Is there another set of strings from a different brand with the same qualities: Nickel, high tension, 45-130 that'll work on a 34" scale?
I've got a Fender MIM active jazz 5 with the 5 inline headstock. I'm a huge DR nickel lo riders fan. The increased tension is a must for me if I'm going to avoid full on clank mode. I'm too heavy handed. The first set I put on this bass, the B string broke at the post just like we're talking about. I put a different brand, same diameter (130) B on as a temporary replacement which did fine for a couple of weeks. Got a replacement lo rider B and its been fine ever since. I put the same set (45-130) on a Yamaha and it did fine as well. I love these strings but I can't see taking the chance of a breakage anytime I change strings.
Is there another set of strings from a different brand with the same qualities: Nickel, high tension, 45-130 that'll work on a 34" scale?
That's a problem on that bass because it has small posts.
If you like the DRs, maybe contact Jason at Bass Strings online. They sell a DR .130 that has a shorter speaking length that will probably work.
Alternately, and I do this all the time, I buy a 4 string set of whatever I like and put on a different B string, but one that matches as closely as i can get. I'd look for similar materials and construction (steel vs nickel, hex vs round). If volume is different I simply adjust it at the saddle to be the correct volume; volume across the strings on a 5-string with flat pickups is a compromise anyway. The B is rather indistinct too, and I don't spend much time on it. I usually don't even change it as often as i do the other 4 strings. For me, the B is just not that big a deal; but I want it to not break. The Fat Beams (round core) have been good so far.
I think i'll contact Jason and see what he says. I'm thinking do a 4 string set and maybe get a medium scale B string and see if that works.
While part of the problem with the jazz is that the posts are smaller diameter, the real problem is that the B tuner is too close to the nut and the length of the outer winding is critical to end in that small space between the nut and the post. Headstocks that are 2 x 3 and even mostly those that are 3 x 2 config using smaller tuners just don't have that problem.
You need to measure from the ball (wherever you mount it- top or thru) to the nut and to the tuner post. Only strings that end the outer wrap between those two measurements are safe bets against breakage.
If anyone is going to NAMM, ask DR why they continue to make B strings that do not fit properly on 34" scale basses, Fender in particular. The more I think about it, even though I have gotten Fat Beams to work on my bass, it's still a concern and therefore a pita. There are too many excellent brands to have to put up with this. For the money, D'Addario is still the string to beat.
I think Dr tries to make the strings fit thru-body mounting also, but with Fender/Fender style headstocks and the near proximity of the nut to the B or E tuner, there's not enough space there for the flexibility of being able to mount both ways.
Most other basses don't have this issue.
Maybe DR should make 2 sets of strings just so they can be mounted thru-body or top load just for Fender/clones.
Most other basses don't have this issue.
Maybe DR should make 2 sets of strings just so they can be mounted thru-body or top load just for Fender/clones.
I'm not going to speculate on why DR does things. I just know that people have problems with those B strings. The DR strings have a speaking length that is comparable to super-long in other brands, but those other brands make other scale lengths which fit just fine.
Considering the "standard" 5-string bass these days is 34" scale , top-load (AKA Fender), it's a real head-scratcher.
