D'Addario EXL 170M

bassdog · #1 10-26-2011, 07:36 AM

I have a new set up these strings that someone gave me. I'd like to give them a try on my maple board J bass. It is a medium guage set with no silk. Normally, medium guage strings do not fit as the silk advances well over the nut. With no silk, the strings look like they will fit with adequate winds on the posts. Is there any problem using medium guage on a long scale bass as long as they physically fit? Any thoughts about the brightness with these strings on mable board J? Thanks for taking any time to respond to these questions.

Bob

Double Agent · #2 10-26-2011, 08:06 AM

Hey Bob...I am a little confused by your questions. Long scale strings, according to string manufacturers, are for 34" scale instruments. This has nothing to do with the gauge, or thickness, of the strings. Whether they are light, medium, or heavy gauge, long scale strings should fit on your Jazz as long as they are labelled as long scale. Extra long scale would probably be too long as these are for basses that are 35"+ scale length. Medium scale is for 32" scale and short scale is 30" IIRC. When you say "the silk advances well over the nut", do you mean towards the body, like behind the first fret? If so, that has nothing to do with the gauge, it is because the scale of the strings is too short for your bass.

As far as brightness, the D'addario XLs are pretty bright when first installed, but they lose that initial brightness pretty quickly. They shouldn't be overly bright once they have settled in. So, if you are looking for a balanced fingerstyle/pick tone that is articulate without being overly bright, they are a good choice. If you are slapping or looking for an aggressive fingerstyle/pick tone, you should probably look for something brighter.

zachbass02 · #3 10-26-2011, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double Agent

Hey Bob...I am a little confused by your questions. Long scale strings, according to string manufacturers, are for 34" scale instruments. This has nothing to do with the gauge, or thickness, of the strings. Whether they are light, medium, or heavy gauge, long scale strings should fit on your Jazz as long as they are labelled as long scale. Extra long scale would probably be too long as these are for basses that are 35"+ scale length. Medium scale is for 32" scale and short scale is 30" IIRC. When you say "the silk advances well over the nut", do you mean towards the body, like behind the first fret? If so, that has nothing to do with the gauge, it is because the scale of the strings is too long for your bass.

I'm with you on the slight confusion too. Guage and scale are two totally different things as Double Agent has specified. One thing I would like to point out though, is D'addario long scales are for 34" top load (string through bridge) basses. If your jazz is an American or has to be strung through the body, your E string is going to be too short. The other 3 strings will fit barely, but the E string will definitely come up short, meaning the taper of the end winding (where the string tapers down to go into the tuning peg) will start before the nut (in the first fret). For stringing D'addarios through the body (even on a 34"), you have to use Extra Long scale. I've used D'addario EXLs exlcusively on all my basses for several years and have always had this problem. All my through body basses have Extra Long Scale and all my top load basses are Long Scale.

bassdog · #4 10-26-2011, 08:19 AM

Oops. I meant to say medium and long scale , not guage. edited op.

"do you mean towards the body, like behind the first fret?"

yes.

Is there any inherent problem with putting medium scale strings on a long scale bass if they fit? That is the question.

Thanks,

Bob

SLaPiNFuNK · #5 10-26-2011, 03:02 PM

D'Addario measures their string length for scale length from ball end to nut. So if you measure the strings from Ball end to Nut and it works out to be within 34" they will work for you. Mark just past the nut with a felt tip marker, remove the string, and measure from ball end to nut. Use the numbers below to find the correct scale for your instrument.

D'Addario Short fits instruments where Ball End to Nut is up to 32"
D'Addario Medium fits instruments where Ball End to Nut is 32" - 34"
D'Addario Long fits instruments where Ball End to Nut is 34" - 36"
D'Addario Super Long fits instruments where Ball End to Nut is 36" - 38"

The strings are going to be basically the same... Just a little bit less useable winding length.

If they actually Fit, the only disadvantage to using Medium Scale strings is much less of a selection in gauges than Long Scale strings...

ddawson2012 · #6 10-27-2011, 06:53 AM

Further to the confusion - we here at D'Addario, no longer silk our strings. If there is silk on those strings, you either have a really, really old set of strings (like maybe early 90's, late 80s) or you have a counterfeit set, which has started to become an issue in the state but mostly outside the US at this point. If the set came with the strings coiled in a brown baggie, you can check if they are real by typing in the code on the set at this site -http://www.daddario.com/playreal.page

Don Dawson
Marketing Specialist
D'Addario/Planet Waves

bassdog · #7 10-27-2011, 12:23 PM

As it turns out, the E string will not fit. Just not long enough to get past the taper.

Chromes are wrapped.

Bob

SLaPiNFuNK · #8 10-27-2011, 12:49 PM

I am so confused... Do you have EXL170M's or Chromes?

ddawson2012 · #9 10-27-2011, 05:32 PM

Sorry Bassdog, I did say "silk our strings" as though I was referring to our entire line. I didn't mean to mislead. I was referring to the EXL line. Chromes (including the nylon tapewound) do still have silk.

bassdog · #10 10-27-2011, 06:05 PM

sorry to confuse further. my "chromes are wrapped" comment was in response to ddawson2012.