Flatwound C-string/Guitarstring on bass?

Thurisarz · #1 11-06-2011, 05:43 AM

I got a fiver i want flats on and i'm thinking of trying Chromes. D'addario sells a 032 C string but since i like thinner strings i want something like a 022-025.

Does any other brand sell flats in these gauges? Can you buy a flatwound guitarstring in my desired gauges and use, or will it be to short?

Thanks in advance!

Slowgypsy · #2 11-06-2011, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thurisarz

I got a fiver i want flats on and i'm thinking of trying Chromes. D'addario sells a 032 C string but since i like thinner strings i want something like a 022-025.

Does any other brand sell flats in these gauges? Can you buy a flatwound guitarstring in my desired gauges and use, or will it be to short?

Thanks in advance!

Don't know of any flat wound strings in a gauge that light. And unless you're playing a very short scale bass guitar, regular guitar strings will not be long enough to use.

Thurisarz · #3 11-06-2011, 06:55 AM

Thank you for your answer! I guess my wish to have a flatwound light gauged E-C fiver is dead

AmadeusXeno · #4 11-06-2011, 12:52 PM

Not sure of anyone who sells a flat in that gauge, but I know rotosound makes a 30. It's a little bit closer.

SLaPiNFuNK · #5 11-06-2011, 12:57 PM

Not sure it will be long enough depending on the instrument.

TI's High-C is .033 and will probably feel as light as a .025 if not lighter since they are such low tension / hi-flexibility...

Oh I see you specifically want to try Chromes... hrmm...

SLaPiNFuNK · #6 11-06-2011, 01:06 PM

They have a .020 .022 .024 .026 .028 .030 Chromes Flatwound available for guitar. *Available as Singles*

Problem is they do not list the full winding length of them.

A buddy of mine uses their guitar strings on an extended range instrument and it has to extend the strings to reach his tuners. Depending on the tuner configuration on your instrument it may work. You will need to thread the string through a Bass ball end to properly install in your bridge.

FunkMetalBass · #7 11-06-2011, 03:11 PM

I sent an email to D'Addario asking about the winding length of the guitar chromes - I had the same idea as you (wanted a .028 C). I was informed that the string will not fit on a 34" scale bass.

SLaPiNFuNK · #8 11-06-2011, 03:34 PM

Meh...

I'm going to order some and see what happens.. I'll have them in a couple days.

FunkMetalBass · #9 11-06-2011, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

Meh...

I'm going to order some and see what happens.. I'll have them in a couple days.

Well, let me know what you find. I'd like to throw a set of Chromes on my fretless 6.

SLaPiNFuNK · #10 11-06-2011, 08:34 PM

Do me a favor? Measure from ball end to your tuning peg...
as well as Ball End to Nut.

Ill measure the full playable winding length and total length of the string.

Thurisarz · #11 11-07-2011, 09:55 AM

Thanks SLaPiNFuNK! Here's the meaurements for the C string!

From ball end to tuning peg: about 105cm
From ball end to nut: about 99cm

SLaPiNFuNK · #12 11-07-2011, 10:04 AM

Cool. Looks like I will have them tomorrow... I ordered one of each

.020 .022 .024 .026 .028 .030 .032 from the Guitar Chromes. Well know by tomorrow night

Thurisarz · #13 11-07-2011, 10:10 AM

Sweet! Thanks!

Slowgypsy · #14 11-07-2011, 12:24 PM

Curious if these flat Chromes are longer than typical 6-string guitar strings. I tried doing something similar to this many years ago but found that guitar strings are meant for an instrument with a 25" scale length... just too short for 34" scale bass guitars.

Jim Carr · #15 11-07-2011, 02:01 PM

Ken Smith Slick Rounds are essentially bright flatwounds. C is .028 gauge and 38" winding length.

Ken Smith Slick Round Bass Guitar Single Strings

SLaPiNFuNK · #16 11-07-2011, 02:25 PM

True about the Brite Flats / Slick Rounds / Half-Round bass strings...

Keep in mind they start as Round Wounds before they are ground flat, so they do have a heavier feel than the similar gauge string in a standard round wound.

GHS has a .027 Brite Flat
D'Addario has a .030 Pure Nickel Half-Round

The other day I heard a bass player playing on a P-Bass with what sounded like flats... When I went up to him and got a better look at his bass they had purple silks so I assumed they were GHS Flats... They were Ken Smith Slick Rounds...

Jim Carr · #17 11-07-2011, 03:50 PM

Sound clip of Valenti Stealth Fretless 5er EADGC with new set of Ken Smith Slick Rounds:
http://www.jamescarr.net/basses/stea...ealthBossa.wav

SLaPiNFuNK · #18 11-09-2011, 12:24 AM

Ok... All the chromes guitar strings on hand...

I measured a CG024 & CG028:

41.5" from Ball End to the end of the core wire. About 1" of the core wire is exposed past the flat winding...

Ball end to about 36" is smooth polished flat winding... Past about 36" it gets rougher...

So, If you have an instrument where the tuning peg is close to the nut for this string it should work.

Oh keep in mind it does have a Guitar sized ball end so you will need to use a ball end from a bass string to pull this string through...

FunkMetalBass · #19 11-09-2011, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

Ok... All the chromes guitar strings on hand...

I measured a CG024 & CG028:

41.5" from Ball End to the end of the core wire. About 1" of the core wire is exposed past the flat winding...

Ball end to about 36" is smooth polished flat winding... Past about 36" it gets rougher...

So, If you have an instrument where the tuning peg is close to the nut for this string it should work.

Oh keep in mind it does have a Guitar sized ball end so you will need to use a ball end from a bass string to pull this string through...

So it will really only fit on 34" scale basses with a top-loading bridge and non-inline-tuner headstock. Got it.

SLaPiNFuNK · #20 11-09-2011, 09:10 AM

It "Looks" like it will.

Ill stick one on a bass today though. Couldn't do it last night...