Anybody recognize these strings?

[jfspencer]

Hey there,
I have a funky Kawai 1960's bass with a top-loading bridge that only accepts strings with very small ball ends. My local guitar tech looked through his collection of used strings and found a set that fit, but we have no idea what kind they are. Do you recognize them? If not, do you have any other recommendations for bass strings with small ball ends? It's a short-scale bass, too, so that will probably make my search even more difficult.

In the picture is the set of strings I am trying to match. I am also holding a "normal" bass string with a larger ball end next to them for comparison. Thanks!

[DavePlaysBass]

TI flats? They have red silks and are slightly smaller than some ball ends. Where the strings in question very smooth?

[jfspencer]

I'm not familiar with TI. I would call them at least half-round, though. I know I don't take the best pictures, but they were not flat-wounds. I will look more into TI. Thanks.

BTW, brands that I have tried include Rotosound, DR, Fender, and D'Addario. If any of those brands have particular sets that are different from their normal, off the shelf lines, then I'd try those too, though. I will try to make it to a couple more music shops when I can, but the two I've tried haven't been keen on wasting time rifling through string sets; nowadays, a lot of them come in sealed plastic envelopes, which makes it even harder.

[FretlessMainly]

TI makes both flats and rounds in their jazz string series. These strings do appear more round than flat and the silks look a bit like these strings may have been boiled. The color is a somewhat washed-out orangy red that isn't really a common deep red silk color (I've tried dozens of different strings over the years). So, they could be TIs that were boiled or just faded from age.

I'll check the ball ends on my TIs tonight.

[Kenova]

Rotosound have red silk too!

[jfspencer]

Originally Posted by Kenova

Rotosound have red silk too!

The only Rotosound's I have are Swing 66's, and they do not fit (or have red silk). Is there another set you recommend?

I tried a couple more shops today, and they both said to drill out the holes so normal strings fit or replace the bridge. Dunno which way I would rather ruin it. What would you do.

I also potentially found a match for the mystery strings; one of the shops had some 'craptastic Chinese strings' that looked very similar, but they did not have a full set to sell me.

[markanini]

Just find someone who runs a machine shop, should not ruin it. Being confined to a small selection of strings is no fun, I had to look high and low for double-ball strings for my headless. Got the adapter and have been much happier since.

[greencow]

I had some ernie ball strings on my bass that had red silk.

[Kenova]

Originally Posted by jfspencer

The only Rotosound's I have are Swing 66's, and they do not fit (or have red silk). Is there another set you recommend?

I tried a couple more shops today, and they both said to drill out the holes so normal strings fit or replace the bridge. Dunno which way I would rather ruin it. What would you do.

I also potentially found a match for the mystery strings; one of the shops had some 'craptastic Chinese strings' that looked very similar, but they did not have a full set to sell me.

RS66 are Roundwounds.
RS77 are Flatwounds.

Both have red silk.

[Phendyr_Loon]

Any chance you could easily modify the bridge by reaming out the holes a bit to accept normal sized ball ends?

[jfspencer]

I like the suggestion to ream out the holes in the bridge. Another idea I had is to install string ferrules, so the size of the ball end would not be an issue at the point of the bridge. Should increase the sustain to a bit, right?