Making the low B on a 5 string cut through

[SteveC]

Get a Roscoe bass and put some DR Hi Beams on it. Play through any rig/PA and enjoy the thunder.

 

[ImNotJoel]

Lazy people have weak-sounding B strings, it's been scientifically proven.
You'll have to motivate to get some proper bass gear and practice, if you want a tight, punch B string sound.

First of all I never said my sound was weak I am actually a perfectionist with my tone hence me asking others opinion. I have practiced fourteen years I stand by my technique. Why is my gear not up to par at the moment I can't take a day to go three states to get my old rig.

Why don't I buy a better amp three kids and a baby on the way music is what keeps me sane but doesn't mean I am not motivated to sound my best. But if you have stopped asking what can I do to make my tone better and play better then you have stopped proggressing. People forget everyone's situations different.

You could have easily said invest instead of motivate, motivate implys I'm just too lazy to go and buy equipment. In many cases people can't afford equipment believe it or not props to you if music is your job and those are your tools that's truly admirable and respectable but some of us play music to escape what we do full time.

 

[Jensby design]

Is it just your B-string or is it your low end in general?
I have use a SS B-string with nickle for the rest of the set. But I have found Link Removed fixed my issues on my bass hence the D0 I know impossible http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octobass
Set-up like string and pick-up height can make or break your tone, especially on the lower strings.
String tension can also make a big difference, on most sets out there the B-string is the loosest, this might sound good on your amp and the way in compresses naturally but this could be sending a dirty signal to the house.
I may not have all the answers on this but I know all about sending crap sounds to the sound-man even though my tone on stage is great. Now using in-ear monitors I'm letting the sound-man do his job, sometimes I sound better than others
Become friends with the sound-man.

 

[Chainsaw Willie]

...I use a fender fm202 guitar amp I have a ed5 nemesis head and peavy cans in storage which I have no problem with the low b cutting through with that rig ...

Not using a guitar amp works pretty well for me. Get the bass amp and cabs out of storage and sell the guitar amp to some guy with six skinny short strings. Sorry it does look like a time or money investment. No amount of knob twiddling or technique is going to change how that B sounds on a guitar amp. I imagine those speakers slam into their excursion limits pretty early.

 

[ImNotJoel]

Thanks guys I have been getting a lot of string suggestions here and been using Ernie ball for 14 years maybe it's time to try a new set. To answer jensby It's just the low B I am as happy as I will be with my tone I also own a fretless j bass and for a while been using just that this ibanez I recently got and is the last investment for a while.Willie good suggestion on the amp unfortunately I also play guitar.Looks like one day I gotta make a trip but I am lucky my fiancé was nice enough to let me get myself a gift. I also have a boss equalizer pedal which has helped but everyone's been helpful here thanks.

 

[MrLenny1]

I'm working on B string issues. I play bolt on and neck thru fives.
Trying a tapered B now.
Use bass sparingly on the amp.
I love my Eden 2x10 XST for overall low B response but tone & clarity is an ongoing
challenge.
Good issue, let's keep it positive.

 

[modulusman]

Hey lets have this argument again I forgot how many audiologist we had here at Talkbass.

Well since most subwoofers will not reproduce 18.35 hz you were not hearing the fundamental.

 

[Jensby design]

Well since most subwoofers will not reproduce 18.35 hz you were not hearing the fundamental.

In the Smilies on the right this one is called "Roll Eyes (Sarcastic)". So when somebody uses "Sarcasm" the meaning is the opposite from what they say. So when I said

Hey lets have this argument again I forgot how many audiologist we had here at Talkbass.

What I meant by that was "lets not have this argument again". I hope this clears things up, sorry for the confusion.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Ya can't lay claim to a D0 fundamental without being corrected. In fact you'll hardly ever hear a D1 fundamental out of PA.

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

I have a really good bass and my monitoring system goes down to 25hz +- 2,5db, Though I can hear the fundamental, it´s not the predominant frequency of the 5th string. What you really hear are the harmonics.

The key to a good 5th string is the bass construction over all! IMHHO