Suggest strings for a 35 inch scale thru body 5 string?

[Chasarms]

I bought a JO5 new. I took off the factory strings and slapped on the DR Long Necks. I love those strings. I use them on all of my Fenders now.

 

[JTE]

I'm with you. For me an untapered sounds and feels better to me.

I recall from Bass Player's original string "shoot out" that they commented on this. Before the shoot out, they said they liked tapered B strings better, but after trying so many set side-by-side and recording them they found that the real data was that they consistently liked the sound of un-tapered strings better.

John

 

[JTE]

You know, I think I agree with that... I put those D'Addarios on my Stambaugh last night and maybe it's my imagination, but stringing through the body also seemed bring out the low frequencies more as well? I haven't played it through my live rig yet, but it seemed to "connect" more than the strings that were on there anyway... but they weren't strung through the body.

I don't know, maybe I'm talking out of my a$$, but it sounds good and that's what I wanted.

5sg.

I've done true side-by-side comparisons of string-through and top-load. My Laklands offer the option of going either way so I strung one with the E and D top-load while the A and G were through-body. And on the other I reversed the order so E and D were through, A and G top-load. When I changed the strings I reversed the order. No difference at all. None. Nothing in the feel of the strings under either hand, no tone differences, nothing. And before I did that little experiment, I swore there was a subtle difference. I think it's all psychological. But I still string my Laklands through the body, just to keep the ferrules from falling out

John

 

[Chasarms]

I've done true side-by-side comparisons of string-through and top-load. My Laklands offer the option of going either way so I strung one with the E and D top-load while the A and G were through-body. And on the other I reversed the order so E and D were through, A and G top-load. When I changed the strings I reversed the order. No difference at all. None. Nothing in the feel of the strings under either hand, no tone differences, nothing. And before I did that little experiment, I swore there was a subtle difference. I think it's all psychological. But I still string my Laklands through the body, just to keep the ferrules from falling out

John

Laklands have a heavy, stiff bridge that is well designed. The stiffer the bridge, the less noticable is the difference. On some basses, it is very noticable, especially if the bridge is thin or if the string ports are positioned in a way that you don't get a good break angle over the saddle piece. Or, if you have to push the saddle really far forward to get the intonation right, it can be a bigger issue.

 

[bigboy99]

I'm with you. For me an untapered sounds and feels better to me.

I use a tapered B on my Sadowsky PJ5 34" scale, but the untapered sounds far better on my Lull PJ5 35" scale. A 34" 5 just doesn't cut it for me. My Modulus and Lull 5s top the Sadowsky for tone.