Needing more presence on my low B

[JWH91]

Okay well, my low B is actually a low G. People say I tune weird but everything I play is very heavy and I love playing octaves. I'm tuned to GCGCF, if that's not enough my strings are heavy longs but instead of a .130 I use a .160,

Either way I have passive esp soap bars with an active 3 band eq. Needless to say the ESP pickups aren't enough, what pups would you recommend that will give me a deeper presence, my cab has 2 10s and a 18 that will pick up 30hz, and my 412cab hits my 75hz and up. I really like the sales pitch for the Seymour Duncan NYCs, for $285 they better be amazing. But like I said, input would be greatly appreciated

 

[sprag]

Isn't a low G 24.5 hz. Could be your cab rolloff.
Try raising the low side of the pickups a little and/or some overdrive to enhance the overtonez

 

[JWH91]

Isn't a low G 24.5 hz. Could be your cab rolloff.
Try raising the low side of the pickups a little and/or some overdrive to enhance the overtonez

Yeah my low eq is maxed on my ltd and im at 9 on my low for my lh1000. I have a distortion and compressor I'm playing through. It picks it up but I feel it could be better. Just didn't know if anyone had experience with better pick ups for a 5 string. I did however play a Spector 5 string today and for having a .135 top string it had amazing low end for the original pick ups. Just don't have $1389 to spend on a bass

 

[JWH91]

Is it just a coincidence that esp and Seymour Duncan have a ssb-5 pick up code or are they the same thing..? They are both passive but one says esp and the other says Seymour Duncan, both soap bars, both dual coil. What's the difference?

 

[monsterthompson]

Isn't a low G 24.5 hz. Could be your cab rolloff.
Try raising the low side of the pickups a little and/or some overdrive to enhance the overtonez

Yeah. Most cabs are hurting below 50, and some amps have pass filters built in, so you'd be looking at the third octave overtone before you'd hear the "fundamental" with any strength, when playing the lowest note. Compression and overdrive were my general suggestions. Good luck. It's a challenge.

 

[Frenchy-Lefty]

If, after a long Darwinian process, the human ear starts being able to hear more distinctly those 24Hz frequencies, you and everyone else will notice a lot more presence of your low G. You just have to wait for awhile because gearwise there is not much gear that can accomodate that.

 

[sikamikanico]

Yeah my low eq is maxed on my ltd and im at 9 on my low for my lh1000.

If I’m reading this right, and you boosted lows and low mids, I’d say back those off and maybe boost high mids (and maybe highs, depends on EQ points). That should help with presence.

 

[Zoobiedood]

Is it just a coincidence that esp and Seymour Duncan have a ssb-5 pick up code or are they the same thing..? They are both passive but one says esp and the other says Seymour Duncan, both soap bars, both dual coil. What's the difference?

Do you have a pic? I can try to find out. The ones I've seen in ESPs are branded Seymour Duncan, but never know.

 

[lz4005]

Okay well, my low B is actually a low G.
......
Either way I have passive esp soap bars with an active 3 band eq. Needless to say the ESP pickups aren't enough, what pups would you recommend that will give me a deeper presence, my cab has 2 10s and a 18 that will pick up 30hz, and my 412cab hits my 75hz and up. ...... But like I said, input would be greatly appreciated
.........
Yeah my low eq is maxed on my ltd and im at 9 on my low for my lh1000.

Presence is upper mids and highs. "Deeper presence" doesn't make any sense. Neither does saying you have a B string when you're tuned GCGCF.

Your problem is that you don't know how frequencies work, it has nothing to do with your pickups.

If you have the low EQ turned up all the way on the bass and 9/10 on your amp you're boosting everything below 80hz or so by 18db if not more.
That's ridiculous. It will make you sound like a wall of mush. I'd be surprised if you could hear which notes you're playing.

What you need to do is start over. Zero out the EQ on the bass and amp. Unplug one of the cabs. Start dialing in mids and favor the bridge pickup.
See if that gives you "presence" and definition in a band mix.

 

[JWH91]

Presence is upper mids and highs. "Deeper presence" doesn't make any sense. Neither does saying you have a B string when you're tuned GCGCF.

Your problem is that you don't know how frequencies work, it has nothing to do with your pickups.

If you have the low EQ turned up all the way on the bass and 9/10 on your amp you're boosting everything below 80hz or so by 18db if not more.
That's ridiculous. It will make you sound like a wall of mush. I'd be surprised if you could hear which notes you're playing.

What you need to do is start over. Zero out the EQ on the bass and amp. Unplug one of the cabs. Start dialing in mids and favor the bridge pickup.
See if that gives you "presence" and definition in a band mix.

Guess I should have said .160 string? Just stating low B because I'm tuned 4 semi tones below that, deeper presence in a sense of I would like to hear my notes with more sustain while not using compression and distortion, just raw bass. Low 8 mid 6 high 8 are hartkes recommendation for modern hifi eq sound through the lh1000. They made the amp so I won't argue or mess with my eq. I can hear every note just fine, I want more sustain, more punch. I'm playing through a 1820 black widow with an 18 and 2 BOSS 10" subs rated for 34hz and my other cab is a 412. I was just looking for the best pickup to switch to for an upgrade from the standard esp pups in this $500 bass, not a lecture on my rig.

 

[JWH91]

Do you have a pic? I can try to find out. The ones I've seen in ESPs are branded Seymour Duncan, but never know.

 

[monsterthompson]

I was just looking for the best pickup to switch to for an upgrade from the standard esp pups in this $500 bass, not a lecture on my rig.

Welcome to TB

 

[lz4005]

Guess I should have said .160 string? Just stating low B because I'm tuned 4 semi tones below that, deeper presence in a sense of I would like to hear my notes with more sustain while not using compression and distortion, just raw bass. Low 8 mid 6 high 8 are hartkes recommendation for modern hifi eq sound through the lh1000. They made the amp so I won't argue or mess with my eq. I can hear every note just fine, I want more sustain, more punch. I'm playing through a 1820 black widow with an 18 and 2 BOSS 10" subs rated for 34hz and my other cab is a 412. I was just looking for the best pickup to switch to for an upgrade from the standard esp pups in this $500 bass, not a lecture on my rig.

B is a note. You are not tuned to that note. It isn't that difficult.

Different pickups won't give you more sustain. It doesn't work that way.

Learn how to use EQ. Locking it into what was written in the instructions is silly.

 

[sikamikanico]

So what in your opinion helps sustain if not the fancy magnet thingys under the strings that oh I don't know TRANSFER FREQUENCY FROM YOUR GUITAR TO YOUR CAB

Mechanics. From the design and construction of the bass, to strings you chose, and your technique. I too am not aware of the pickups influencing the sustain, outside possibly magnetic pull (which is then a setup issue, not a pickup issue per se). The pickup primarily “picks up” what’s there, and a lack of sustain indicates the string is no longer (or less intensely) vibrating, hence there is nothing to pick up.

But I wonder if you are just not using the right words to describe what you’re after. So far you said deep presence, sustain, and punch. These can mean different things to different people. Can you describe what you’re after in more specifics?

 

[songwriter21]

Okay well, my low B is actually a low G. People say I tune weird but everything I play is very heavy and I love playing octaves. I'm tuned to GCGCF, if that's not enough my strings are heavy longs but instead of a .130 I use a .160,

Either way I have passive esp soap bars with an active 3 band eq. Needless to say the ESP pickups aren't enough, what pups would you recommend that will give me a deeper presence, my cab has 2 10s and a 18 that will pick up 30hz, and my 412cab hits my 75hz and up. I really like the sales pitch for the Seymour Duncan NYCs, for $285 they better be amazing. But like I said, input would be greatly appreciated

Hmmmm, well, it can help a little, to string through the body (if yours can). That tightens the tension a bit, but not worlds more, and will eliminate some flop and produce a stronger note. Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse) seems to dig EMG's DC series, which sound pretty darn gutteral, imo. For tuning like yours, as well as strings as big as a .160, you might want to consider a 21" cab. I know Accugroove makes one.

21"
AccuGroove, bass cabs, FRFR cabs, bass cabinets, guitar cabs

About the EMGs:

GO TO 1:49--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJQX4Ow2NHQ (this is assisted by a Darkglass BK3 pedal, too)

 

[lz4005]

So what in your opinion helps sustain if not the fancy magnet thingys under the strings that oh I don't know TRANSFER FREQUENCY FROM YOUR GUITAR TO YOUR CAB

Sustain comes from the design of the string you're using, how stiff the neck is, and how much metal is in the frets and bridge. It's about retaining energy in the moving string.
A sukamikanicos said, the only time pickups enter into the picture is when they're too close to the strings and the magnetic field is dragging them down and producing odd harmonics.
They literally have nothing to do with how long your strings sustain apart from that.

It's just a mental thing when learning how to play from being younger. It's really not a big deal. Everyone accepts the top string on a 5 string being a B string, that's all I was saying like how you make a d chord on guitar it's 2 on the g string 3 on the b string and 2 on the e string. Idk what rise you are getting out of picking at this but it's lame.

Guitar tab really isn't helping you look like you know what you're talking about. Strings are named after the pitch they are tuned to. Period. Unless you're intentionally trying to confuse people and make it more difficult for them to help you.

Hmmmm, well, it can help a little, to string through the body (if yours can). That tightens the tension a bit,

String through body absolutely does not do that.
The same mass of string from nut to bridge saddle requires the exact same amount of pounds of pull from the tuner to get to the same pitch regardless of where it goes or how long it is on the other side of the nut and/or bridge. Changing the break angle in the afterlength can make a string feel a little different, but the tension is exactly the same.

 

[JWH91]

You all are right, I'm sure I'm using the wrong terminology, but I'm kinda pressed for time atm cuz I'm going to see falling in reverse and all that remains but honestly here is my dilemma. I played an ibanez sr something standard series, it has passive soap bars made by ibanez I believe. And then there is my ltd f155dx with esp passive soap bars. Both 5 strings both jumbo 24 frets, both through body bridge, both active Eq and yet the ibanez could hold notes below low b (.130 string 4th fret) for longer and sound fuller than my ltd through the same amp with the same tuning.

What do I have to do to fix this if it's not the pickups. Buy a different bass? File the frets? Pray? Please somebody help me.

 

[JWH91]

Hmmmm, well, it can help a little, to string through the body (if yours can). That tightens the tension a bit, but not worlds more, and will eliminate some flop and produce a stronger note. Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse) seems to dig EMG's DC series, which sound pretty darn gutteral, imo. For tuning like yours, as well as strings as big as a .160, you might want to consider a 21" cab. I know Accugroove makes one.

21"
AccuGroove, bass cabs, FRFR cabs, bass cabinets, guitar cabs

About the EMGs:

GO TO 1:49--https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJQX4Ow2NHQ (this is assisted by a Darkglass BK3 pedal, too)

That 21 is super sick btw, and as far as the EMG goes I have passive. Going to active is very pricey for my guitar or so I have been told

 

[lz4005]

You all are right, I'm sure I'm using the wrong terminology, but I'm kinda pressed for time atm cuz I'm going to see falling in reverse and all that remains but honestly here is my dilemma. I played an ibanez sr something standard series, it has passive soap bars made by ibanez I believe. And then there is my ltd f155dx with esp passive soap bars. Both 5 strings both jumbo 24 frets, both through body bridge, both active Eq and yet the ibanez could hold notes below low b (.130 string 4th fret) for longer and sound fuller than my ltd through the same amp with the same tuning.

What do I have to do to fix this if it's not the pickups. Buy a different bass? File the frets? Pray? Please somebody help me.

Ibanez standard series basses usually have a 5 piece laminate neck. It will be a lot stiffer than the one on your LTD. Like I said before, neck stiffness = more sustain, particularly on thicker strings.

Don't file your frets down. Less fret mass would mean worse sustain. More is more.

 

[Zoobiedood]

Hmmm, my initial thought is that if ESP were using genuine USA Seymour Duncans, they would advertise that. The first pic looks like their 'version' of our pickup. Personally, I don't know of a company that re-brands our USA made pickups as their own.