Floppy B String

[bigboy_78]

I was playing a few 5-strings recently, thinking of picking one up to use on heavier tracks and covers where a 5-string was used originally.

They all seemed to have very little tension on the B-string. Is this a common thing or was I just playing poorly set-up basses?

I had in my hands a US Fender Jazz V Deluxe, a Yamaha BB (something), G&L-L2500 and some version of Warwick. This was a second –hand shop, so basically every fiver they had. I wasn’t looking at price, just feeling the necks to see if I liked them. The G&L was probably my favourite, but the B string on all of them felt saggy and non-responsive under my fingers

 

[darkstorm]

Most basses have a weak or floppy B in my experience both trying and listening to bands live. Very few have a good sounding B string imo. Lackland and Modulas have better then averrage sounding low B as does Carvin from ones Ive heard bass players playing.

 

[mmbongo]

Sounds like you're hearing a combination of poor strings and 34" scale basses. I use .135 B strings on my 35" scale basses for a nice tight B string. Of course it does not hurt that my basses are USA Spector and Laklands

 

[grendle]

Sounds like you're hearing a combination of poor strings and 34" scale basses. I use .135 B strings on my 35" scale basses for a nice tight B string. Of course it does not hurt that my basses are USA Spector and Laklands

None of the spectors I have played had a floppy b. Its all in the construction and strings imo. The b on the legends are damn good. My NSCR was 34" and had a great b as well.

 

[Moe Monsarrat]

Mine are not floppy. Try EB flats and a 5er w/35" scale.

 

[Disappear]

Sounds like you're hearing a combination of poor strings and 34" scale basses.

This is the answer.

I use .135 B strings on my 35" scale basses for a nice tight B string.

None of the spectors I have played had a floppy b. Its all in the construction and strings imo. The b on the legends are damn good. My NSCR was 34" and had a great b as well.

Mine are not floppy. Try EB flats and a 5er w/35" scale.

Common denominator seems to be personal opinion of "tight"


::Edit::

Why is this not in the strings forum?

 

[bigboy_78]

So the general opinion seems to be the useless (IMO) lower string is a symptom of cheaper basses, but could be overcome by using heavier gauge strings.

 

[nutso42]

Try using a different brand of string (and +1 to the .135 gauge recommendation)

I have a Traben Chaos 5 with a .135 S.I.T b-string, and no problems.

 

[bigboy_78]

Try using a different brand of string (and +1 to the .135 gauge recommendation)

I have a Traben Chaos 5 with a .135 S.I.T b-string, and no problems.

Unfortunately around here they don't let you change the strings before you buy the bass...... but it does sound like it is a string issue not a bass design issue.

 

[Munjibunga]

Buy stiffer strings.

 

[Wookieonbass]

I'm no expert but I've owned and played a number of 5ers and it seems to me like its mostly a string issue. I have run across a couple though where the necks were a bit too thin and they had a bit of a problem with a floppy B.

 

[Mike M.]

I have a 2011 Fender Am Std 5 string Jazz bass and use DR Nickel Lo-Riders (hex core) with a .130 for the B. Works very well for me.

 

[pacojas]

it's not always the bass or strings. sometimes it's the players touch! there's really no need to do anything other than strike the B nearer the bridge or lighten the touch. it's simple physics, IME.

 

[J.D.B.]

it's not always the bass or strings. sometimes it's the players touch! there's really no need to do anything other than strike the B nearer the bridge or lighten the touch. it's simple physics, IME.

Exactly how I handle them!


Josh

 

[two fingers]

This is hard to explain but here goes.....
I play hard (really hard). And I attack my B string from a different angle and closer to the bridge than the others. Luckily I have long fingers so I don't have to move around much to get this done. I prop my thumb on the bridge pickup (Fender Roscoe Beck 5 usually) and for the E-G strings I pluck right over the pickup. And for the B I pluck at the back edge of the pickup. But go back and play those basses again. And this time try some different things on the low B. Don't just go at it as an E string only bigger. The physics of a B string is different so play it differently.

 

[Themthafqnman]

I use Ernie ball power slinky's , they are firm, but not to firm, plus they bring out the Lb string very nicely.

 

[bigboy_78]

But go back and play those basses again. And this time try some different things on the low B. Don't just go at it as an E string only bigger. The physics of a B string is different so play it differently.

This is probably what I’ll do. Yesterday was the first time I’d even touched a 5-string. I was originally more concerned about the size of the neck, the Fender felt like I was playing a surfboard. I have small hands and struggled to even fret the B string.

I only played them acoustically, so I’ll go back and plug them in hopefully they don’t sound as loose as they feel.

 

[Themthafqnman]

You will notice i big difference when you plug in, the tone of a B string is very low and deep, you will be able to hear it when you plug in.

 

[boristhespider9]

"A bass has 4 strings."

- Donald "Duck" Dunn

Problem solved.

 

[sonic assassin]

it's not always the bass or strings. sometimes it's the players touch! there's really no need to do anything other than strike the B nearer the bridge or lighten the touch. it's simple physics, IME.

this.

This is hard to explain but here goes.....
I play hard (really hard). And I attack my B string from a different angle and closer to the bridge than the others. Luckily I have long fingers so I don't have to move around much to get this done. I prop my thumb on the bridge pickup (Fender Roscoe Beck 5 usually) and for the E-G strings I pluck right over the pickup. And for the B I pluck at the back edge of the pickup. But go back and play those basses again. And this time try some different things on the low B. Don't just go at it as an E string only bigger. The physics of a B string is different so play it differently.

this.

"A bass has 4 strings."

- Donald "Duck" Dunn

Problem solved.

not this. dont be ignorant.