acoustic on electric?

wicked_child · #1 10-23-2007, 10:44 AM

I know someone who strings his strat with acoustic strings. The result was a really massive tone!

now, will it work for bass? will a phosphor bronze string work with an electric bass?

Pilgrim · #2 10-23-2007, 07:11 PM

As long as there's metal in the strings for the pickup to sense, yes.

Make sure that your bridge will let the strings pass through - some are fairly large in diameter.

Shoewreck · #3 10-24-2007, 02:42 AM

I had phosphor bronze La Bella strings on my bass. My observatons are:
1) Low output (only core is magnetic)
2) Little midrange, lots of highs, very frightening slap tone, yet mellow fingerstyle (my WW didn't growl with these strings).
3) Harsh feeling, lots of finger noise.

wicked_child · #4 10-24-2007, 06:52 AM

thanks for the input guys. I guess I will just stick with electric bass strings

kyral210 · #5 10-25-2007, 04:33 PM

Electric strings are designed and manufactured for electric basses. They are magnetic through and through designed to resonate in a way that works well with the pickup.

Acoustic strings are designed and manufactured for acoustic basses. They are semi (if at all) magnetic, and designed to resonate tone rather than a frequency that works well with the pickup.

Acoustic strings would only work well on a bass if the bass had Piezo (dont know how to spell it) pickups installed alongside the regular coils, and even then it would be a bad idea.