problem! nickel double ball ends for 5-string?

[cricketbat]

I just got myself a Hohner Steinberger-style B2AV 5-string bass. Am very happy, it's easy to carry around, I am surprised at the tone, too!

But the choice of strings is exceedingly small!

D'Angelico (sp?) have a set of nickel double ball ends, but they say it does NOT fit Steinberger hardware!

Apart from that, there only seems to be ghs 5600 5L DBB and RotoSound RDB665LD, both stainless steel and I prefer nickel.

Funny thing is, the guitar came fitted with nickels! Where do they get them from?

Can anyone help?

 

[fretlessguy]

I had their 5 string headless Jack Bass around ten years ago. Then, I could get some LaBella nickels for the bass, but like you I got to where I couldn't find nickels for it anywhere.

Check LaBella's website, and bpstrings.com and juststrings.com to see what they currently have. I know that thetuningpeg.com at one time had them as well, but I do not know if the site still exists.

FG

 

[cricketbat]

juststrings is the link I found here in the search I did before I posted. Good set of links, but few do 5-string, none in nickel.

LaBella make quite a range of double ball-ends, even flats! But no nickel coated 5-string sets.

thetuningpeg.com has been taken over by a cyber squatter.

Tried the ghs set yesterday, only available in stainless steel light. Bottom B doesn't sound good at all.

I think I bought the wrong 5-string guitar. Oh, man.

 

[ImprecisionBass]

I've got a similar Hohner B2 V 5-string bass and I've been using D'Addario XL nickel wound strings I bought from JustStrings. I'm trying the ESXL170 regular light and ESXL160 medium gauges and both are good, even-sounding sets that break in to sound very mellow after awhile [which I like]. I find them to be pretty easy on my fingertips, especially after the steels that usually come on these Steinberger-style headless basses.

Unfortunately for us, those are 4-string sets. I haven't spoken to JustStrings about getting a single B string for those sets - they are very service-oriented and might be able to get them, even though they are not showing the B on their single strings page. Here's what I did instead: I went to the source! I wrote an email to customer service at D'Addario, who passed me to someone upstairs, who sent me a double-ball B string for free, if I remember correctly. They sent one out to me right away! Thanks, D'Addario!

As an alternative, I also bought a set of LaBella flatwounds from JustStrings, including a single-string B from their singles page. I usually prefer flats, but on that bass I found them to be a little too dark with the two passive humbucker pickups. I'm likely to put them on again someday.

I like the bass a lot, especially as a break from the Fender sound, and as you stated, it's easy to transport [I take it on jets all the time and stash it in the overhead compartment]. Some people in airports think I'm traveling with a rifle, though, and some TSA inspectors don't quite know what it is, even when they are looking right at it. I hope you didn't give up and get rid of yours. There are several kinds of quality strings available, and most of them are not particularly expensive. Good luck - hope you find what you need!

 

[mmbongo]

Three year old thread, but Bass Strings Online has the best selection I've seen for double ball strings, and the best service by far.
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If the manufacturer has singles available, Jason can get them for you.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

There was a time D'Addario had a double ball B string but its no longer available. I'm hoping they bring it back.

If you have a Steinberger with a bridge that is independently adjustable you could use the La Bella Flats. The Double Ball end selection unfortunately is not as wide as for a standard bass. You can always go the adapter route if you just NEED to play a certain type of string.