Venturing in to the low B

[Doug4321]

I read, some have issues with the low B farting out a bit..

Does this refer to the B string not performing well, i.e. floppy, clunky, poor intonation, bad sounding?

 

[smeet]

All good advice so far. Synopsis:

• Bass control on the amp should be flat or even cut a bit.
• Boost (low) mids.
• Make sure your B string is not too close to the pickup.
• Use mostly bridge pickup and pluck over it too.
• Try plucking a bit more lightly, especially on the B.

FWIW: I play 34” scales with a .125 B string and it works fine. Just make sure your setup and technique are both clean.

 

[eddybuzzard]

I should go tell my 33.25" scale Rick B string,
it's supposed to be giving me trouble, huh?

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I’ve been trying some for a few months and the extra string definitely throws me off. At first i thought the wider fretboard was going to bother me but now I actually like wider boards. I can see myself not going back to 4 strings, but i do own a birth year (‘78) Greco that i love, so that may be the exception. Tried an Ibanez BTB and felt pretty good and the B did sound a bit tighter, so your explanation of the longer scale makes sense why. I played a Sanberg that i loved but it came at a steep price, so pass for now. My original plan was to buy a new amp before a new bass, but that might change depending on what I can find.
Thanks for your response.
Other than the Fodera, which ones would you prefer from your lineup? How about the HB? Did you do any mods to it?

The HB is really pretty good. The only thing I've done is replace the pickups with Quarter Pounders.
I'd suggest the Marcus Miller M7. It is really a good bass.

 

[nnnnnn]

Don’t boost the bass and get a 35” scale Lakland

No farts

I think 35" scale can make the B string feel slightly nicer to play, but it doesn't automatically provide better tone when amplified. I have a 35" scale Lakland Skyline and a 34" scale Stingray, and both have a nice sounding B string - the 35 does not sound better than the 34.

Something I like about both of these instruments is that their B strings sound good higher up the neck: a B string isn't just about all low notes all the time.

 

[Geri O]

Thanks for your tip. For the witness point, is it either one?

It…well, all of the strings should look like the pic on the right.

Especially useful on the B, the E, and the A strings.

It’s helpful to make the same adjustment at the nut as well.

 

[eddybuzzard]

All good advice so far. Synopsis:

• Bass control on the amp should be flat or even cut a bit.
• Boost (low) mids.
• Make sure your B string is not too close to the string.
• Use mostly bridge pickup and pluck over it too.
• Try plucking a bit more lightly, especially on the B.

FWIW: I play 34” scales with a .125 B string and it works fine. Just make sure your setup and technique are both clean.

I think you meant Pick Up there, right?

 

[Stranger Danger]

I think 35" scale can make the B string feel slightly nicer to play, but it doesn't automatically provide better tone when amplified. I have a 35" scale Lakland Skyline and a 34" scale Stingray, and both have a nice sounding B string - the 35 does not sound better than the 34.

Something I like about both of these instruments is that their B strings sound good higher up the neck: a B string isn't just about all low notes all the time.

I’ve had both a long time and the Lakland is clearly better to me

 

[Saetia]

Re-think your EQ a little depending on how much you plan to use that B. I live on it, so my lows are at 12 oclock and I focus on mids. Also, don't even bother with .125 strings on a 34" scale bass. Flop city. Personally, I think a B string needs to at least a 35" scale and .130.

Oddly enough I run a .142 for my 4 string G&L JB2 tuned to B and a .125 for my Modulus Q5 SS (35") tuned to drop A.

 

[Jogobass]

I play a low B on my 5 inch studio monitors. Sounds fine. I can get it to distort but that's a matter of levels, not speaker size.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Carlos

issues with the low B farting out a bit. If any of you did, how did you fix the problem?

No raw onions, also avoid beans or cabbage soup!

Farting out has never been a problem for me.

On some basses I tried before i bought my first fiver,

the B string wasn't dry enough (too muddy) for my taste.

A pup in Ray position rather than the classic Jazzbass front pup got me where I want to be.



Wise(b)ass

 

[lomo]

I play 34" scale basses with light, 120 and 125 low B strings with thick, well-defined lows and no farting. Speaker diameter is only 1 part of the equation. There are 15" cabs with very little deep lows and 210s that go lower than 212s, etc. The whole cab (box volume, porting, specific drivers) has to be considered in order to have a clue as to how it will sound and how loud it can get at a given frequency. The idea that "10s are punchy and 15s provide massive low end" is as outdated and irrelevant as "electric vehicles are slow and will never succeed".

 

[carlosjrf]

Oddly enough I run a .142 for my 4 string G&L JB2 tuned to B and a .125 for my Modulus Q5 SS (35") tuned to drop A.

You just game me a weird idea. Swap the strings on my 4 string to the lower on a 5 set tune BEAD. I do avoid the G.
Maybe too crazy.

 

[G On Bass]

All good advice so far. Synopsis:

• Bass control on the amp should be flat or even cut a bit.
• Boost (low) mids.
• Make sure your B string is not too close to the pickup.
• Use mostly bridge pickup and pluck over it too.
• Try plucking a bit more lightly, especially on the B.

FWIW: I play 34” scales with a .125 B string and it works fine. Just make sure your setup and technique are both clean.

^^This...^^

I play 34" scale basses with light, 120 and 125 low B strings with thick, well-defined lows and no farting. Speaker diameter is only 1 part of the equation. There are 15" cabs with very little deep lows and 210s that go lower than 212s, etc. The whole cab (box volume, porting, specific drivers) has to be considered in order to have a clue as to how it will sound and how loud it can get at a given frequency. The idea that "10s are punchy and 15s provide massive low end" is as outdated and irrelevant as "electric vehicles are slow and will never succeed".

^^...and this^^

You do NOT need a 35" and a B string the size of a power line to get a good B sound. Been there, done that. It can sound good, but it is not the only game in town. My 5's are now all 34" and all have light strings, like .120-.125, and they feel and sound great.

 

[carlosjrf]

All good advice so far. Synopsis:

• Bass control on the amp should be flat or even cut a bit.
• Boost (low) mids.
• Make sure your B string is not too close to the pickup.
• Use mostly bridge pickup and pluck over it too.
• Try plucking a bit more lightly, especially on the B.

FWIW: I play 34” scales with a .125 B string and it works fine. Just make sure your setup and technique are both clean.

Thanks for the summary. Strings is also another convo since im still not settled on my 4 stringers string gauge either. I guess ill start cutting a bit of the lows and work up from there.

 

[ok-djmiller]

Others seem to disagree, but for me it’s the scale length. 35” B string makes a huge difference compared to 34” B, which always felt flabby to me. Try both and see what feels better for you.

 

[Neil Folkard]

Too late for holiday deals… although ive been exploring it for months.

Umm....Boxing Week? The music stores up here are loaded with that sort of thing.

 

[Whaleform]

Others seem to disagree, but for me it’s the scale length. 35” B string makes a huge difference compared to 34” B, which always felt flabby to me. Try both and see what feels better for you.

I agree and fanned fret makes it better , likely cause it makes my b or rather a string ( 1 step down) 35.5"

 

[lomo]

You just game me a weird idea. Swap the strings on my 4 string to the lower on a 5 set tune BEAD. I do avoid the G.
Maybe too crazy.

There's a whole club of us doing this.....has been around for years
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/the-modified-bead-4-string-bass-club.1069699/page-24#post-27932586

I played 5ers exclusively for 15 years and then realized having the G didn't help, and in my case dropping it and going BEAD has improved my lines and playing in general. If you use the BEAD from a light gauge 5 string set (120 low B) you don't have to re-file your nut or make any permanent changes to the bass....just re-string and set up......break on through to the other side.......

 

[Chris Chong]

Dingwall 37” B sounds good, but so is my sadowsky 34” B.