Only bronze strings on an ABG?

JohnBarr · #1 07-14-2005, 10:08 AM

The recommendation I have heard for stringing my Washburn ABG (and any other ABG) is to use bronze strings because of the lower tension. I take this to be because a solid body guitar has more strength and stability to withstand higher tension. Yet I seem to hear guys talking about putting stock bass guitar strings on their acoustic bass guitars.

I don't recognize the types of strings being disucssed so maybe I'm missing something, but when I put D'addario flat wounds on my ABG it pulled the neck into a bow so badly it took months to get it to settle back (after re-stringing with GHS phosphor bronze).

So, can you/do you use the same strings on your ABG that you would put on your solid body without causing problems?

Or, do you have (safe) recommendations other than bronze strings for ABGs?

Thanks,
John

Groundloop · #2 07-14-2005, 12:58 PM

I've only used phosphor bronze strings on my ABG, but only because I like the way they sound ie: like a traditional acoustic guitsr, only deeper. I have seen on other TB threads that people have used flatwound or even tapewound strings on their ABGs with no mention of ill effects.
When you mentioned that the D'Addario flats caused such a severe up bow I went and checked some string packages that I have laying around (gotta redeem those Players Points one of these days

) and to my surprise, the Chromes have less tension (179.8 lbs) than the D'Addario Phosphor Bronze (190.8 lbs) for the same gauges (.045-.065-.080-.100). Was there a big difference in the string gauges between the two sets you tried?

Richard Lindsey · #3 07-14-2005, 01:06 PM

No, you're not restricted to bronzewound strings. I'll use almost anything but bronzewound myself, precisely because I don't want the "big ol' flattop guitar" sound. I use Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats on mine, and I know of plesnty of people who use tapewounds, groundwounds, flatwounds, and roundwounds with no ill effect.

JohnBarr · #4 07-14-2005, 02:53 PM

The D'Addarios were a heavier gage but I don't have them now and can't check. But that "lower tension" thing may be mis-information --there's certainly enough of that around.

I'd like to experiment with other strings but have been hesitating (once bitten ...). Though I can't really complain about the GHS. I'd love to try the TI's.
Thanks for the responses.

John

fatboy250 · #5 04-21-2006, 02:24 PM

Are these flatwounds ok for this application?

I was thinking about trying some D'Addario ECB81-5 Bass Flatwound Strings.

Has anyone else tried this? I like the flatwound sound. Would this be a good combination?

Jason Rauch

Philbiker · #6 04-21-2006, 03:14 PM

I'm using LaBella flats and my ABG sounds great, but has some disturbing action problems (the neck relief is perfect). I'm afraid the high tension strings may be damaging the bass, and I'm going to try putting light phosphor bronze strings on again.

SFjonstarr · #7 04-21-2006, 04:20 PM

You guys should check out Thomastik-Infeld's nylon core acoustic bass guitar strings. They sound wonderful and have less tension than your typical metal core ABG strings.

Mojo-Man · #8 04-21-2006, 05:41 PM

I've used TI flats on ny ABG, sound great.

Philbiker · #9 04-22-2006, 09:31 AM

I just did a little research... The LaBella strings I'm using are .060, .070, .097, .115 . Tacoma specifies .045 G .065 D .080 A .100 E on their web site.

!!!

Time for some new strings. These may feel and sound good, but they're WAY bigger than the bass was made for. No woder the action's a mile high. BE CAREFUL! ABGs are not like conventional solidbody electric basses.

Richard Lindsey · #10 04-22-2006, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbiker

I just did a little research... The LaBella strings I'm using are .060, .070, .097, .115 . Tacoma specifies .045 G .065 D .080 A .100 E on their web site.

!!!

Time for some new strings. These may feel and sound good, but they're WAY bigger than the bass was made for. No woder the action's a mile high. BE CAREFUL! ABGs are not like conventional solidbody electric basses.

Try the T-I Jazz Flats. They cost a lot initially, but they can last literally years.

Philbiker · #11 04-22-2006, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Lindsey

Try the T-I Jazz Flats. They cost a lot initially, but they can last literally years.

I may do that, but I go years on all strings I play anyway. I'm going back to the D'Addario Phosphor Bronze strings that came as OEM on my Thunderchief.

Winky B. · #12 04-26-2006, 07:33 AM

[quote=fatboy250]Are these flatwounds ok for this application?

I was thinking about trying some D'Addario ECB81-5 Bass Flatwound Strings.

I am using that set on a Michael Kelly with 32" scale. I had to shorten the low B & E to make them work but love the sound. So far it has not had any bad effects from it.But with the 32" scale it would not run as high a tension for the same string to be in tune as a longer scale.
Wink

Frank Martin · #13 04-26-2006, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnBarr

when I put D'addario flat wounds on my ABG it pulled the neck into a bow so badly it took months to get it to settle back

Same for me.
They are so high tension, that I retuned it HEAD.
Now I have TI acoustics. Much lower tension, but a bit lower output, too.

bassbrad · #14 04-28-2006, 02:57 AM

I am using Rotosound TruBass nylon tape wound flats on my Washburn AB-20 and am getting good results for recording and playing it in acoustic and jazz settings. In the past I have also used an old set of GHS Bassics Lights and also D'Addario Chromes but I hated the Chromes on the AB-20.
I don't like Bronze or Phosphor Bronze strings and they do not last any time for me so the feeling is mutual.

fatboy250 · #15 04-28-2006, 08:46 AM

[quote=Winky B.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatboy250

Are these flatwounds ok for this application?

I was thinking about trying some D'Addario ECB81-5 Bass Flatwound Strings.

I am using that set on a Michael Kelly with 32" scale. I had to shorten the low B & E to make them work but love the sound. So far it has not had any bad effects from it.But with the 32" scale it would not run as high a tension for the same string to be in tune as a longer scale.
Wink

Well I got the bass and put the D'Addario flats on it. I've had to adjust the tension in the neck and tune all the strings up so that the B string wasn't so floppy. So I have C#,F#,B,E,A tuning now. Sounds good through my Digitech BP8 processor, but kind of weak as acoustic only. With the tuning I just have to know where I am on the fretboard, which isn't a problem for me.

Weird anomaly though, the A(middle string) sounds a little weaker than the rest of the set. Have any of you ever experienced this before, where there was a noticeable tone difference in one string in the set?

Fo' Shizzle · #16 04-28-2006, 11:05 AM

I've got DR Extra "Red Devils" on my Michael Kelly 5. No worries...... It looks very cool, too.

Bob Bl. · #17 05-15-2006, 02:04 PM

I have some TI Jazz Flats on my solid body electric, and like the smooth feel and the low tension, not to mention the sound. "Woody, yet articulate"? I do find that with the lower tension, I've had to raise the action a bit to keep the frets - or the fingerboard on my fretless - from buzzing.

So I tried some TI Acousticores on my AGB. My problem was that the tension is SO low that every fret buzzed insanely, and I didn't really want to drag the instrument to the shop and invest in a TI-specific setup.

So I took them off and put the old bronze D'Addarios back on. I suppose I'll sell the TI's when I get ambitious. I never did hear them amplified.