Hello all, i have a shecter stilleto extreme, which has a 35 inch scale. The bass is just amazing on EADG strings, esp after i put in new stainless steel strings, but the b string... its not floppy at all but its way too tight and punchy. How can i remedy this? there is like no feel to it and it sounds awful when i pluck it because its to tight. I am using a 130 b string if that matters
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Strange b string sound
- Thread starter danmyung5535544
- Start date
that being said i played an ibanez sr4 something and it had a wonderful b string at 34, do i just need the set up? i got it from GC with dead strings, its a wonderful instrument tone and playabilty wise, im just a little jarred that the b string is so lame on a 35 inch scale. Should i be using lighter gauges? or gauge i should say
Go to the STRINGS SECTION OF TB and post your question. Jason, owner of bassstrungsonline is usually there and knows strings in and out. He'll help you.
You may want to get it setup. There's a lot of youtube videos that can show you how to do this... It's actually very easy.
When you adjust your truss rod, only do a 1/4 turn of the bolt at a time, and wait a day before doing another.
When you adjust your truss rod, only do a 1/4 turn of the bolt at a time, and wait a day before doing another.
I hadn't thought of that. I didn't think it would be possible to tune an entire octave high without breaking the string. but with those big ole B strings it might be possible. That would explain the symptoms: tight and dead, the poor thing can't vibrate its so tight.
Oh, and this thing about turning a single acting truss rod only a quarter is myth. Turn it to where you need it. It may need a tweak in a day or two to finalize your setting but nothing will happen if you turn it as much as you want; within the threaded length available of course. What do you think a luthier does? Keep your bass for two weeks for a setup? Nope. Myth.
The best practice it to bend the neck by hand to release tension on the rod if you need to tighten it (like the old style Rickenbacker rods require). It prevents crushing wood fiber ends and when you let it go, the anchors seat and the rod holds. Using the mechanical action of the threads only to tighten can definitely hurt the rod, but it can become damaged with that same quarter turn that people talk about. Use a quarter turn so you don't overshoot your target relief is all. Turn, check, turn, check.
There's a lot of techs and luthiers here in TB that will tell you the same thing.
I'm not convinced that the B string was, or any B string ever could be, tuned an octave higher. I'm not sure where that came from, but I don't think it would withstand being tuned that high. And can you imagine the tension it would put on the neck if it did survive being tuned that high? On top of that, wouldn't it be quite obvious how off the pitch is?
I think that something else is going on. Just what it might be, I can't imagine.
I think that something else is going on. Just what it might be, I can't imagine.
You can try setting a witness point on the string (ie.. bend it pretty hard with your thumb in front of (toward the) bridge).
This will stretch the string a little. You will need to re-tune/re-intonate the string after.
You should really do this will all your strings when setting up after replacing them.
All the best,
Bob
This will stretch the string a little. You will need to re-tune/re-intonate the string after.
You should really do this will all your strings when setting up after replacing them.
All the best,
Bob
Somebody above mentioned it. But yeah a full octave is crazy tension. I'd be afraid of my eyes once it got hard to wind that up! Thing is its been a while since I had a five banger, and the B was pretty easy to crank at the tuner. I thought it might be possible for a newer player to do it by mistake
That is because for some weird reason string makers sell their most common 5 string sets with weirdly unbalanced string gauges. Take D'Addario's EXL160-5 Nickel Wound medium 5 string set for example:
The D string is under 20 more lbs. of pressure than the B string! No wonder why people who go with unbalanced sets complain about their infamously floppy, bad B strings!
I like ~42 lbs of tension per string on my basses. On a 34" scale 5 stringer, you'd need to go with a .045 G, a .060 D, a .080 A and a .145 (!!!) B string to get balanced tension on all of your strings, sparing you the need to play with uneven force to get equal response.
Sorry for hijacking the thread, but it's a tangencially appropriate rant
Indeed it is scary. I was thinking that this could not be the case. Glad to hear it!
