medium scale string advice sought

**yodedude2** · #1 12-26-2011, 10:00 AM

hi y'all, i am seeking opinions regarding a certain matter.

i am experimenting with a first few gentle steps into slapping. since i'm me, though, there are a few conditions: 32" scale bass, 'd-g-c-f' tuning, no roundwounds.

so now i'm looking about for some new strings. i am zeroing in on ghs pressurewounds. i notice their medium scale strings are a fairly light gauge; however, they have medium gauge strings in regular scale.

i prefer thicker strings, firstly because it's a medium scale, secondly because i'm tuning down a whole step from standard, and thirdly because i 'think' that more tightly tensioned strings will be easier to slap.

anyone have any experience or opinions to offer regarding medium scale downtuned non-roundwound slapbass string choices?

thanks!

SLaPiNFuNK · #2 12-26-2011, 03:24 PM

Some 32" scale instruments accept Long Scale strings depending on the instruments construction.

It is best for you to know the distance from the ball end of the string to the nut, and also from the ball end of the string to the tuning peg.

If your instrument has a distance of say 36.5" from the ball end to the tuner, then you can accept many "Long Scale" strings which will give you a much wider variety of string gauges to choose from.

bongomania · #3 12-26-2011, 03:37 PM

Also must note that not all "medium scale" string sets fit all "medium scale" basses, for the same reason: distance from bridge saddle to ball end, and distance from nut to tuning post.

For example I found that LaBella medium scale flats were too short for one of the 32" scale basses I owned.

**yodedude2** · #4 12-27-2011, 09:26 AM

the bass has a 2+2 headstock. the near tuners are 36" from the ball end and the far tuners 2.5" beyond that.

i hope the medium guage ghs pressurewounds have enough tension for slapping with a d-g-c-f tuning...and enough brightness to sound decent doing so...

SLaPiNFuNK · #5 12-27-2011, 09:45 AM

You can run Long Scale Pressurewounds on that instrument...

If you are looking at GHS's website they say Long Scale Plus, but that is in error... The winding lengths on ALL Long Scale GHS Pressurewounds are 36.5" Ball end to Silk. They are flexible enough to wrap slightly around your tuning posts...