Members Cliff Fiscal Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 What the hell is with the wide range of opinions on how a low B should sound? Also, how does one know if one has a good one or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RSBro Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Go play a Spector 5, Musicman 5, MTD 5, Modulus 5, or Dingwall 5. Then pick up a Fender 5. If you can't tell the difference, gtfo. And on top of that not all of them have great note articulation or pitch. Some just give you that "thud" which is usually not desirable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 It's up to your ears mostly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members countrybass Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 My low B is better on my Spector EURO than my Fender MIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super_Donut_Man Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 And on top of that not all of them have great note articulation or pitch. Some just give you that "thud" which is usually not desirable. This is the reason for me. Also feel. My 5er (Peavey Grind) has a floppy thuddy B, I don't like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 My Hanewinckel 5-string has a 34" scale. I have it tuned down a half-step, and the B-string is still sufficiently tight IMO. The strings are Skjold with a .128" B-string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted October 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 My low B is better on my Spector than my Fender Why do Fenders have such terrible low Bs?Scale length? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 And on top of that not all of them have great note articulation or pitch. Some just give you that "thud" which is usually not desirable. That's true, and I've found strings can be a part of the problem. I had GHS Progressives on my Hanewinckel, and the B and E strings had exposed cores, and the definition wasn't so good IMO. It sounded hollow as I played up the fingerboard, and it wasn't easy to intonate properly. The Skjolds currently on the bass sound much better to me, and only the B-string is tapered (but not with an exposed core). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wades_keys Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 What the hell is with the wide range of opinions on how a bass should sound? Fixed your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Why do Fenders have such terrible low Bs? Scale length? I played an MIM Deluxe Jazz V for a few years and didn't think the B-string was terrible at all. The bass was upgraded with Bartolini pickups and a John East BTB-01 preamp, so maybe that helped a bit. Was it the tightest B-string? No, but it was playable fo sho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RSBro Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 THUD! eh? I did like the cheapie Spector 5 I played. I love my Fender Jazz V, but that low string makes me want to throw it into a wood chipping machine.... Why do Fenders have such terrible low Bs? Scale length? I said Spector- not Euro, or Legend, or ReBop or whatev. Although all of those have decent B's, IME. I dunno why Fender can't get it together. Other Fender-style basses (which there are MILLIONS of) seem to do it fine, like Lull and Sadowsky, but I dunno why they can't. I think they just threw an extra string on there and said "It's Fender, someone will buy it!" and forged on. I know some like 'em, but those are few and far between. Scale length IME isn't as important as strings. DR's have awesome tension, and they're pretty much all I use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Kindness Posted October 6, 2009 Moderators Share Posted October 6, 2009 Scale length IME isn't as important as strings. I told you knew the answer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 You do, you just don't know it yet.I told you knew the answer! JoshuaTSP, what strings are you using? I tend to use strings with hex cores and slightly higher gauges, and the tension always seems fine to me. I string my 4-string with DR Nickel-Plated Lo Riders, which have hex cores. I borrowed a buddy's 4-string Highway 1 J-Bass a few weeks ago. It was strung with DR Hi Beams (with round cores), and the tension was noticeably lower/softer IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MTMTEX Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Scale length IME isn't as important as strings. DR's have awesome tension, and they're pretty much all I use. Which DR's do you prefer? I want to change the strings on the Modulus and want to try a set. Can you tell me the difference between the hi-beams and the lowriders? Also what scale are you using? Sorry for the hijack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jasper383 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 JoshuaTSP, what strings are you using? I tend to use strings with hex cores and slightly higher gauges, and the tension always seems fine to me.I string my 4-string with DR Nickel-Plated Lo Riders, which have hex cores. I borrowed a buddy's 4-string Highway 1 J-Bass a few weeks ago. It was strung with DR Hi Beams, and the tension was noticeably lower/softer IMO. Hi Beams have a round core, and will feel less stiff than a comparable hex core string. Scale length is something (among other things) that matters here, doesn't it? All of the 35" scale 5 string basses I have played/owned have had good B string response. Not the case with many of the 34"s I have experienced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted October 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 I said Spector- not Euro, or Legend, or ReBop or whatev. Although all of those have decent B's, IME. I dunno why Fender can't get it together. Other Fender-style basses (which there are MILLIONS of) seem to do it fine, like Lull and Sadowsky, but I dunno why they can't. I think they just threw an extra string on there and said "It's Fender, someone will buy it!" and forged on. I know some like 'em, but those are few and far between. Scale length IME isn't as important as strings. DR's have awesome tension, and they're pretty much all I use. How can the bass make so much difference? I only bought my MIA Fender because it was the price of a MIM.......in a pwn shop. I love the feel, and the sound of the bass....but that dead clunky low B is pissing me off. I had a set of EB .125 strings on there....which was okay, but the low B sounded floppy. So I tried some taper wound .130 Fender strings.......they sound like bridge cables. The low B sounds worst with those on there. I'm tuning up to C Standard...so my low B is a Low C. I'm thinking .130 might be too much tension. I have a 5'er set of DR .130s, but I'm afraid they won't sound good no matter what I do. I'd hate to waste them. Surprisingly enough, my Phillips Bulldog sounds the best out of all my 5'ers (Jazz V and USA PV Millennium) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Hi Beams have a round core, and will feel less stiff than a comparable hex core string. That was basically my point, but I originally forgot to mention that the Hi Beams have round cores. I've edited my post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lug Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 BB75 has low B extreme goodness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Surprisingly enough, my Phillips Bulldog sounds the best out of all my 5'ers (Jazz V and USA PV Millennium) Could it be the setup on those basses? The Millennium has a 35" scale, so the B-string on that bass should sound and feel pretty darn good IMO. There's something to be said for a good setup that fits your playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RSBro Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Which DR's do you prefer? I want to change the strings on the Modulus and want to try a set. Can you tell me the difference between the hi-beams and the lowriders? Also what scale are you using? Sorry for the hijack. I used to like the LoRiders, b/c they have more of a round and gritty feel, but I've gravitated towards the HiBeam Nickels. I think the Nickel is the biggest difference, as opposed to Stainless LR's or HB's. The HiBeams feel a little more tense where the LR's are not as stiff, but both sound and feel great. I'd be happy using either, I just have gotten used to the HiBeams Nix, so that's what I'm sticking with for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 The HiBeams feel a little more tense where the LR's are not as stiff... Does. Not. Compute. RSB must be smokin' something. Seriously, though, even DR says the Lo Riders "are a bit stiffer than Hi-Beams." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted October 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Could it be the setup on those basses? The Millennium has a 35" scale, so the B-string on that bass should sound and feel pretty darn good IMO. There's something to be said for a good setup that fits your playing. I reset up the PV after I bought it, but I haven't changed the strings yet. who knows what they are?It's a great bass, but kinda flappy sounding on the low B. Sadly, the Bulldog has the tightest low B, but the tone is honky in the mid range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayer7770 Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 I reset the PV after I bought it, but I haven't changed the strings yet. who knows what they are? It's a great bass, but kinda flappy sounding on the low B. Send it to me, I'll check it out for ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RSBro Posted October 6, 2009 Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Does. Not. Compute. RSB must be smokin' something. Seriously, though, even DR says the Lo Riders "are a bit stiffer than Hi-Beams." :idk: I dunno man. I did side by side comparisons with both sets back when I had my Q5's, and the HiBeams were a lot more tense and snappy. I initially had them on my graphite-FB Q5, but after testing switched them to my chechen-FB Q5 b/c they were simply too bright and "ringy". So take that DR! (you already take all my money anyhow, so who cares!! ) The LR's definitely have a softer, more "relaxed" feel to them. Much easier for me to get some serious bends and chords on them as opposed to the HB's. TBH, I haven't played a set of LR's in a long time. Maybe after I use this set of HB Nickels I have on the NS2, I'll give the LR's another shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cliff Fiscal Posted October 6, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 6, 2009 Send it to me, I'll check it out for ya. If you're serious, I'd sell it to you. I love it, but I've got 5 basses....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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