The best sounding low B

[jonno1981]

Sadowsky, musicman, Dingwall, lakland, Warwick, fender etc all produce high quality 5 string instruments. 
I’d never, ever consider buying one without having it in my hands first, as I’ve had some that were miles better and worse than others. 
In an ideal world, I’d settle on a specific model than I’d want to try about five of the same model to pick the best one and avoid an expensive lemon. If only there was enough stock around in a single dealer to do this. 

[Hellzero]

Go to a well assorted store, and try as many as you can with an identical amp as yours or bring your own amp, you'll certainly find what you like around your price tag.

 

Then, if you don't find THAT tone, go to a luthier and have a discussion with him about what you want, but more specifically about what you don't want.

 

I have owned way over 500 basses and a lot were six strings basses, all I can say is that when it comes to quality of tone, the luthier basses are unbeatable.

 

The more than 34 inches for a better low B alongside the thicker strings are pure marketing.

 

The best low B I can think of are from 34 inches basses with 0.125 to 0.130 string gauge, proving that it's all about the construction.

 

Furthermore with thicker gauge string appears the intonation problems, the thicker the string the more out of tune the intonation is : You can't change the laws of physics.

 

I guess that by thunderous you don't mean crystal clear and with the fundamental of the low B being present, like a piano...

[Hellzero]

By the way, for half of the money you want to spend, there is this in the ads here and maybe exactly what you're looking for: 

 

[Amando]

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Edited 19 hours ago by Amando

[fretmeister]

1 minute ago, Amando said:

Unfortunately I live in Manchester 

 

Have a day out or even a weekend break - good Bass shop and then go down the road to Warwick Castle for a bit of tourism. It's an amazing place.

[BigRedX]

19 minutes ago, Amando said:

Unfortunately I live in Manchester 

 

If you've got £2.5k to spend on a bass the surely you can find the time and means to get to the best shops for trying out the widest range of basses.

[lowregisterhead]

This is a near-impossible question to answer. There are so many variables that contribute to what any one player would perceive as being a great B sounding string - construction, scale length, string type and gauge, electronics, amp setup... the list is endless.

 

As has already been suggested, I would encourage you to go to as many (preferably bass specialist) shops as you can, and try out literally everything. You might be surprised by what will float your boat. My personal preference is for 35"+ scale just because in my experience, it adds more tension and clarity to what can otherwise be a rubber band added to a 4-string bass as some kind of afterthought. Other people's experiences will obviously vary!

 

At the last count (yes, I have a list) I've owned approaching 200 basses over the 50 years I've been playing, the majority of which have been fivers. The best B strings for me have been a Lakland 55-94 and 55-02, a Dingwall Afterburner, if you can cope with the fan frets, and I'm currently using a Mayones Jabba Custom EP VF5, which is also multi-scale. None of them are the Holy Grail, but they're all very good, and leave most of the other contenders in the dust. In my opinion.

 

The perfect bass probably doesn't exist of course, but you can have great fun looking for it!

[itu]

I agree with the notes written by @Hellzero. Try several basses. When you find a nice feeling one, start the hunt of the best strings. Visit a local luthier for a pro setup. 

 

Most of the pickups are like SD, EMG, bartolini, and all sound like they sound. But the setup and choice of strings make the best out of the instrument. We do can discuss endlessly about brands, pickups, scale lengths, etc. "No matter what others try to say, my choice is always the best and the only one." 

 

Someone said that the amp and cab should go to 30 Hz, and that's nonsense. A good cab that can produce 30 Hz within 3 - 6 dB of 60 Hz is huge and heavy. A good cab is able to go down to 60 - 80 Hz area (first harmonic), because ear creates the lowest end. Usually all frequencies below 50 Hz are more or less eating your headroom out: cannot be heard, but need lots of power. Handling noises and very lows are better to be tamed by an HPF. Try one and set it by listening. You'll be amazed of the frequency after you have set it right. Cannot be heard, but does a lot. 

[Bass Direct]

We've played 37" B strings that have been pants and 33" that have worked wonderfully, and the other way round too.. So its all personal

[Stub Mandrel]

7 hours ago, SimonK said:

...dare I say "the best sounding (thunderous) low B" may have more to do with the amp and then the set up of the bass?

 

I was going to say this. I have three relatively inexpensive fivers, one 35" and two 34", two active one passive. My GRBASS at212 and even my little pjb C4* reproduce the low b convincingly,  although only the GRBASS is 'thunderous'.

 

*should point out I know the c4 is only reproducing harmonics but it sounds convincing.

Edited 19 hours ago by Stub Mandrel

[Amando]

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Go to a well assorted store, and try as many as you can with an identical amp as yours or bring your own amp, you'll certainly find what you like around your price tag.

 

Then, if you don't find THAT tone, go to a luthier and have a discussion with him about what you want, but more specifically about what you don't want.

 

I have owned way over 500 basses and a lot were six strings basses, all I can say is that when it comes to quality of tone, the luthier basses are unbeatable.

 

The more than 34 inches for a better low B alongside the thicker strings are pure marketing.

 

The best low B I can think of are from 34 inches basses with 0.125 to 0.130 string gauge, proving that it's all about the construction.

 

Furthermore with thicker gauge string appears the intonation problems, the thicker the string the more out of tune the intonation is : You can't change the laws of physics.

 

I guess that by thunderous you don't mean crystal clear and with the fundamental of the low B being present, like a piano...

I find that a good quality low B  IS  crystal clear and that’s what I want not something that’s muddy and inaudible 

[Amando]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

If you've got £2.5k to spend on a bass the surely you can find the time and means to get to the best shops for trying out the widest range of basses.

Unfortunately time is something I don’t have as I work full time and gig most weekends 

[Misdee]

Sadowsky basses ( both USA and Metroline) have an excellent low B if you prefer a 34 inch scale. So do EBMM, if you can also cope with tighter spacing and the G string being very close to the edge of the fretboard. 

[Amando]

You guys are awesome thanks for all the input it’s given me so much to think about 

[Hellzero]

4 hours ago, Amando said:

I find that a good quality low B  IS  crystal clear and that’s what I want not something that’s muddy and inaudible 

So first thing first, the string for such a crystal clear are mandatory, and only the La Bella Super Steps with their exposed core will give this clarity, then the pickups and here forget the Bartolini pickups that sound really muddy, then if you want an easy to use really transparent preamp use a Richter BassXX preamp, coupled to Delano pickups, it will be an excellent choice, but maybe a bit too sterile for your needs, so maybe some Aero pickups would better suit your needs or Benedetti pickups.

 

Then comes the instrument in itself, a bolt on ash neck with a Macassar ebony fingerboard will give you the fastest attack and clarity.

 

For the body swamp ash would be best.

 

With this configuration you'll have what you describe, but check full carbon basses too.

 

Edited 15 hours ago by Hellzero
Spelling

[Stub Mandrel]

I've been looking into octave violins and violas (curiosity only my violin playing is not good).

 

Scale length seems to be almost irrelevant.

 

https://www.sonicviolins.co.uk/electric-violin-blog/octave-violins

[Owen]

I have done the Luthier thing. It is impossible to tell how 2 pieces of wood will mate together. If it is built by someone who knows what they are doing it will work. Will it float your boat? That is another question. And you are financially in deep by then. Having being doing this for a LONG time, I have found that a TC Spectracomp lets all my basses speak clearly all the way down. Part of me sees this as cheating. But it works so I do not fix it. I find 33" scale basses really comfy to play. I bump the bass eq on the pre, hit the compressor and can forget about the planks of wood I am playing. 

 

The one there is not, the chase only there is. 

[40hz]

I've owned or played most brands and a skip load of 5'ers. Imo, only one truly stood out with a 'wow' factor on the B string and that was an MTD KZ5. Lord knows how good the full fat USA ones would be!

[Amando]

14 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Sire v7-5string also would be my choice 

I have a friend who uses a sire but he says it eats batteries every gig and it  has 2 being 18v so I don’t fancy buying 2 batteries for every gig 

[Hellzero]

I think that something we all missed is what bass(es) are you playing and enjoying for their tone right now?

 

With this in mind, we should be able to point the correct direction to look at...

[Geek99]

9 hours ago, Amando said:

I have a friend who uses a sire but he says it eats batteries every gig and it  has 2 being 18v so I don’t fancy buying 2 batteries for every gig 

Mine came with ordinary batteries (still in there) and it’s not given me any trouble at all in six months 

Edited 5 hours ago by Geek99

[Woodinblack]

10 hours ago, Amando said:

I have a friend who uses a sire but he says it eats batteries every gig and it  has 2 being 18v so I don’t fancy buying 2 batteries for every gig 

 

He needs to get it fixed, that isn't normal, sounds like it isn't turning off, so needs to replace the jack

[BigRedX]

10 hours ago, Hellzero said:

I think that something we all missed is what bass(es) are you playing and enjoying for their tone right now?

 

None of the 5-string basses I currently use are within the OP's budget.

[Hellzero]

42 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

None of the 5-string basses I currently use are within the OP's budget.

Mine (yes I only have one) isn't too, as the others are sixers, but what's your point except pretending, again, that only you know and own the best...

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Hellzero