bad eyesite leads to happy accident!

Charling · #1 09-14-2004, 07:17 PM

I bought a set of strings yesterday, rotosound customs in a black case, there super light (.30 - .85). I've never used very light strings so I thought I'd try them as I don't have another gig for a month or so. I put them on my bass, and noticed that they were really floppy, only then did I notice the tiny 'longscale' print. so after cursing for a bit about £20 wasted I decided to just tune them up untill they were tight enough to use, and it's actually really good!

my bass feels almost guitar like, chords are ringing out and sound beautiful, especially harmonic chords using 'inbetween' harmonics. Im almost gutted I have to take them off!

The slap sound reminds me very much of a bill dickens track I have entitled bass solo, does anybody know if he done a similar thing with his basses?

seanm · #2 09-15-2004, 12:41 PM

I assume you put them on a short or medium scale bass. I have almost completely switched over to long scale strings on my short scale basses. There is more selection and I have not yet had a problem with doing so. For example, long scale super light (.040-.095) D'Addario chromes work great on short scale basses and are very easy to get.

Mon Rominee · #3 09-15-2004, 01:32 PM

I too use all long scale strings on my Epiphone Rivoli II. As long as they wrap around the tuner post, they're fine in my book.

**john turner** · #4 09-15-2004, 01:35 PM

bill dickens uses very light gauge strings on his basses, almost a string higher for each one. (an a string for his e, a d string for his a, etc.)

xshawnxearthx · #5 09-16-2004, 10:11 AM

usually when you jump down or up in guages you should get it set up, this may be the reason its floppy.

Charling · #6 09-17-2004, 01:29 PM

Yeah, may (34" scale) bass is set up for my usual 50-105 strings so thats probably it. It's a pity, I've really enjoyed using these strings but I will have to take them off my good bass soon as I have a few gigs coming up and I don't really want to use them for a pop/soul/funk function band. I've ended up tuning it to G,C,F,Bb and you can get some lovely harmonics. I'll post a little mp3 when I get the chance!

Johnny BoomBoom · #7 09-22-2004, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charling

Yeah, may (34" scale) bass is set up for my usual 50-105 strings so thats probably it. It's a pity, I've really enjoyed using these strings but I will have to take them off my good bass soon as I have a few gigs coming up and I don't really want to use them for a pop/soul/funk function band. I've ended up tuning it to G,C,F,Bb and you can get some lovely harmonics. I'll post a little mp3 when I get the chance!

Erm....isn't 34" + considered long scale????

I've only ever had 34" (sorry...have one 35" scale bass) basses....and have always used longscale strings......mostly 45-105 though....they always sounded fine!

dlloyd · #8 09-23-2004, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charling

I bought a set of strings yesterday, rotosound customs in a black case, there super light (.30 - .85). I've never used very light strings so I thought I'd try them as I don't have another gig for a month or so. I put them on my bass, and noticed that they were really floppy, only then did I notice the tiny 'longscale' print. so after cursing for a bit about £20 wasted I decided to just tune them up untill they were tight enough to use, and it's actually really good!

The reason they're floppy is because of the gauge. Your bass is longscale at 34".

You've essentially turned your bass into a tenor bass.

Charling · #9 09-30-2004, 12:12 PM

Cool, I've got the gauge/floppy thing now, but i was wrong, my bass is 32" scale! you know how it is, sometimes things you'v'e known for years ellude you....

anyone know what gauge/tunings people use for piccalo bass? my forage into the tenor world has wet my appetite to recycle my spare bass..

cheers for the help guys!