Does Anyone Make Flats to Fit Fender Toploaders?

[Bongolation]

Fender sure doesn't.

The voiced length of the 9050 series E is almost too long for Fender through-body models and is hopelessly too long for Fender toploaders.

This crap drives me crazy.

[No, it is not OK to try to wrap the E voiced length around the machine's post.]

[Fender4Me]

D'addaio Chromes. I use ECB-81's on my P's and they fit perfectly when top loaded.

[cassius987]

What on earth? I use 9050s on top-loaders and have zero issues.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by cassius987

What on earth? I use 9050s on top-loaders and have zero issues.

Maybe you lucked out and got different strings. Different lots of some brands have different voiced lengths. I've seen it vary nearly a full inch between various lots.

[Unfortunately, I have about $250 worth of 9050M, 5050ML and 9050L sets all from different lots that have identical E voiced lengths, too long for any but my through-strung basses. ]

Maybe you don't know how bass strings work or how to use them. Lots of people here don't, amazingly. No, I'm not kidding.

[TXLawDawg]

Chromes are fine on my Hwy 1 P-bass.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by TXLawDawg

Chromes are fine on my Hwy 1 P-bass.

Supposedly, 9050s are Chromes. They're at least D'Addarios of some kind. Hmm.

So, just to be clear, the E in the Chrome set on your H1 is not winding on the voiced length?

[Fender4Me]

Here are the Chromes on my Fender P. Looks the same on my Tokai P. Both, top loaders.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by Fender4Me

Here are the Chromes on my Fender P. Looks the same on my Tokai P. Both, top loaders.

That's close, but it's fine. The voiced length on these 9050*s appears to be about 3/4" longer, judging from what you have there. Installed on my '09 AS Jazz through-body, I only have a little more slack than you do in the picture.

Why can't Fender get the same dimensions?

[cassius987]

The voiced length is the part that is the playable gauge, and then a smaller diameter wraps around the post--is that what you all are getting at? I will have to get my Ric out but I believe the 9050L set I put on it had the voiced length stop short of the string post but not by more than an inch.

Either way... it stays in tune as well as anything else and sounds just fine.

[cassius987]

Told you guys so. Mine are fine--check out the E string. Gauges are 45-60-80-105 (9050CL). These are the new Fender flats.

[TXLawDawg]

Originally Posted by Bongolation

Supposedly, 9050s are Chromes. They're at least D'Addarios of some kind. Hmm.

So, just to be clear, the E in the Chrome set on your H1 is not winding on the voiced length?

Here's mine.

Originally Posted by cassius987

Told you guys so. Mine are fine--check out the E string. Gauges are 45-60-80-105 (9050CL). These are the new Fender flats.

But that's not a Fender bass.

[Fender4Me]

With a stock Fender bridge, it is close on the E string but stops about 1/8" short . On my Tokai, it stops about 1/4" short. With a Badass bridge on a Fender P, it is about 1/2" short of the post because the bridge is longer. Fender strings suck. Every set I have tried were inconsistant. I personally dont think they are the same as D'addarios. The Chromes are very consistant in length, sound, and quality. Well worth the extra $5.00 or $6.00 IMHO.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by TXLawDawg

Here's mine.

Perfect (on the other hand, it's not going to make it with through-body, at least not without shaving that silk).

How can Fender eff this up so badly?

I mean, probably 85% of the basses they sell are toploaders -- MIMs, Squiers, H1s etc., etc.

[DTF]

what will happen if you have a little voiced length wound on the post? out of 4 fenders only 1 is strung up correctly, 3 sets of labella flats 1 set of roto 88's

[anonymous122511]

Originally Posted by DTF

what will happen if you have a little voiced length wound on the post?

Not a damn thing you'd ever notice. Once the string goes over the nut it's out of play sonically. The only issue would be some larger stiffer E strings on small diameter tuner posts are prone to break if you bend on the fat part of the string. On a Fender tuner it shouldn't be a problem. This is a .105 TI on a Hipshot that works just fine:

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by DTF

what will happen if you have a little voiced length wound on the post?

It depends on how much is in excess and how big the string is.

The windings have that step in them for a reason, and that's so that the big windings stay off the machine's post.

The obvious point is that if the string is not easily conforming to the curvature of the post, the tension is not loading on a straight pull on the core (as it is supposed to), but on a compression of the windings, which will cause a couple of problems, notably tuning instability as the windings crush and displace or the core distorting and possibly fracturing (this is the same problem as with fat flatwounds in through-loaded bridge applications, only worse -- they can't make the bend).

I have seen such bad cases of this that the string sticks out a full 1/4" sideways off the post, bearing the full load on the windings. It's ridiculous.

[Sleeq]

Fender sure doesn't.

I dunno what you got, but I've used Fender flats (old version) for 6 years now on my string through P-Basses with no issue whatsoever.

I even tried the new version and worked great (though the strings weren't)

[FretlessMainly]

Here's a set of 9050M's on my 76 FL. It's annoying, but I haven't had any problems since I put them on about 3-4 months ago.

[steve f]

I recently strung my MIA P Bass with La Bella 760FL's. Of course, they're not recommended for going through the body so I tried to top load them and the G string is too long. I called La Bella and was told to mark where the strings hits the nut and send it to them and they will send me a string wrapped to fit.
Talk about customer service!
Their catalog also mentions flatwounds designed to be strung through the body but I haven't tried them.