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Have you ever received a new bass with dead B-string?

Lunatique

Lunatique

Nov 23, 2007
937
1,636
Lincoln, CA
www.ethereality.info
#1
I just got a new Ibanez EHB1505, the B string is completely missing that metallic zing that new roundwound strings are supposed to have. Compared to the other strings, it sounds totally dead. All the examples I've heard of on YouTube don't sound like this, but they're pretty much all videos of the multi-scale version, and mine is the normal scale. Still, none of my other 5-string basses ever had the B string sound this dead when it's new roundwounds. I'm wondering if I should buy a new B string and see if that makes any difference--just in case when the factory put the strings on, they happened to put on a dead B string without realizing it.

Has this ever happened to any of you? Is it just bad luck that I got a dead B-string on a new bass that was just released and started shipping? I'm a bit nervous that if I buy a new B-string and put it on and it'll still sound dead--that would be a deal-breaker and I'd have to return the bass.
 
#5
I assumed the strings on your EHB1505 are D'Addario's like the ones they put on the cheaper EHB1005MS?

Ibanez used to put on Elixir strings as factory default, which coating would make the strings last longer, at least until the instruments reached the customers' hands. Now, they rely more on D'Addario which cost a lot cheaper than the Elixir, but also with the cost of dead string possibilities when the instruments reach the customers.

I suggest buying a single D'Addario XL Nickel 130 low-B string if the stock one bothers you or change the whole set if you have other strings of your own preference.

The stock low-B on my EHB1005MS is okay, though.
 
#7
I called Guitar Center and I played them my bass over the phone, and the guys said, "Yeah, even over the phone that B-string sounds totally dead." He got permission to send me a new set so I can put a fresh B-string on, to make sure it's just the string and not the bass. If it turns out to be the bass, then I'll have to return it for exchange because who wants a bass that has a dead sounding B-string no matter if the string is fresh or not?
 
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#11
Lunatique said:
Okay, the new strings arrived, and yep, it was indeed a dud B-string that Ibanez's Indonesian factory put on my bass, and as soon as I swapped it out with the fresh B-string, I got that metallic zing that was missing.
Click to expand...
Like I asked earlier: Did the original string have a purple Ball end? That would have shown it was a D'Addorio B string. I am just curious what the string in question was. I have not seen many bad D'Addorio's if any.
 
#12
TN WOODMAN said:
Every bass I've ever received was missing the B string completely. By choice.
Click to expand...
Yeah, what he said..:smug: Seriously, though; No, I don't think I've ever gotten a bass - new or used - with a dead string. But, I'd agree that, since the B string is an add-on to a 4-string set; and since Ibanez almost certainly bought them in bulk? You're chances of getting a dud are higher than normal. But, personally? Factory strings on a bass of mine don't usually last much past the first function check, anyway. And, if they're D'Addarios? They definitely don't last past the function check. With very few exceptions, their strings and I don't get along - at all...:whistle:
 
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#13
FunkHead said:
Like I asked earlier: Did the original string have a purple Ball end? That would have shown it was a D'Addorio B string. I am just curious what the string in question was. I have not seen many bad D'Addorio's if any.
Click to expand...
Yes, the original string on the bass had purple ball-end, just like the new one I swapped it out with. So my guess is they have a stash of the .130 B-strings at the Indonesian factory, and they put the EXL165 pack on the 5-string basses because they also have a stash of the EXL165, but not the EXL165-5, and then just put an additional .130 onto the bass. So either the .130 they put on mine was a dud, or it's been sitting around for too long.
 
#14
GIBrat51 said:
Yeah, what he said..:smug: Seriously, though; No, I don't think I've ever gotten a bass - new or used - with a dead string. But, I'd agree that, since the B string is an add-on to a 4-string set; and since Ibanez almost certainly bought them in bulk? You're chances of getting a dud are higher than normal. But, personally? Factory strings on a bass of mine don't usually last much past the first function check, anyway. And, if they're D'Addarios? They definitely don't last past the function check. With very few exceptions, their strings and I don't get along - at all...:whistle:
Click to expand...

I'm not a fan of these strings either, mostly because rounds just feel a bit rough and not as comfortable. I'll probably replace them with bright-sounding flats or tapes once these lose their fresh zing.
 
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#15
Lunatique said:
Yes, the original string on the bass had purple ball-end, just like the new one I swapped it out with. So my guess is they have a stash of the .130 B-strings at the Indonesian factory, and they put the EXL165 pack on the 5-string basses because they also have a stash of the EXL165, but not the EXL165-5, and then just put an additional .130 onto the bass. So either the .130 they put on mine was a dud, or it's been sitting around for too long.
Click to expand...
I am glad they sent you a new set. I really love these strings and I have them on My Mayones Slogan 5 string.
I really hope their QC isn't slipping.

Anyhow, Glad you got it sorted and enjoy the new bass.:bassist:
 
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#16
Firstly, I don't buy new basses... so I can't tell ya my experiences with them.

But with any bass I buy (used) that has good sounding strings... I will typically leave those strings on for a while, since strings cost a lot and if I like the feel and sound then that's good enough.

Secondly, any new bass that comes with brand name strings is worth leaving those strings on, imho, if they aren't faulty or worn out. Nothing wrong with D'addario - they were my string of choice for many years, without any endorsement deal. But they do occasionally get a dud... like my current damned set that has a dud B string. Pisses me off - totally dead open and fretted right from the start, and every attempt to see if I twisted it just makes it more dead sounding.

Maybe it's time for me to go back to Elixers.... I love some D'addario 4 string sets, but the B strings do occasionally sound like crud with this brand, imho, from my personal experience... yadda yadaa... ymmv. :)

I'm really happy that they sent you a new string and it sounds great - that's awesome care they took of you!
 
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#17
I had exactly the same experience with my new EHB1005. I replace the B-string and solved everything. I though the dealer might have put on an old string but went to the Ibanez web sight and saw "D'Addario® EXL165 + .130" as mentioned above. I also have an EHB1505 on the way and hope it doesn't have the same "dead" B-string.

By the way, I also thought the BH-2 pickups sounded a bit dull until I replace all the strings on the EHB1005 and that did help a lot, making me think that the first 4 strings may not have been all that fresh but not nearly as bad as the total thud from the B-string.
 

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