My Carvin B50 (34" scale) is strung with Carvin's 5011 nickel plated medium gauge round wounds (.040, .060, .080, .100, .128) and the tapered B is nice & tight.
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What's your B like?
- Thread starter syndrome666
- Start date
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Peavey Axcelerator 6 - Fender "Super Bass" nickelplated steel strings. 35" scale. B string is downright snappy. Feels and sounds as good as anything I've ever played, and I've played some pretty amazing stuff at some of the GTGs over the years.
Brice V2 6 fretless - LaBella "Deep Talkin' Bass" nylon tapewound strings. 34" scale. B string is flop city, vague and with no sustain. With the right touch it works fine, but it takes a particularly light touch.
Brice V2 6 fretless - LaBella "Deep Talkin' Bass" nylon tapewound strings. 34" scale. B string is flop city, vague and with no sustain. With the right touch it works fine, but it takes a particularly light touch.
Don't own a Dingwall, so my Modulus TBX (35") is my "to die for" B string. Also excellent: Ken Smith, Alembic, G&L, (all 34")
Rest are rated "very good". Fender V, various SX, OLP, Carvin AC50, etc.
Have no nasty B strings anymore. My Aria pro II (light weight not the Fender clone) had one. I sold it.
Carvin SB5000 w/ D'adarrio light guage, non tapered B. Tight and clear when played fingerstyle, and gets that growl that I love when slapped.
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
Modulus Quantum Bs are my best with my Modulus Genesis Bs being just a tad warmer. Both bass models offer the best B strings I've ever played. Second would be my Status Bs and probably tied with my buddy's Ken Lawrence B.
The combination of Carbon Fiber and 35" scale is just amazing and can be so clearly heard and felt.
I have never heard or played a B string as present as one a Modulus Quantum and I've played a ton of 5 and 6 string basses.
The combination of Carbon Fiber and 35" scale is just amazing and can be so clearly heard and felt.
I have never heard or played a B string as present as one a Modulus Quantum and I've played a ton of 5 and 6 string basses.
I have a Musicman Stingray 5 and a G&L L2500 both with low actions, neither has any problems regarding floppy 'B' strings.
Here are mine with the 1962 Burns Split Sound 6 String Bass that I recently sold, and yes nthe Burns is a genuine Bass playing in the same register with the same full tone, I used one from 1963-9.
Here are mine with the 1962 Burns Split Sound 6 String Bass that I recently sold, and yes nthe Burns is a genuine Bass playing in the same register with the same full tone, I used one from 1963-9.
I have a Warwick Corvette $$ 5 and a Lakland 55-01. The Lakland B stands up a little stronger than the Warwick due to the extra inch of scale. I string them both with D'addario Chromes. The wick I once had strung with Sadowsky ss black label flats and that B was a little squishy for my taste, especially the lighter gauge.
Think you got a better one than mine then, my B was always floppy until I put a .136 on it.
The "feel" of a B string is 90% string construction, 9.8% scale length, and 0.2% bass construction/quality.
The B on my US Spector NS-JH5 is great! Tight, responsive, and punchy.
35" scale.
DR High Beam Mediums,
.125 gauge.
The B on my Dean Edge 5 fretless is good, but a very different animal!
35" scale.
Tomastik-Infield Jazz Flats (expensive!)
.136 gauge.
In fact, I had to file the nut for this gauge to fit...
35" scale.
DR High Beam Mediums,
.125 gauge.
The B on my Dean Edge 5 fretless is good, but a very different animal!
35" scale.
Tomastik-Infield Jazz Flats (expensive!)
.136 gauge.
In fact, I had to file the nut for this gauge to fit...
OTWH, none of my B strings have been floppy but I have been able to try them all out in stores except three that were purchased online, and those manufacturers are known for having tight B's so there was nothing to worry about. I have a 5-string coming this week from a maker I've never tried before, we'll see if the trend continues.
I used to play a Schecter eliete 5 35" scale with a 130 for the B. It worked good but I liked it more with a 135. Now I play Ibanez 6-string basses. I have an SR 34" scale and a BTB 35" scale. I usually use a 130 for the B on both. The BTB is great but the SR does get some flop.
I have and play a Elite Stiletto 5. I put some cheap Dunlop strings on them cause I needed a fresh set of strings for a concert. The B was super floppy just horrible. I put Long Scale Rotosound Swing Bass strings and it's tight and crisp. Beautiful!! I use rotosound strings on all my basses. I love'em
my first five string was a Cort. i forget the model number, but a beautiful bass, perfect tension across all the strings perfect string spacing. looked amazing. sound wasnt that great, and this was my first bass before i knew anything about buying new pups to put in it.. if i ever can find this bass (it was sold locally) i'll probably snatch it back up if its in good shape.
had a sdgr 5 next. tension was pretty good, sound was okay, string spacing was horrible, way too tight for my liking
have a musicman stingray sub 4 string that i play ernie ball heavy strings on. i have dropped that to Low A to great success many times, i have brought this up many times on talkbass and almost always get told that i cant do that and that it will sound horrible.. sorry guys, but you're wrong, i can and did do it and it sounded GGRRREEEAAATT.
right now i'm using a MIM fender jazz 5. the B string is so tight, i love it.. I us D'addario light gauge strings so i have plenty of give on the Low B. string spacing is good too.. really wide which i like except for the effect it has on widening the fret board.. certain passage can be hard on my hand because the fret board is wide and my hands are small. but i dont think i'll be getting rid of this one. this is the 5'er for me.
had a sdgr 5 next. tension was pretty good, sound was okay, string spacing was horrible, way too tight for my liking
have a musicman stingray sub 4 string that i play ernie ball heavy strings on. i have dropped that to Low A to great success many times, i have brought this up many times on talkbass and almost always get told that i cant do that and that it will sound horrible.. sorry guys, but you're wrong, i can and did do it and it sounded GGRRREEEAAATT.
right now i'm using a MIM fender jazz 5. the B string is so tight, i love it.. I us D'addario light gauge strings so i have plenty of give on the Low B. string spacing is good too.. really wide which i like except for the effect it has on widening the fret board.. certain passage can be hard on my hand because the fret board is wide and my hands are small. but i dont think i'll be getting rid of this one. this is the 5'er for me.
Most of the 200+ owned basses were on the 5+str side of the spectrum (maybe 10-15 4str basses)
Best B strings ever, are on my Dingwall basses, with honorable mentions to my MTD 535, Ken Lawrence Brase, Status Empathy, Ritter Roya, Fodera Emperor Deluxe, Warrior and Vadim for being present balanced and full
Best B strings ever, are on my Dingwall basses, with honorable mentions to my MTD 535, Ken Lawrence Brase, Status Empathy, Ritter Roya, Fodera Emperor Deluxe, Warrior and Vadim for being present balanced and full
The five-stringers that I have either owned or played with a nice tight B-string are: Wal MkII and MkIII, Tobias Signature, Sadowsky M5-24 and Smith BSR5MW. None of these are a match for the B-string on any Dingwall which are, as fullrangebass mentions, the best ever.
Honourable mention to the B on the Peavey Cirrus (US) too.
Honourable mention to the B on the Peavey Cirrus (US) too.
