Highest Tension Low B string on the market?

#41
These Warwick "EMP" Stainless Steel strings I put on last night sound and feel great BTW. They were manufactured at least 10 years ago, and they have great snap and have a really mild coating. They put the coated Elixirs to shame. Too bad they don't make them in the balanced tension set I need with a .145 B...

The bass still sounds lackluster when plugged in, so now I now that the pickups and/or preamp need to be changed as well. It's a beautiful bass with loads of potential, but I think Warwick made a mistake with the electronic choices and not shipping the bass with a .145 low B string.
 
#44
ixlramp said:
BigKD sounds like you ordered the D'Addario balanced 4 string set .045-.107 plus a single .145? I was about to suggest that since sets are cheaper than all-singles. The .145 is a good match for that set.
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Yup that's what I ordered. I think it's going to be a big improvement. I actually really like these Warwick EMP coated Stainless Steel strings that I put on there a few days ago. They sound and feel fantastic IMO. The subtle coating helps with the stainless steel finger destruction. But they don't make them in the gauges I need, so D'Addario gets my business for now.

I could actually see going a little higher gauge than .107 on the E string, but this should suffice for now. The problem with going too high in gauge is that the you lose a bit of fundamental. But the fundamental that remains is much tighter and sound good boosted with EQ. The tighter strings on the Warwick thumb turn it into a burpy, growly funk machine without the ill-defined lowend.

I'm seriously considering replacing the stock pickups with norstrands. The norstrands have a very nice defined midrange that should bring out the warwick growl.
 
#48
ixlramp said:
Do you mean the exact same string will somehow feel tighter on those basses?
If the scale length is the same then the actual (scientific) pull-tension will be the same if the string is the same, although perceived tension may change slightly.
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I mean every one I have played was tight. I have had my MTD for about 17 years or so and it took me that long to find another bass that almost plays as well as Suzy, almost and I tired everything. I always use DR's low riders and it is perfect on that bass but not so much on any other bass I have owned.
 
#51
jnuts1 said:
the Czech made MTD basses, the Beast and Grendel, have the tightest B I have ever played.
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jnuts1 said:
I mean every one I have played was tight.
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Without knowing what string type and gauge each had that doesn't necessarily mean anything, they may have been tight due to all having large gauge and / or stiff Bs. However i see that you notice a difference when using the same set on basses you have owned, maybe construction quality, but you can acheive tightness through string gauge and stiffness instead of through choice of bass.
Zooberwerx said:
A decent set of hex core roundwounds w/ .130 B (...ask BSO for suggestions) properly installed will solve your woes.
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The thread author finds .135 too floppy:
BigKD said:
Currently running Elixir stainless steel 045, .065, .085, .105, .135 on this bass. The issue was present with D'Addario pro steels and Nickel wound as well.
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#53
ixlramp said:
I wouldn't recommend it, that's equivalent to a .130 E, near breaking and fairly unplayable.

For equal (scientific) tension to the .105 E you need a .145 B (according to D'Addario and Kalium tension charts). .145 drops to A well too.
Note also your A and D are tighter than the E and G. Equal tensions would be .045 .060 .080 .105 .145.

Most sets have the B looser or much looser than the other strings.

If you try to raise perceived tension (stiffness) by using hex core or flatwounds (instead of altering gauges) then all strings will be stiffer so you end up with the same problem of the B being and feeling looser. So custom gauges is the solution.

Very few brands sell 5 string sets with equal tension strings, Kalium Strings do but it's best to just build sets from singles, or buy a (balanced or otherwise) 4 string set and add a single .145 B.
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Great info!!!
I use the OP exact bass and I prefer to order singles using the daddario chart which is great!! The balanced set for prosteels which i absolutely love is: .45 .55 .80 .105 .145 and I use the tapered string. Just put a set on today and I tune to drop A and these are absolutely perfect for me!! I'll probably never try anything else now. Got 5 months of heavy use before they went completely rubber band lol. These are lower tension than the nickels and are pretty bright almost harsh which is exactly what I want for my very heavy handed slightly distorted fingerstyle.

Cheers gl.
 
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#54
So I finally received my .145. Sounds much better! I think this bass is always gonna be a little funky on the low B, but with the .145 and new pickups, I have gained a significant improvement over the stock mud. This string can handle a low A tuning pretty nicely BTW. Oddly, my bass seems to reproduce the low A better than the low B.

Does anybody know of strings that are brighter/more defined than the nickel d'addario strings but also come in balanced tensions sets that go up to .145? The nickels sound good for a while but on this bass seem to go dull pretty fast. The d'addario pro steels are decent but seem to rip up my hands...
 
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#55
BigKD said:
So I finally received my .145. Sounds much better! I think this bass is always gonna be a little funky on the low B, but with the .145 and new pickups, I have gained a significant improvement over the stock mud. This string can handle a low A tuning pretty nicely BTW. Oddly, my bass seems to reproduce the low A better than the low B.

Does anybody know of strings that are brighter/more defined than the nickel d'addario strings but also come in balanced tensions sets that go up to .145? The nickels sound good for a while but on this bass seem to go dull pretty fast. The d'addario pro steels are decent but seem to rip up my hands...
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do you file your nut to fit .145 by yourself?
 
#56
So the .145 that I received for my other bass (Lakland) showed up, and sadly when strung through the body the taper comes up short of the saddle. The resultant low B sound was muddy and undefined.

So I took the string off and restrung it through the bridge, causing the taper to lie across the saddle as expected. Big difference in the feel and overall tone of the low B string with that tapered low B correctly installed. You bet ur ass I'll be only ordering tapered low B strings from now on. Hell, even the .107 E string could probably benefit from the taper...
 
#57
Aidil said:
do you file your nut to fit .145 by yourself?
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It mostly fits. Just a small gap at the bottom, so a little bit of filing will be needed eventually. It's a brass JAN III, and those are really expensive. I need to do my homework before attempting to file that. Might just bring to the local shop for a quick price gouge.
 
#58
BigKD said:
So the .145 that I received for my other bass (Lakland) showed up, and sadly when strung through the body the taper comes up short of the saddle. The resultant low B sound was muddy and undefined.

So I took the string off and restrung it through the bridge, causing the taper to lie across the saddle as expected. Big difference in the feel and overall tone of the low B string with that tapered low B correctly installed. You bet ur ass I'll be only ordering tapered low B strings from now on. Hell, even the .107 E string could probably benefit from the taper...
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which brand did you order for this .145? different from the first one?
 
#60
BigKD said:
It mostly fits. Just a small gap at the bottom, so a little bit of filing will be needed eventually. It's a brass JAN III,
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If there's a gap at the bottom the string might be 'sticking' in the slot, resting more on the sides than on the slot floor, which will put stress on the nut and tuner. Best file that wider ASAP. You can use a slightly curved diamond needle file (don't use a standard 'ridged metal' file), these are cheap, probably cheaper than paying someone to do it for you. Just make sure to file back the slot walls without deepening the slot, and preserve the curve of the slot floor.
 
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