What gauge will make a fatter B-String?

[efajardo90]

Hello there,

I'm using a mm stingray5, but I haven´t found the right gauge for the 5th string to sound precise, fat, and with a lot of punch. The scale of the instrument is 34"... What gauge will you use to make the B-string sound better?

 

[Kmonk]

What gauge are you currently using?

 

[curbowkid]

Well obviously a .214 circle K string. You want fat ;D

You can probably get the fat sound you want with a few tweaks of the EQ. Id that doesnt work i guess go with a higher tension B string. It will vibrate more and give off more of a signal to the pickups

 

[efajardo90]

I believe i have now a .130 or .125 on the b string...
the bigger the gauge the fatter the sound?
whats the maximum gauge, and how do i know i am not hurting the wood?!!

 

[lowfreq33]

You won't hurt the neck. The string will break first. Try a .135.

 

[efajardo90]

i'll do... thanks a lot

 

[mccartneyman]

Make sure the ball-end wrap will allow a .135 to fit through the tailpiece hole.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Ernie Ball recommends .130 for a tight low B, that is what I use. Although I have yet to see an Ernie Ball with a tight B...

 

[kurosawa]

Make sure the ball-end wrap will allow a .135 to fit through the tailpiece hole.

Man! Yeah, that's a definite consideration. You saved me some potential grief there, thanks!

 

[Brad Johnson]

I believe i have now a .130 or .125 on the b string...
the bigger the gauge the fatter the sound?
whats the maximum gauge, and how do i know i am not hurting the wood?!!

In my experience, no. I use either .120 or .125 on all of my basses and I have some amazing B strings by just about any standard. 34, 34 1/2, 34 5/8 and 36 inch scale lengths.

 

[Ewo]

I've been very pleased with a balanced tension Circle K set; the B is .142!

They warn against stringing through the body. I'm toploading, on my Carvin SB5000.

 

[Thomas Kievit]

.140 is a nice gauge, to get a tighter B string

 

[mccartneyman]

Man! Yeah, that's a definite consideration. You saved me some potential grief there, thanks!

I say this because some won't fit through bridge on my Laklands. Fortunately, the .136 TI Flat B will fit through the hole in my body and TIs are flexible enough to go through body. Some All other brands I've tried on my Laklands -- Lakland Joe Osborn flats, Sadowsky & Chromes go through bridge. For what it's worth, the Sadowsky Black Label flats have a tapered .130 B and sound very nice -- a bit more snap than TIs and fairly standard tension as compared to rounds of the same gauge. Didn't care for the feel or tension of Chromes, which have a .132 B.