Is there a 5 string whose B actually matches the other strings?

[Sparkdog]

In what seems to be an annual event, I have a string of gigs where a 5 string bass would make a lot of sense and save me from jumping all over the fretboard with my 4 string Jazz Basses. So then I start looking around at fivers and always come to the same conclusion: I love the versatility of them, but I just HATE the sound of that B string. It never matches the other 4 strings and to my ears it just doesn't sound natural. It's always so much boomier and massive sounding compared to the higher strings.

I have owned a number of fivers, among them: Lakland 55-01 and 55-02, Carvin Bunny Brunel, and an older model Fender Jazz 5. I have also experimented with different strings to see if that could balance things out, but no luck to date. I always end up dumping them.

I'm a Jazz Bass guy, so that makes the most sense for me, but is there a bass out there that truly gets the balance thing right? Is it a scale thing, like 34 vs 35", or an active vs passive thing? Are there strings that will make that B blend better with the others?

Looking for guidance from my TB brothers!

 

[socialleper]

I've always encountered the same problem. I don't know if it is a matter of getting the pickup magnet position right, or the tension on the string, or the EQ. Most of the basses I've tried seem to be inconsistent when it comes to the B. I have limited experience with fanned frets. Maybe that does the trick.

 

[Imfrasersneddon]

Don't yamaha do a weird bridge that extends the b string?

 

[2cooltoolz]

subscribed...

 

[Sparkdog]

Yeah, personally if I have to go to something like a 36" scale or fanned frets that's a deal breaker for me. I play with a lot of old school acts and even bringing something that doesn't say Fender on the headstock (like my beloved Lakland 44-01's) arouses suspicion

 

[staccatogrowl]

Roscoe's implementation of 35"-scale for low B has many pleased. . Roscoe cracked the "B-code" years ago. Try one you. You'll probably like it.

 

[Bob_Ross]

The reason I play a Modulus 6-string is precisely because it addresses OP's issue.

 

[Systolic]

From what I can tell, the fault tends to stem from both the bass and the cabinet. The "properly" extended scale basses like Dingwall do tend to have the best B strings around. The fEarful and fEarless cabinets (and their properly engineered rivals,) seem to help overcome B string shortcomings as well by making things as clear as possible.

I certainly don't have the science on all this, but a longer scale length and a properly engineered cab seem to solve the B string issues....or near enough to make no difference to the audience.

 

[dedpool1052]

I know others may disagree, but IMO/IME, a number of string sets have a B that's too light of a gauge. The tension is too low compared to the rest of the strings. Either a thicker gauge B, or a lighter E/A/D/G. For example, DR packs a 125 with they're 45-105. To me it sounded out of place, but the same 125 pared with a 40-100 set was more balanced sounding. IME, D'addario's sets are usually pretty balanced as far as the B is concerned. If you've experimented with various sets but not gauges, I'd recommend buying your preferred 4-string set and buying a few singles of B-strings in various gauges to see which works best.

 

[Lownote38]

I know others may disagree, but IMO/IME, a number of string sets have a B that's too light of a gauge. The tension is too low compared to the rest of the strings. Either a thicker gauge B, or a lighter E/A/D/G. For example, DR packs a 125 with they're 45-105. To me it sounded out of place, but the same 125 pared with a 40-100 set was more balanced sounding. IME, D'addario's sets are usually pretty balanced as far as the B is concerned. If you've experimented with various sets but not gauges, I'd recommend buying your preferred 4-string set and buying a few singles of B-strings in various gauges to see which works best.

I use a 45-105 for the regular 4 strings, but then a 130 B string. I don't ever have an issue with the B string not being balanced with the others. Many string makers package sets of strings this way anyway (Ernie Ball does).

 

[dedpool1052]

Glad that it works for you, but for me, a 130 never balanced well with a 105.

 

[Selta]

Dingwall, or other suitably fanned basses (the Ibanez, for example, is not a good fanned fret IMO. It "only" goes to 35.5" instead of 37") resolve these kinds of issues fully. It helps that they're super comfortable to play as well... I actually don't enjoy playing parallel fret basses anymore.

 

[Korladis]

In what seems to be an annual event, I have a string of gigs where a 5 string bass would make a lot of sense and save me from jumping all over the fretboard with my 4 string Jazz Basses. So then I start looking around at fivers and always come to the same conclusion: I love the versatility of them, but I just HATE the sound of that B string. It never matches the other 4 strings and to my ears it just doesn't sound natural. It's always so much boomier and massive sounding compared to the higher strings.

I have owned a number of fivers, among them: Lakland 55-01 and 55-02, Carvin Bunny Brunel, and an older model Fender Jazz 5. I have also experimented with different strings to see if that could balance things out, but no luck to date. I always end up dumping them.

I'm a Jazz Bass guy, so that makes the most sense for me, but is there a bass out there that truly gets the balance thing right? Is it a scale thing, like 34 vs 35", or an active vs passive thing? Are there strings that will make that B blend better with the others?

Looking for guidance from my TB brothers!

Tune a four string BEAD.

My Bs match the other strings on all three basses I have tuned that way, two of which aren't expensive.

 

[Jazz Ad]

It is a string, not bass issue.
Most 5 string sets are badly balanced. I love Kalium balanced sets for this reason.
The B is typically too small while D and G are too tensed.
The Dingwall approach is different and radical but works just fine.

 

[Chris 'Wighat' Jordan]

If my B string is different from the others I automatically and without thought make whatever accommodations are necessary.

 

[ShadowImage]

IMO 34" scale or less just doesn't work well for the low B. Usually sounds like someone moving a fridge across the floor. There's a reason different scales exist.

 

[Sparkdog]

Some of the best sounding fivers I have heard were Stingray 5's, so it certainly seems to be possible to get a balanced sounding instrument with a 34" scale.

 

[Korladis]

IMO 34" scale or less just doesn't work well for the low B. Usually sounds like someone moving a fridge across the floor. There's a reason different scales exist.

I disagree. Two of my BEAD basses are 34" scale, and one is 33.25" scale. A good low B isn't hard to get at all.

 

[Jazz Ad]

I once played a 30" Danelectro tuned BEAD that worked very well. It had a .140 low B though.

 

[Korladis]

I once played a 30" Danelectro tuned BEAD that worked very well. It had a .140 low B though.

The B string I use is a .130 on my BEAD basses. It's the same one that comes in EXL175 set of D'Addario XLs (the 5-string set counterpart to the .100 gauge EXL170 strings).