32" scale Alembic alumni - what are some preferred 5 string set to consider?

[moongerm]

Custom or stock strings, what are some very good Alembic 32 scale 5 string (w/low B) bass strings to consider? Especially with an exceptional Low B string (feel and length compatibility)?

[edwardofhuncote]

I use Thomastic-Infeld Jazz Flats... the B is a .136, which seems just crazy big, but is actually very low tension on our 32 scales. If you prefer a roundwound that requires a little more effort to play, then the Super-Alloy set is the ticket at a .125 B string. (friendlier price tag too)  
 
On the advice of another Club Member, (maybe Dave Houck?) I tried a set of the TI Jazz Rounds, which only has a .118 B. It feels and sounds fine on a 34 scale Gibson, but my medium-scale Persuader didn't respond well at all. Not sure how much the scale had to do with it... they just had too much sizzle/zing/whatever. Went back to the Jazz Flats and stayed.

[StephenR]

My experience is that all the TI strings have a very low core tension. I like the sound of them but can' get past the rubbery feeling regardless of scale length. I do use their Acousticore strings on my Turner Renaissance bass.
 
I have had a 32scale five-string Series bass for 30 years now and have never been 100% happy with any strings I have tried on it. When I got the bass I couldn't find a pre-packaged five string set so I would go to the D'Addario factory and buy a bunch of the only B strings they offered at the time which, if my memory is correct, were .146. Way too big. A few years later five-string basses started to become popular and there were finally more string choices.
 
For many years my preferred bass string for five string basses has been medium gauge Markley Blue Steel. I can tolerate those on my Series bass but not at all ideal for me (all my other five-strings are 35 scale). I had put a set of the TI Jazz Rounds on my Series bass and thought those sat the best on that bass out of any other strings that I have tried but I could not deal with the low string tension and removed them. Shame since they sounded great and the windings are the smoothest and most comfortable of any round wound I have ever used. The price was also a deterrent.  
 
When I removed the TI Jazz Rounds from my Series bass I replaced them with light gauge Markley Blue Steel Nickle plated strings. So far those are an improvement over the medium gauge Markley Blue Steels on my Series bass but the windings aren't as comfortable as the TI windings were.  
 
So, for me the quest for a five-string set for my 32 scale bass continues.

[moongerm]

I haven't tried any of these so I will have to check them out. I like DR high beams and sunbeams but I have yet to see if they have a low B that works for either of them. I do have another 32 non Alembic scale custom bass and a custom B string was made for  it. The company is called Octave4plus.com and the custom string  is a .130 with a tension of 4 (whatever that means) with a full wrap from ball and edge. It feels/plays great on that bass but I have yet to try it on an Alembic 32 scale.

[ed_zeppelin]

I was just talking with a friend who plays a 5-string, and he uses DRs. You can minimize the potential expense by trying individual strings from juststrings.com.

[mica]

FYI, the DR Sunbeams on Phil Lesh's 32 (and 30.75) 6-string basses have .115 on the B. The whole gauge set is way different from most people's preferences .040-.055.-.070-.085-.100-.115 SO that C is mighty tight and the B is loose, if you play finger style with some diggin in. But Phil plays with the gain very high and a very light touch with a pick, and the difference in tension is not that big of a deal, but the uniformity of sound because the strings are closer together in mass was an acceptable tradeoff for him.  
 
It's important to know what you expect from the string. If you want to play hard, you will need heavier strings on shorter scales. Is it a tone thing or the mechanical feel of the string? As with anything with many variables, there is usually more than one path to find a solution that will work.

[moongerm]

Hi Mica,
 
   For me, I play aggressively so I need for the low B to be fairly taught but I want it to be as light as possible. My technique is the complete opposite to that of Phil's wonderful playing style. I wish I could play that light but I use 'digging in' as my virtual dynamic boost and tone pedal, more like Stanley Clarke I suppose.  The custom .130 string for my other 32 scale bass is about the limit I would go. I guess I need to explore some more.
 
What string length did/does Phil Lesh still use/order on his 32 scale? I also want to make sure the string fits in length and can be cut with about 2 full wraps around the tuning post. Fearing the dreaded string 'fail' once they are cut.

[mica]

DR custom made the strings for Phil, both for the medium and the short scale.

[moongerm]

I noticed in a recent BP interview with Stanley Clarke that Stanley mentions using a 5 string Alembic with a low B string. If he is using a low B on his short scale 5, I would love to know what strings he is using on it? Did he simply put a low B 5 string set on his 5 string orginally born with the E thru C tuning?
 
http://www.bassplayer.com/artists/1171/stanley-clarke-reflections-of-a-root-revolutionary/51275
 
Seen almost halfway down the page Gotham City track question.
 
(Message edited by moongerm on February 04, 2016)

[moongerm]

Here is the tune where Stanley plays his Alembic 5 string with the Low B that he refers to in the article in my last post. I assume he strung his 5 string short scale series 1 with a low B unless he has another Alembic 5 string bass with a long or medium scale that he used?  I would love to know what set of strings he found to work well on the short scale bass he used for the recording (providing he used it)? The answer to this question may be just what I am looking for.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09G2wTppxSk&app=desktop

[mica]

I'll have to ask him - we made his short scale 5-string tuned to C, so maybe be was experimenting? He'll be home next week so I'll see what I can find out.

[moongerm]

Thanks Mica! If it's no trouble and if your questions, in addition to the string type details to him, also include;  
 
- What was the string tension like for him on the B string?  
- Would he use that string setup all the time or would he look for a better Low B string alternative?  
- Did he use the same 5 string Alembic bass strung with the low B for the overdubs in the higher resgisters in that tune?  
 
Thanks so much! This could be very helpful for what's in progress.
 
(Message edited by moongerm on February 06, 2016)

[hieronymous]

Here is the thread introducing Stanley Clarke's 5-string: http://alembic.com/club/messages/393/135718.html?1346964843
 
There is also a link to a video of a concert in Paris in 2012 where it looks like he is using this bass with Stewart Copeland, which would seem to be the bass in the above-mentioned thread. I remember watching the video and feeling confident that it was in EADGC tuning. They play Lopsy Lu. But watching it again now, I think it's BEADG. Here's a link to when he starts playing the riff (a lot of the video is focused on Stewart Copeland), and it looks like he's just constantly muting the lowest string with his thumb, which would be in accord with its being tuned BEADG - otherwise, he might be muting and unmuting with his thumb, or not wrapping it around at all, if the low string was E. (It would be interesting to look at 4-string performances of Lopsy Lu to compare, but I haven't done that.)
 
https://youtu.be/yFvrnmCSM7E?t=3m26s
 
I'm sorry I can't help with the low-B string issue though! I do have a 5-string Stanley Clarke, but although it started life as BEADG, I quickly had it restrung EADGC. I have been vaguely toying with the idea of putting it back to BEADG, in which case I would be very interested in your results! I tend to play a bit more aggressively as well.