Extra Long or Super Long for 35" thru body

[twangchief]

Hi all,

I just bought a new 5 string, 35" scale w/ string through body. It came with elixir which I'm not to thrilled about. I bought some spare 5 string sets (cheap Hartke) from zzounds to hold me over but they don't fit...too short. They are almost too short even if I top load them.

Searches on this forum has given me Elixir extra long and D'addario super long as my only choices. Are there any more choices of extra long scale strings?

Thanks,

[Dude]

Infeld IN-365's will work well for you.

http://cgi.msn.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI...05727&tc=photo

[angelopb]

TI Super Alloys are really nice. I have the extra long scale lenght set mentioned above.

However, my bass is not strung through the body, and the scale lenght in 36" from bridge to nut.

I can't find a low B made by TI that will fit. The standard scale is too short and the extra long scale is too long in that it does not taper until it is already around the peg winding. Can I just go ahead and string it or will this cause it to break?

I basically need a nickel wound round that will fit. Rotossound's extra long scale fit perfectly. But I like the feel of TI.

[Dude]

Originally Posted by angelopb

However, my bass is not strung through the body, and the scale lenght in 36" from bridge to nut.

I can't find a low B made by TI that will fit. The standard scale is too short and the extra long scale is too long in that it does not taper until it is already around the peg winding. Can I just go ahead and string it or will this cause it to break?

I basically need a nickel wound round that will fit. Rotossound's extra long scale fit perfectly. But I like the feel of TI.

I'd try to use the IN-365 B string. I have Rotosound RS 88LD's (black nylons) strung on my Danelectro DC Bass and it has those funky old style pegheads that you have to thread the string through the post like threading a needle and my .115 E string is wrapped around the post way beyond the silk and it hasn't broken the core.

What bass do you have? I don't know of any 36" scale topload 5 strings off the top of my head.

[angelopb]

It is a custom from Michael Dolan. Will a string break if you wrap it around the winding peg before it tapers?


I only have this problem with the extra long scale B because the winding peg is so close to the nut.

[Dude]

Wow...small world. I saw your bass as it was being made in Dolan's shop...I thought the guy he made that bass for lived in Texas.

Your bass is the one he uses on the left side of his homepage I believe.

http://www.dolanguitars.com/index.htm

I played it before you did!

[Dude]

Originally Posted by angelopb

Will a string break if you wrap it around the winding peg before it tapers?

You do run the risk of breaking the core but I've done it many times and never had it happen.

[Dude]

You may want to try looking for SIT strings. I know they make custom sets for many extended range bassists.

[angelopb]

So you played it before I did? Cool. That was in '98. I always lived in Florida. He called it the "monster jazz bass." The flatwounds it came with were lousy. I put some rotosound swing bass 66 extra-long scale and it just worked flawlessly. And those were available over-the-counter and a non- superstore music store.

I don't change strings much but I wanted to experiment with TIs because those acousticores for ABG are so cool. No other string fundementally changes the character of the instrument.

You figure if Rotosounds fit perfectly then there would be others. I am basically interested in warm, midrangy strings with a soft feel- nickelwounds. I would like to find a set of semi-flats in a 36" scale.

[Dude]

Yeah, I saw it through all phases of construction. Until two years ago I lived in Santa Rosa and was in Michael's shop every other day.

[angelopb]

He probably thought it was nuts to make it extra long scale. But I did it for several reasons. I wanted my 5 string J bass to preserve the sex appeal of a 4 string J bass-keeping those proportions and lines. You just don't get that in 34" scales becasue the neck looks stubby, IMO. I also love the feel of a BIG bass. And the tight B string is the bomb. Recall, I have a hipshot D-tuner so it can drop down to low A.

That is cool. I wish I could have saw it being made.

It's funny that he doesn't charge more.

People here in TB go apeshxx over Japanese copies of NYC copies of fenders and pay more for those than what Dolan charged to build that from scratch!

[hondo8671]

Originally Posted by twangchief

Hi all,

I just bought a new 5 string, 35" scale w/ string through body. It came with elixir which I'm not to thrilled about. I bought some spare 5 string sets (cheap Hartke) from zzounds to hold me over but they don't fit...too short. They are almost too short even if I top load them.

Searches on this forum has given me Elixir extra long and D'addario super long as my only choices. Are there any more choices of extra long scale strings?

Thanks,

what didnt you like about the Elixers?

[hondo8671]

Originally Posted by twangchief

Hi all,

I just bought a new 5 string, 35" scale w/ string through body. It came with elixir which I'm not to thrilled about. I bought some spare 5 string sets (cheap Hartke) from zzounds to hold me over but they don't fit...too short. They are almost too short even if I top load them.

Searches on this forum has given me Elixir extra long and D'addario super long as my only choices. Are there any more choices of extra long scale strings?

Thanks,

what didnt you like about the Elixirs?

[twangchief]

I didn't like the 'lack of' brightness of the elixirs when I put them on. I use elixir on the acoustic guitar all the time.

I now think that if the elixirs sound the same way after a month or two then it would be worth having them. Maybe.......