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E string goes BOING!

Camaro69

Camaro69

Mar 6, 2013
8,081
23,420
Desert, Colorado
#1
2 different J basses, 2 different brands of strings & guages

At the C# they go more "boing" with an occolation sine wave type sound rather than a smooth note. Does not repeat on same note on A string.

Using 105-50 XL chromes on one and 100-45 9050 Fenders on the other (both flats)

Any ideas? I have raised with the set up some, but it makes it suck to play with that much room to the board...:hmm:
 
#2
Not enough tension in the string to keep it stable. The only company I know that has single flats available for low C#, something like a 120 or so, is GHS flats, which are available as singles from basstringsonline.com .
 
#5
I may have misunderstood. I thought the OP was tuning down. Does he mean the E string on the 9th fret? If so then because of the thickness of the E string, it will have less overtones and sound darker than the same note fretted on the A string at the 4th fret.
 
#6
Yes sorry, 4 string basses. E string 9th fret, gets worse as you move toward 12-15 frets.
Playing finger style, typically just ahead of neck pup toward the neck.

It is a tad darker, but was wondering why I don't have a consistent clarity (smooth and "piano like" if you will), but almost a boing or sine-wave type sound.

Am curious about the tension though since these are higher tension, but raising the saddle takes some of the oscillation type sound out...


And thank you all for your responses
 
#7
So I went thru and did a proper set up on both, which lessened the boing-type strings.
On the CV Jazz its almost not noticable, the VM jazz is better, but noticable at the 12th fret still.

Anyone else have a similar issue? Different with lesser tensiones flats maybe?
 
#8
If I play my Spector too hard the B string goes bwow. I've got tapewounds on that boy.

If I play it nice and gentle it sounds great though. I was considering fixing it but I decided to use it as a training tool to reel in how hard I play. So far the results are pretty awesome.
 
#9
Have you tried plucking the string closer to the bridge? I don't know where you place your right hand to play, but I have found that playing close to the neck sounds great for the first 2-3 frets, then I play over the center pickup until I get to about the 10th fret, then I move closer to the bridge pickup for anything further up the neck. Might be worth trying to see if it makes a difference.
 
#10
This kind of 'boing' sound may be caused by a twisted string. Just release it, make sure it isn't twisted between ball end and tuning peg and bring it to tension again.

Also make sure the strings bend sharply over the nut and the saddles. To accomplish this, press them down fimly just behind the nut and the saddles.

Let us know if it helped.
 

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