Recipe for a great low-B string?

I've recently read that using a tapered B along with an added string retainer will tighten things up for a 34" scale fiver. I haven't tried this myself, but it seems logical.

 

Rigid neck indeed but a rigid assembly of the neck is the most important, the reason why so many older Fenders have a poor B string.
People also tend to use strings too small. For a well defined B .130 or .135 are the least you should use.

 

Honestly not trying to be a smart-ass here, How about getting a 34" scale bass that is known for its great B string? Sadowsky has a great reputation, as does Xotic, Nordstrand, A-C and many more. Personally, I have a Fender American Deluxe Jazz V with a great sounding B string! Focused, articulate and balanced with the rest of the strings... I always string through the body and use .130 or .135 B strings. Currently and most often, my bass is strung with DR Sunbeams.

 

How about starting with a stiffer string, like DR Lo-Riders (hex core) and a good setup?

Lonnybass

 

Balanced tension string set!!!

This makes a real difference.

All the best,

Bob

 

Strings and a rigid neck. My Cliff Bordwell 34" scale 6 is quite nice, as is my 32" scale 7. My 35" scale Rob Allens and Conklin as still very impressive.

 

My recipe : heavy strings. get a .140 or .145 low B

 

Don't forget to calibrate the pickups. The higher pickups distance from the strings, the tone is more clearer.

 

Tapered B string and balanced set.
Circle K works great , for me.
Squier Affinity, .142 B string.

 

Recipe for a great low-B string?

1 - First and foremost ... a good setup. Flatten out your neck and lower the action.
2 - turn up the mids and not the bass.
3 - A lighter and not a heavier B string. .125 works better than a .135. Fatter strings make it too boomy
4 - 35" scale does very little to improve a low B

I play 5 string Rickenbackers with 33.25" scale and lighter strings and they have great low B strings.

I think the fatter string approach comes from 4 string players who want to get the modern sound without actually having a low B. They use fatter strings and turn up the bass to get the harmonic content and fatter tone when then play a B, C and D notes on their 4 string bass. When you add the low B and still use that approach the low notes become boomy and undefined and don't sit well in the mix.

 

quality construction all around.

every detail of materials and construction adds up to the whole. a maple fingerboard/ash body bass thats built poorly won't have a great B string.

i've played several 33" basses with excellent B strings. none of them had any woods i can recall in common- one was a cherry body, maple/purpleheart neck.. the other was a 3 piece wenge neck with a mahogany body.. ext.. a good quality instrument will have a good quality sound throughout all registers.

 

there are so many factors and they don't always work in practise as they do in theory.

 

I have not had a Warwick or Stingray that didn't do well with Low B. All my basses have Hipshot Xtenders as well, and Low A isn't a problem, either.

Listen to some 311. P-Nut is always low-B'n it. The Urge - Karl Grable uses the low B on his Stingrays just as much.

There are plenty of others. Those are the ones I have experience with.

I like DR Hi Beam medium strings.

 

Yes ... because different people have different concepts of what a "Good B String" is.

Also are you playing Metal, Country, Gospel, Classic Rock, Modern Rock, Hip Hop.

 

+1

Those basses are well known for a good low B

 

35" is less a factor than consistent solid construction throught. A stiff stable neck does no good if it slops around where it joins the body. Maple/rosewood/ebony varies enough to not be a consistently predictor. I hate tapered strings, too twangy. Others swear by them.

My 5 is a Lakland Skyline 56-01. 35" scale, solidly built, DR Sunbeams 45/65/85/105/130 non-tapered carefully set up, including pickup adjustmnt. It's one of few 5-strings where the B sounds like it's the same instrument as the others. But most StingRay 5s and whatever G&L 5s I've played (don't recall the models) which are 34" are also balanced with solid B.

John

 

For me, having heavier strings helps because the increased tension keeps the low B from being quite so floppy as it is with lighter strings, and thus easier to control.

 

Different types of set-ups work well for different techniques, I don't believe there's one optimal solution for every player. Lots of players are happy with their B strings regardless of scale length, string size, etc.