What's your best B?

[kcducttaper]

Man, you're making me drool in anticipation for my Schecter Stiletto Studio 5 Fanned Fret that's currently on back order! Once of the reasons (among other) I liked it is the massive thunder mixed with the incredible clarity of the low B string! My Ibanez SR 505 and 755 (upgraded with Nordstrands) does ok, but they're 34" scale where the Stiletto 5 FF is 36" on the B and 34 on the G.

 

[DwaynieAD]

First 5 was a cort action v, great feel and playability, pickups were weak as hell. I was young and didn't know you could change pickups so I sold it. Wish I could get that back. Second was an Ibanez sound gear and I couldn't get rid of that generic bland thing fast enough. 3rd is a mim fender jazz five: tone is so good plays well. Recorded two albums with it and played dozens of shows. Love it. It's tuned to drop a and I need to be careful not to make the low b fart. It takes some thought while playing. Recently picked up a sterling by musicman sub 5. Tone is almost as good as the fender. A little boomy, had to back off the mids on the Amp a little which I don't have to do for my 4 string mm. Also have a schecter studio 5. Plays beautifully but the tone just doesn't keep up with the fender or the mm.

Overall the fender jazz v is the best I've owned and played

 

[FunkHead]

First 5 was a cort action v, great feel and playability, pickups were weak as hell. I was young and didn't know you could change pickups so I sold it. Wish I could get that back. Second was an Ibanez sound gear and I couldn't get rid of that generic bland thing fast enough. 3rd is a mim fender jazz five: tone is so good plays well. Recorded two albums with it and played dozens of shows. Love it. It's tuned to drop a and I need to be careful not to make the low b fart. It takes some thought while playing. Recently picked up a sterling by musicman sub 5. Tone is almost as good as the fender. A little boomy, had to back off the mids on the Amp a little which I don't have to do for my 4 string mm. Also have a schecter studio 5. Plays beautifully but the tone just doesn't keep up with the fender or the mm.

Overall the fender jazz v is the best I've owned and played

Surprised to hear someone rag on Soundgear basses. Some of the very best basses I have played were Soundgear. Of course they were older Japan made models.

 

[NOLA Bass]

I tune to C on extended scale 4 strings, so a little different. My lineup is two Spector Euro 435LX's, a Dingwall ABZ, and a Dunable Thunderclapper. I've also owned two other Dingwall's. I have to say, nothing can quite compete with the Dingwall with that 36.25" scale to me. I like my Spector and the Dunable is way cool too. However, for sheer low B, the tightness on the longer scale is "the best" if I had to pick it.

 

[CameronJohnson]

My best Bs are on my two Xotic XJ 5ers. Every note on the B string just sounds thunderous and effortlessly clear. One of the, is wearing La Bella low tension flats and it’s the same story.

A special mention goes to my old Dingwall Super P5 which was similarly clear on the B string but without the über flexibility of an onboard preamp like my Xotics.

 

[DJ Bebop]

What's your best B?

 

[Matty Koff]

Surprised to hear someone rag on Soundgear basses. Some of the very best basses I have played were Soundgear. Of course they were older Japan made models.

I personally wasn't a fan of the Bartolini MK-1's and don't imagine I'd feel much better about the BH-2s. At least not paired with the ibanez preamp.

Swap them out for something else though and you've probably got pretty killer and lightweight bass.

 

[stigbeve]

'82 Stingray tuned BEAD. Ridiculous low B.

 

[bassgrackle]

Amazed by how good the low-B is on my ultta-affordable Schecter Stiletto Studio 5, while the other best B-strings for me have been (not sure of model years):

Ken Smith BRMW? 6
Yamaha BBP35
Peavey G-V
U.S. Peavey Cirrus
Roscoe SKB3005
Carvin/Kiesel Icon
Spector Euro LX
U.S. MTD Saratoga
Warrior Dran Michael
Modulus Q5
Ibanez BTB 1005e Prestige

No, I didn't notice a difference with Dingwall, or Sadowsky glory, but that's just me. The above basses bring the B in spades, so no need.

What say you?

toss up between Skjold and MTD 535 and 635

even some of the 535 and 635s have had better Bs then others.

 

[GreyBeard]

I have owned several 5 string basses and the best low B is on my Lakland 5502.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Dingwall Afterburner I by a long shot.
Lakland 55-01 would be 2nd.

Oh, and just to note that the Lakland 55-01 I had had Lace Alumitone soap bars in it.

 

[cholyoke]

My Sterling by Music Man Ray25CA has a great B string. My Big Al also has a great B string. The Ray25CA has a slightly better feel to it. I use Ernie Ball Slinkies (45-125) on both basses.

The Fenders I have tried and owned (fives and four stringers strung BEAD) have all been floppy and lacking. I used the same Ernie Ball Slinkies on those basses as I used on the Ray and Big Al. D'Addario NYXL and EXL roundwounds were also disappointing on these basses. Fender is good at a EADG, but not the B.

I tried an Ibanez SR505 at a Guitar Center and it was underwhelming. However, that is a sample size of one and may not be representative of the line.

 

[wvbass]

Of all my basses, my Ray5 has the most impressive B string. I have and have had many basses at far higher price points that struggle to offer a "functional" B string, and this $300 bass has a clear and well-balanced B.

My best B string is on my Dingwall ABI. In a sense, it is wholly unremarkable - nothing about it makes it tonally any different from any other string.

My favorite B is on my Thumb BO. It punches just right.

My currently most played B is my Sterling Special. MM does a consistently excellent job with B strings.

 

[FunkHead]

My Sterling by Music Man Ray25CA has a great B string. My Big Al also has a great B string. The Ray25CA has a slightly better feel to it. I use Ernie Ball Slinkies (45-125) on both basses.

The Fenders I have tried and owned (fives and four stringers strung BEAD) have all been floppy and lacking. I used the same Ernie Ball Slinkies on those basses as I used on the Ray and Big Al. D'Addario NYXL and EXL roundwounds were also disappointing on these basses. Fender is good at a EADG, but not the B.

I tried an Ibanez SR505 at a Guitar Center and it was underwhelming. However, that is a sample size of one and may not be representative of the line.

It always amazes me when someone says the same string is floppy on one 34” scale bass and not another.

 

[Holdsg]

love the B on my L-2500 Series 750

 

[cholyoke]

It always amazes me when someone says the same string is floppy on one 34” scale bass and not another.

It is more than just the strings. I was surprised how much better the Ray25 was than my previous Fender experiences. I tried a whole host of strings trying to get the Fenders to work because I love my other Fenders. EBMM/SbMM do a good B string.

 

[MrLenny1]

my 34" scale axes are pretty good.
I tried an Ibanez multiscale and it was very good.

 

[Flaked Beans]

That is a very interesting and subjective question sir! What's my best B ever?

 

[Benko]

Luckily it's harder to find a "bad" B than a good one, I feel that the technology of a good B has been pretty much mastered. I also find no real difference between 34 & 35 inch scale as long as the build is good.

My 2 workhorses now are my Modulus M-92 and a Stingray Special, they have both a very satisfying B (the best measurement would be that playing the open B gives you "that" smile), a slight and tiny edge for the Modulus maybe

 

[Benjamin Earl]

+1 for US Peavey Cirrus. That is one of the reasons I play them.