I had a beautiful L2500 and it had the best 34 scale B string hands down. Quartersawn neck.
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Is there a way to improve B string on Fender Jazz?
- Thread starter Gwardar
- Start date
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- Tags
- jazz 5 jazz 5 string
Aside from a super dense neck, a tapered B, installed correctly, is probably the single most important factor. WhT bridge do you have? If it’s a simple bent plate one, that’s good- a straight pull is the best. IMO, the worst thing you can do is string the B thru the body, like on USA fenders- that bend can kill the string immediately.
Thanks for the kind words from the Northwest. I graduated from WSU and grew up in Coeur d'Alene.
I went with the EMG suggested signal wiring:
N & B
Active Blend
B
T
S
Master Volume
Jack
Control layout:
Blend - MV/PP - T - B
I find that I tend to adjust the Blend more than the Volume. I prefer the Blend control to the V-V for much the same reason. You can drastically change your tone dynamics without jacking around with the level all the time.
I have installed the new Fishman Universal 9v Battery Pack that is rechargeable by USB connection to my Eventide PowerMax on my pedalboard. Never without full power!
(EMG states no advantage to 18v operation on the X Series pickups. Same thing with Fluence. Both will operate that way, but no advantage to the system like the standard original active pickups.)
An outboard preamp might be helpful here. The Sadowsky and the Aguillar are excellent options to consider and I really like how the Tech 21 Q Strip allows me to dial out what I don't want and gives me what I want to hear from my basses. Its a great EQ pedal.
Nope. Get a Sadowsky Modern. My Roscoe SKB 3005 sounds great but It will never match my M5
I have an American Fender Precision V and an Elite Fender Jazz V. I do my own setup and have no problems. I've been playing over 50 years and love my Fenders. The Precision gets used the most.
I have a pbass pro V that the B string felt floppy compared to the other 4. I installed a Fender stealth string retainer on the B and it improved the feel. Bass needs to have the Fender premium tuners and not the 4 screw type.
Signed up right now just for these questions…
Given the problem with Fender 5-string basses discussed here, it is probably a safe assumption that a 4-string Fender bass tuned BEAD will present the same problems with the low B string right? Given that the string gauges match their tunings and proper setup is done
And similar question: Are 5-string basses with low B strings generally better suited for the low B string than say a 4-string that is tuned to BEAD and set up accordingly? Because I want a bass that can get that low with weight and clarity, and I do not mind giving up the high G string if it’ll achieve the same low B capabilities
Given the problem with Fender 5-string basses discussed here, it is probably a safe assumption that a 4-string Fender bass tuned BEAD will present the same problems with the low B string right? Given that the string gauges match their tunings and proper setup is done
And similar question: Are 5-string basses with low B strings generally better suited for the low B string than say a 4-string that is tuned to BEAD and set up accordingly? Because I want a bass that can get that low with weight and clarity, and I do not mind giving up the high G string if it’ll achieve the same low B capabilities
Have you played with string gauges/types?
When I was buying a 5 it came down to a choice between a Fender Jazz and a Yamaha BB. I came home with the BB. The Fender felt like the B was an after-thought attached to a 4-stringer. The Yamaha was purpose built to be a 5 and it's a keeper.
When I was buying a 5 it came down to a choice between a Fender Jazz and a Yamaha BB. I came home with the BB. The Fender felt like the B was an after-thought attached to a 4-stringer. The Yamaha was purpose built to be a 5 and it's a keeper.
Are you replying to me? I am aware of the differences is sound and playability between different string types and gauges, generally speaking. I am in the market for a new recording bass, one that has a deep but clear low end like Jazz Basses do, but I'd likd that calrity when playing notes lower than the standard low E. I'm debating whether to get a 5 string with 5th string tuned to low B or to just tune a 4 string to BEAD. I'm concerned about the shortcomings that the Jazz basses have in the low B string, and I'm wondering if those shortcoming swould be the same with said 4 string tuned to BEAD.
I'm very familiar with the poor performance of the Fender J-bass V "B" string. I've had a few of the them and I've tried many different sets of strings. Nothing worked and they were sold ..... UNTIL I installed a set of Lindy Fralin +5% overwound and a simple American standard. That's the only J-5 that I kept and its B is great. I believe these PUPs will salvage a Fender J-5 UNLESS it has an active pre-amp (Deluxe / Ultra). I don't know if strings will help that. I sold mine, but if I had it to do over again. I'd probably replace the active pre-amp with simple passive hardware and the Fralins. That would be a v nice combination for that bass.
Maybe, maybe not.
Possibly, if the problem is in the tone and/or position of the pickup(s).
Also possible if there are preamps involved (though I have no idea if Fender has active four-bangers at all.)
Not necessarily, if the problem is in the stiffness of the 5-string neck, given that 4-string Fenders have, well, different necks from their fivers.
As I said I ended up with a Yamaha 5 string because it was designed to be a 5-string. I went into it planning to swap pups (I don't like single-coil hum) so I went looking for the best-of-the-best. That lead me to Q-Tuner neodymiums. Between the better balanced instrument, 3+2 headstock, top-shelf pickups and pro-steel strings (IIRC) I get a stand-out low B but it's the sum of the parts IME.