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Highest tension B string or a 5er?

bakeronbass

bakeronbass

Apr 3, 2007
231
1
Humboldt Ca
www.myspace.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist; Schroeder Cabinets
#1
Title pretty much says it all. I have searched and could not come up with an answer.

I'm trying to nail down which 5 string bass has the B string with the most tension?

Is it all in the scale lenth of the bass and the basses composite?
Is it all in the set of strings?

If you think its the string or guage then what string and guage?

Is there a way to accurately measure string tension?

My opinion is that a 35 in scale vs. a 34 makes a huge difference in B string tension.

I use Diadarrio (modulus factory)nickel rounds 45 to 130.
The B string tension on the modulus is the tightest I have experienced.

Thanks in advance for your input?
 
#6
IMO and IME I like Sadowsky SS strings, simply because of their hexcore design. They took my 34" bass and made the B string as tight as my 35" Lakland. Another thing that has everything to do with string tension, or a decent feeling B string, is the quality of the bass you're playing. I know for a fact that the Skjold I played a while ago had one of the nicest B strings I have ever played. It was just as nice, if not nicer than my Lakland, which is notorious for having great B strings. I can't say what the scale length was but I do know that Skjold makes good quality instruments and the string tension on that bass was great.
 
#7
I'm with you guys on the Dingwall & I've owned a Z1, but Knuckle Guitar Works has a 39" B (or F#) available - the may be the tightest by virtue of the laws of physics.

Link Removed
This is not even IMHO - I'm just taking a wild guess.
 
#8
My vote goes for Dingwall too. Not only the B-string feels and sounds like heaven, but the tension across the strings is even, due to the fanned fret design. The G string on conventional basses with longer scales feels stiffer (I've owned anything from 33" to 36" parallel fret basses)
 
#10
fullrangebass said:
My vote goes for Dingwall too. Not only the B-string feels and sounds like heaven, but the tension across the strings is even, due to the fanned fret design. The G string on conventional basses with longer scales feels stiffer (I've owned anything from 33" to 36" parallel fret basses)
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+1 on the stiff G string. my spector rebop has a great B string, but the G sometimes feels awkward
 
#11
This is something I learned after two years of developing strings for my custom sets .

A 135 is going to produce more tension ( pull ) on the neck regardless of scale length but a 125 is going to FEEL more tight and less floppy . So if you put a 135 on a 34 inch scale neck it will appear to feel floppier that the lighter string even though it is producing more tension . The longer you make the scale the more tight feeling a string will feel ( hence Dinwall using shorter scales for the lighter strings ) . If you are going to use a really heavy string you will want a longer scale . I have found that a 128 works best on my scale length ( 35 ) to produce a full sound and tight feel . 125's also work great .

Try a lighter gauge B and see what you get . My guess is you will get a clearer sounding tighter feeling B .

Pete
 
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#12
Pete skjold said:
This is something I learned after two years of developing strings for my custom sets .

A 135 is going to produce more tension ( pull ) on the neck regardless of scale length but a 125 is going to FEEL more tight and less floppy . So if you put a 135 on a 34 inch scale neck it will appear to feel floppier that the lighter string even though it is producing more tension . The longer you make the scale the more tight feeling a string will feel ( hence Dinwall using shorter scales for the lighter strings ) . If you are going to use a really heavy string you will want a longer scale . I have found that a 128 works best on my scale length ( 35 ) to produce a full sound and tight feel . 125's also work great .

Try a lighter gauge B and see what you get . My guess is you will get a clearer sounding tighter feeling B .

Pete
Click to expand...

In my limited understanding of the physics of bass strings I always "assumed" that the higher gauge string would produce the "tighter" feel and would be less floppy. I have, in the past, passed up some strings because the "B" was a .125 or .128 because I just thought that it would be floppier. As a player, the practical thing is for the B-string to feel tighter and to be less floppy. Obvioiusly tension and the feeling of a tight string are interrelated, but whether or not the string has more/less tension is really secondary to me. It's the feel that's most important.

Thanks for the insight. :)
 
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#13
Hawkeye said:
In my limited understanding of the physics of bass strings I always "assumed" that the higher gauge string would produce the "tighter" feel and would be less floppy. I have, in the past, passed up some strings because the "B" was a .125 or .128 because I just thought that it would be floppier. As a player, the practical thing is for the B-string to feel tighter and to be less floppy. Obvioiusly tension and the feeling of a tight string are interrelated, but whether or not the string has more/less tension is really secondary to me. It's the feel that's most important.

Thanks for the insight. :)
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I used to think too , bigger string more tension tighter feel . I was using some of the heaviest strings at one point and still not feeling the tightness I wanted . Then as I was developing the custom strings It was explained to me how to tension balance a set of stings so you have as even a tension from the low strings to the high strings and this also helps with the overall feel of the bass . If you use a really heavy B string and light higher strings you will get an unbalanced amount of tension on the bass side which generally results in more relief on the bass side and less on the treble .

Bass construction is obviously very important to the overall performance of the B string but I feel the B can play as much a part in deternining the feel and sound . Finding what you like is the real trick .

Pete
 
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#14
Pete skjold said:
That is exactly what I used to think too , bigger string more tension tighter feel . I was using some of the heaviest strings at one point and still not feeling the tightness I wanted . Then as I was developing the custom strings It was explained to me how to tension balance a set of stings so you have as even a tension from the low strings to the high strings and this also helps with the overall feel of the bass . If you use a really heavy B string and light higher strings you will get an unbalanced amount of tension on the bass side which generally results in more relief on the bass side and less on the treble .

Bass construction is obviously very important to the overall performance of the B string but I feel the B can play as much a part in deternining the feel and sound . Finding what you like is the real trick .

Pete
Click to expand...

I like what you've said about the evenness of tension across the strings. I've always listened for the balance of volume across strings but now that you mention it, the 5-stringers than I've thought most highly of have also had a consistency of feel under the fingers too, from B to G. This really does set the stage for the feel of an instrument and helps the player to maintain consistency of technique.

If you're constantly modifying your plucking to mitigate a floppy B-string, it can be an unnecessary distraction in your playing. Plus, it limits the usefulness of the B-string, reducing the number of times you play it.

Thanks again. I checked out your basses. Nice stuff.
 
#15
Pete skjold said:
That is exactly what I used to think too , bigger string more tension tighter feel . I was using some of the heaviest strings at one point and still not feeling the tightness I wanted . Then as I was developing the custom strings It was explained to me how to tension balance a set of stings so you have as even a tension from the low strings to the high strings and this also helps with the overall feel of the bass . If you use a really heavy B string and light higher strings you will get an unbalanced amount of tension on the bass side which generally results in more relief on the bass side and less on the treble .

Bass construction is obviously very important to the overall performance of the B string but I feel the B can play as much a part in deternining the feel and sound . Finding what you like is the real trick .

Pete
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight. If I was looking at getting my action as low as possible (yes I play "flashy" tapping stuff that's not very practical at all, I admit it) would a heavier B be better? I imagined more tension would mean the string moves less, and I can get it closer to the fretboard. From what you said it seems that a lighter B feels tighter, but in terms of eliminating fret buzz, is it actually tenser or is it just a perception of high tension?
 
#16
Bass Troll said:
Thanks for the insight. If I was looking at getting my action as low as possible (yes I play "flashy" tapping stuff that's not very practical at all, I admit it) would a heavier B be better? I imagined more tension would mean the string moves less, and I can get it closer to the fretboard. From what you said it seems that a lighter B feels tighter, but in terms of eliminating fret buzz, is it actually tenser or is it just a perception of high tension?
Click to expand...

Great question because this eludes to what I'm saying in another way . My thought was always bigger string tighter feel , but the bigger the string the more movement it will have giving the imppression of less tension . Now if you increase the scale length the string will get stiffer and the fundemental will change too . So by going to a smaller string you get less movement ( or floppiness if you will ) and it feels tighter and allows lower action . and once again it helps balance the set out better for a more uniform feel .

This is just based on the experiences I have had in the last twenty years as a player and the last couple years developing strings for my basses . So just my 2 cents .
 
#17
Jumping in a little late, but hard to imagine a Quantum with a weak feeling B. Might wanna check the setup to see if there are any problems. Construction AND 35" scale shouldn't have any deficiencies.

Also, tension is good, but only to a certain extent. If you start really increasing the tension, you'll start losing the ability to play the B string in the upper positions. I realize most bassists like to only utilize it from the fourth position on down, but my 35" scale Conklin uses a .127 taperwound string that has a strong fundamental and can be used articularly in the 15th position without terribly audible overtones.
 
#18
Interesting observations, Pete. I think you're the first person I've read who doesn't suggest bigger=better for the B.

I know I'll probably get flamed like a mofo for asking this, but what if I wanted to set up my 31" short scale to be tuned B-E-A-D? You know, instead of going longer, go shorter? I'm actually quite fond of the the short scale tone in normal E-A-D-G tuning (with medium scale, well-worn, round wounds), so any suggestions on a B string gauge to get a consistent tone and feel across all the strings?
 
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#20
Stompin Tom said:
Interesting observations, Pete. I think you're the first person I've read who doesn't suggest bigger=better for the B.

I know I'll probably get flamed like a mofo for asking this, but what if I wanted to set up my 31" short scale to be tuned B-E-A-D? You know, instead of going longer, go shorter? I'm actually quite fond of the the short scale tone in normal E-A-D-G tuning (with medium scale, well-worn, round wounds), so any suggestions on a B string gauge to get a consistent tone and feel across all the strings?
Click to expand...

This is new turf for me so I can only guess as to the best size , but they do make heavy gauge 4-string sets with a 110 E string and a 50 G . On a 31 inch scale bass this might work since it would be like a baritone guitar scale and those strings are not much heavier gauge .

Like I said , You will have to find what works for you and there are so many good strings and different gauges with different metal and cores and on and on .......Good luck :D
 

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