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low B ringing out

B

Big Train

Supporting Member
Dec 15, 2008
6
0
Montreal, Canada
#1
Recently I got a Ibanez SR706 and i love it, except i have one big problem with it. Every time i play, especially when i get to the high strings my low B rings out. Since the neck is so large I can't mute my strings and play at the same time, so I'm at a loss for what to do.

This makes playing with fuzz or overdrive impossible because it muddies the whole thing up. Does anyone know if the bridge is at fault here? or is it something else? If it is the bridge is there a possibility of getting a replacement?
 
#2
Low B ringing is a common problem and there are several ways you can fix this the two I know of is to get a low B string that allows you to have it at a tighter tension or simply to raise your action. If you want you can also practice resting your thumb on the B string while you are playing the higher strings(thats what I do).
 
#3
loonybob123 said:
Low B ringing is a common problem and there are several ways you can fix this the two I know of is to get a low B string that allows you to have it at a tighter tension or simply to raise your action. If you want you can also practice resting your thumb on the B string while you are playing the higher strings(thats what I do).
Click to expand...

thats what i do too. you just have to play lighter i think.
 
#4
I tried playing as light as i could but no matter how soft i played the damned thing still rung. I thought about resting my thumb on the B however the E string has a tendency to ring as well, so that won't work.

Will I be able to swap in one of those individual string bridges? I know the BTB series has them, but will it be a drop in for my bass?
 
#7
You have to use the floating thumb technique or some variation of it. When playing on the E-string, you can rest your thumb on the B-string. When you are playing on higher strings than that, you can rest your thumb on the E-string, but you have to also rest the side of your thumb on the B-string so you are muting both at the same time. It will take a while to get used to, but it's something you need to do to play cleanly.
 
#9
OK so i just tried raising the action on the B but that didnt change anything. Listening to it now I realize that my B,E and A strings are all producing a harmonic when i play my high C or G. This is ridiculous it makes everything sound awful because the tones are no longer in key.

I also attempted playing even lighter but that didnt work either. I think the vibration of my string is causing the low strings to vibrate as well.
 
#11
You really have to re-think your muting technique when going to a 6 string bass. (From 4 or 5). You need to use both your left and right hands to mute, but mostly you need to find away to keep your right hand on the low strings when playing high.

Have alook at some John Pattituci videos on youtube and note his right hand position. It might feel a bit weird at first, especially if you've come from 4 strings, but laying your thumb down across the strings like John is probably the most effective way.

Btw, this has absolutely nothing to do with action and whislt I use a scrunchy when playing palm muted I wouldn't recommend using one until you can nail muting withour one. Cobtrary to what has been said above, having a scrunchy resting on your strings does alter the sound of open strings.
 
#15
kalle74 said:
the problem is your muting technique. not your bass, or setup etc...

do a search on muting technique. you may need to adjust your playing a bit...
Click to expand...

Yep. It's called 'sympathetic vibrations', and there is no easy fix to make it stop. You just have to learn to mute all the strings that you're not playing, whenever you're not playing them. Using a combination of both hands. Takes a lot of work, but that's one of the most important aspects of playing bass (especially an extended range bass), being able to play cleanly by keeping the bass from making any unwanted noises :bassist:
 
#16
To add a bit more about the floating thumb technique, I noticed how relaxed my right hand became when I used it and that because it was more relaxed I gained some speed. I have been using the technique for a long time now and now playing with out it when playing finger style feels very wrong and tight. Start slow and work your way up to speed. It really does work, even on 4's ;)
 

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