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A few questions about strings and muting...


Noise...

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Posted

Ok, now that I actually HAVE a bass setup, I need a bit of advice on actually playing it. :D

 

First off, the stock strings on my VM Jazz Bass are pretty mediocre, as all Fender strings I've tried have been. What do you guys recommend for replacements? I'm looking for a nice, warm tone from them, but still with definition. I also play with a pick.

 

Next, I'm having a bit of trouble with the low E string - I don't know if it's the actual string, or if it's my muting (or lack of muting). It seems to make a bit of a "wobble" sound after I hit it. Particularly when played open. Is that the string causing it, how I'm muting (or not muting), or is it something else entirely? The bass is setup perfectly, so I know that's not the issue. Intonation is spot on, and the neck is adjusted just right. Could it be the pickup height under the low E causing it?

 

Can anyone give me a bit of help?

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Posted

daddario strings have a scale from warm to bright on the back of their string boxes so you can take a look at that to get a good idea of what you want. on the most warm (least bright) side you will see flatwounds and on the other end of the spectrum you will find stainless steel strings with nickel strings sitting somewhere in the middle.

 

i had that problem with my E string at first until i switched to a medium gauge string set from medium lights. i have been told that rotosound strings are one of the tigther brands out there if you want to give them a try. the crappy thing about bass strings is that they are like $20-$40 a set compared to guitar strings which are like $5-$10 and they make so much more difference than guitar strings in the overall feel and tone of the instrument. you have to test a few different kinds until you find what you like and what suits your style best. i ended up with two extra sets after i settled on a pair of daddairo flatwounds for my p/j and daddario nickel(round) mediums for my hamer jazz style bass.

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Posted

 

daddario strings have a scale from warm to bright on the back of their string boxes so you can take a look at that to get a good idea of what you want. on the most warm (least bright) side you will see flatwounds and on the other end of the spectrum you will find stainless steel strings with nickel strings sitting somewhere in the middle.


i had that problem with my E string at first until i switched to a medium gauge string set from medium lights. i have been told that rotosound strings are one of the tigther brands out there if you want to give them a try. the crappy thing about bass strings is that they are like $20-$40 a set compared to guitar strings which are like $5-$10 and they make so much more difference than guitar strings in the overall feel and tone of the instrument. you have to test a few different kinds until you find what you like and what suits your style best. i ended up with two extra sets after i settled on a pair of daddairo flatwounds for my p/j and daddario nickel(round) mediums for my hamer jazz style bass.

 

 

I'll try a set of medium guage strings then...

 

Basically, I'm just looking for a really thick Jazz Bass sound. Will medium guage flatwounds give me that, or should I look at something like the nickel-wound strings?

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Posted

 

name a band whose bassist you like the sound of. That'll help us recommend a string for you.

 

 

At The Drive-In and Alkaline Trio. The two bands that really got me into bass.

 

I know the bassists from both band use Jazz Basses, and I absolutely love the tone from both.

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Posted

I like Fender Super Bass 7250's on my jazz bass. I use Elixirs on all my other basses. Really, I like the Super Bass 7250's , but the Elixirs last so long (for me at least, I hate that new string zing) .... Maybe I'll try a set of the Fenders on my Schecter and see how long they last....

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Posted

depending on how light your current gauge of strings are, if you switch to heavier gauge you may need to have your neck tension worked on. I think you'll notice the bow in the neck if it gets bad.

 

just something to keep in mind. I'm not bass expect (yet) but I've seen it happen with my guitars after swapping strings and changing to a heavier gauge.

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Posted

 

At The Drive-In and Alkaline Trio. The two bands that really got me into bass.


I know the bassists from both band use Jazz Basses, and I absolutely love the tone from both.

 

 

 

Nice influences, same here as well! (well NIN and Manson helped a bit too)

 

what era were ATDI and ALK3 using jazz bass? All the live clips I've seen of ATDI he had a stingray and when I saw them with the Murder City Devils, and I've pretty much only ever seen Dan with with a PBass. Although alk3 is in no way consistant with their gear, they swap more than I do!

 

not trying to be a weiner, but I love to spy on other people's gear.

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Posted

The strings that are currently on it are;

 

Fender Super 7250ML, p/n 073-7250-005, (.045, .065, .080, .100)

 

Would that be a medium/light guage?

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Posted

 

Nice influences, same here as well! (well NIN and Manson helped a bit too)


what era were ATDI and ALK3 using jazz bass? All the live clips I've seen of ATDI he had a stingray and when I saw them with the Murder City Devils, and I've pretty much only ever seen Dan with with a PBass. Although alk3 is in no way consistant with their gear, they swap more than I do!


not trying to be a weiner, but I love to spy on other people's gear.

 

 

With ATDI I like the early stuff - back when Omar was still the bass player. AFAIK, he only used Jazz Basses. I'm not positive on that though.

 

With Alkaline Trio, I really like the sound on "From Here to Infirmary" - The song "Crawl" is a good example of the sound I want.

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Posted

Best strings for the price are D'Addarios.

I personally like medium flat wound

if you are using a RH 2/3 finger method, just lay the thumb against the string above the string you are playing. you can also use the L pinky for muting strings.

If you are using a thumb technique you can use the palm for muting.

I would imagine this early on you dont know much about slap and pop yet so we won't go there.

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Posted

 

The strings that are currently on it are;


Fender Super 7250ML, p/n 073-7250-005, (.045, .065, .080, .100)


Would that be a medium/light guage?

 

 

yeah those are med lights. mediums would be 50-105 not that much heavier but it made all the difference in the world on the string lag for me anyway.

 

you may also want to look at how far away from the bridge you are picking. my other issue was that (i finger pick) i could only rest my thumb on either pickup on my jazz style setup. the neck pickup was too far from the bridge but the bridge pickup was too far back so i got a thumb rest and fit it between both pickups so now i can move as i need. when i am really digging into the strings i move it towards the bridge and when i am playing a lighter style i will move towards the neck more.

 

i cant help you about that bass tone thing tho, i am not too familiar with those bands.

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Posted

 

yeah those are med lights. mediums would be 50-105 not that much heavier but it made all the difference in the world on the string lag for me anyway.


you may also want to look at how far away from the bridge you are picking. my other issue was that (i finger pick) i could only rest my thumb on either pickup on my jazz style setup. the neck pickup was too far from the bridge but the bridge pickup was too far back so i got a thumb rest and fit it between both pickups so now i can move as i need. when i am really digging into the strings i move it towards the bridge and when i am playing a lighter style i will move towards the neck more.


i cant help you about that bass tone thing tho, i am not too familiar with those bands.

 

 

 

I play with a pick. I pick right in between the two pickups, so that's probably not the issue. I'll upgrade to medium guage strings - that sounds like the issue if you had the same problem. Will the neck need adjusted going up to mediums?

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Posted

 

I play with a pick. I pick right in between the two pickups, so that's probably not the issue. I'll upgrade to medium guage strings - that sounds like the issue if you had the same problem. Will the neck need adjusted going up to mediums?

 

 

throw the new strings on (do it one at a time tho; take off the E then put on the new E and tune close to pitch, repeat) if the action got a little higher you may need to crank down the truss rod tigher a half a turn or so.

 

i started restringing that way after reading the taylor tech sheets that came with my acoustic. it prevents the neck from backing up some without the tension of the strings there to keep it in place.

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Posted

 

throw the new strings on (do it one at a time tho; take off the E then put on the new E and tune close to pitch, repeat) if the action got a little higher you may need to crank down the truss rod tigher a half a turn or so.


i started restringing that way after reading the taylor tech sheets that came with my acoustic. it prevents the neck from backing up some without the tension of the strings there to keep it in place.

 

 

Now, I've never done a truss adjustment before - I've always taken my guitars into a shop when they needed it. I know you can really damage a neck by adjusting it wrong, so I've never risked it.

 

However, I'd like to start doing it myself. How exactly do I do it? Which way do I turn it to tighten it, and which way to losen it? Is there anything I have to do other than just twisting the allen wrench a little?

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Posted

 

At The Drive-In and Alkaline Trio. The two bands that really got me into bass.


I know the bassists from both band use Jazz Basses, and I absolutely love the tone from both.

 

 

 

 

I can easily get an Alkaline Trio tone with Boomer Mediums on either a Jazz or P, through my Peavey bass rigs... My band *used* to cover "Lied My Face Off" - I wish we still did, actually...

 

 

 

- georgestrings

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Posted

I can easily get an Alkaline Trio tone with Boomer Mediums on either a Jazz or P, through my Peavey bass rigs... My band *used* to cover "Lied My Face Off" - I wish we still did, actually...




- georgestrings

 

+ 100 :thu:

 

great song!

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Posted

Ok, I went and got new strings. The D'addarios were on sale, so I got those.

 

So far the tone is a LOT better (yes, the Vintage Modified Jazz gets even BETTER with new strings!), but the low E is still giving me trouble. What else could be causing this extra noise? Is it just my lack of muting skill being a new bassist?

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Posted

 

Could it be the pickup height under the low E causing it?

 

 

I immediately thought it might be the pickup height. If the pickup is too close, the magnet will interfere with the vibration of the string.

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Posted

 

Now, I've never done a truss adjustment before - I've always taken my guitars into a shop when they needed it. I know you can really damage a neck by adjusting it wrong, so I've never risked it.


However, I'd like to start doing it myself. How exactly do I do it? Which way do I turn it to tighten it, and which way to losen it? Is there anything I have to do other than just twisting the allen wrench a little?

 

 

Look at my setup thread and see if that helps. The link is in my signature.

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Posted

I immediately thought it might be the pickup height. If the pickup is too close, the magnet will interfere with the vibration of the string.

 

That was it - although not quite. The pickup was actually too LOW. It was at the absolute lowest it could go, which I'm assuming was letting the string vibrate too much or too wildly, which in turn was causing the extra sound.

 

I adjusted it according to your excellent setup guide and it's perfect now.

 

Thanks a lot for the help!

 

:thu:

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Posted

Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats: JF344. I just ordered a 5-string set for my StingRay 5 and can't wait to get them. I've been told they have warmth, definition, and sustain. I've also been told they last a very long time.

Johnny

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