Piccolo 6 String

[TheEmptyCell]

I'm somewhat interested in stringing my SR506 piccolo. I really enjoy playing solo stuff on it, and it seems like a neat idea.

I've strung it EADGCF using a D'addario 8 string set, but I wasn't much a fan of the plain steel .020 for the F.

Now I'm looking to go BEADGC up an octave (maybe use a .075 or so for the B)... so my gauges would roughly be 75 55 40 30 20 10 (!!!), or whatever is available out there.

I'm guessing a set from someone like SIT, or any of the ERB friendly companies, would be best. Is there any site that can put this set together for me? I know I can order singles, but if there's some way of ordering them all together as a set, that'd be super.

I know the highest strings will need to be plain steel, so I'm gonna get an entire steel set.

I know Conklin sells SIT singles, but $6 for a .011 makes my wallet ache, and what if the thing breaks while tuning?! JustStrings sells as small as a .018 for 83 cents.

[Bass Thunder]

I am planning on doing the same thing. The best idea I ended up with is to get two sets of 4 strings and toss out 2. I wrote down the sets that had the appropriate gauges, but I have that info at home. I think they were Ken Smith's from juststrings.com. It may not be the most economical, but it's easy and available without custom string sets. Smaller gauge strings are pretty cheap in general anyway.

I want to try that on a Pedulla MVP6, but it's in pieces right now being sanded and refinished in my garage. So it doesn't have ANY strings on it.

Good luck

[Angus]

Hey guys,

I have a Yamaha Myung model that is tuned EADGBE (octave higher than bass), using .047-.035-.025-.018-.011-.007 strings from Conklin. It's a full 35" scale too, which I don't recommend!!

Tuned B-C, you shouldn't have any troubles with a .010 or .011 for the C. It's the .007 that can be a little tricky.

I would stay around .060 for the B the first time through. Start light and increase the gauges as necessary, but you shouldn't need any more than that. Light gauge piccolo sets will not feel flabby at all.

If you call up Conklin and order a full set or two, they definitely don't charge $6 a string. They give good prices. Otherwise, contact an SIT (or LaBella, or etc etc) distributor and order a few sets through them.

[TheEmptyCell]

Thanks guys. Ever since seeing (I think it was) an Elrick piccolo 6 (30" scale), I've had major GAS for one. I'm thinking I'll just string mine piccolo and then go from there.

I was going by the relative gauges of the strings on my 6 now (using my A as the starter), so you're definitely right that lighter would be better. I like a nice, snappy, lower tension. I'll start looking around... my local shop might sell SIT, so I'll ask there first.

[9Etherian]

Originally Posted by TheEmptyCell

I'm somewhat interested in stringing my SR506 piccolo. I really enjoy playing solo stuff on it, and it seems like a neat idea.

I just recently purchased an SR506. I am really enjoying it. I plan to buy another SR506 and turn it into a piccolo bass. I'm interested to know how your SR506 piccolo turned out? What guage strings did you use, and what tuning did finally decide on?

[greenboy]

I'm guessing the D'Addario string tension guide has been in use here ; }

I can offer up from my many tuning adventures, some of those on a mod'd 506, that D'Addario guitar strings will reach the closest tuning peg (normally a C on a Six) with enough to spare, and that their Bass VI strings can work on the next string over. If you graduate tensions farily evenly you can sometimes avoid using a plain steel string altogether.

[Angus]

Greenboy, that would depend on the tuning, but if you are going from E-E (with the lower of the E's being the same as the low E on a guitar), then there is no way in hell you are going to have wound strings for the top 2 especially.

[greenboy]

I know. Typically on 34" scale the highest pitch you'll get roundwound on is G an octave above the normal bass guitar G.