To All Those 5 Stringers Out There

[frozilla]

I'm looking at five strings, but what do you do to get the most presence out of your low B.

 

[Bassman8416]

Its a combination of the bass and your touch, basses with a 35" scale tend to have a clearer tone , and the way you pluck or pick the string will have an affect your sound as well. Try different basses out before you buy!!!

 

[SwitchGear]

set-up has a bearing on the B

 

[newbold]

Don't be scared of 34" 5 strings. I love my JazzV because it helps me play higher up the neck for a really thuddy way short scale low E, and lots of great 2nd octave notes.

Going from frets 7-12 to first position gives me such a great difference in timbre that I can really drive the band way better...

...and of course there's the lower string possibilities.

Makes me think the C# sub contrabass would be the best instrument after I get a new 4 string.

 

[LDonnie]

Isn't that part of the bass you are playing? Some basses cut better through the mix or have better string consistency than others. Usually to get a clearer sound out of my B-string (but I usually just prefer the sound) I turn up the high on my amp and boost treble on the bass.

 

[ERIC31]

On my OLP MM-5er I usually play back closer to the bridge on the low B (pick and fingerstyle) That seems to work. Also a fresh set of strings always helps bring out the zing on that B!

 

[jcburn]

I got me a 2006 US Jazz 5er. 34 inch scale. B is great. I have found a tapered B has a little less thump but more clarity. Also I have managed to get my action ridiculously low, and that has definitely helped the sound on the B. And it's true - playing closer to the bridge not only gives a little clearer tone, but also for the guys that like extra tension I think it does this as well.
Playing with a pick definitely brings out more definition, but that goes without saying (might get flamed on this one!!!!).
One more thing about the Fender is stringing through the body. It's an age old argument but I definitely find the string tension a little higher when I string through the body and the sustain is better.

 

[Arpeggiator]

play near the bridge, and dont be afraid to dig it

 

[bongomania]

I've never had a problem with getting "presence" from a low B. In fact the only problem I've had sometimes is a low B that's too strong and boomy compared to the other strings. (BTW I resolved that issue in each case, but it was an issue.) Because of those experiences, with a wide range of 5'ers, IMO when somebody says they aren't getting enough presence from the low B it actually means their amp isn't up to the job. The bass is probably fine, but you need a serious amp (or at least some really good headphones) to get a solid-sounding low B.

 

[Ric5]

I'm looking at five strings, but what do you do to get the most presence out of your low B.

I play it