Should I buy short or medium scale strings?

[thobbinghotrod]

My bass has a 30 inch scale but the strings go over a bridge and then to a tailpiece.

It's a Les Paul style copy and I want to put Labella's on it. Should I buy medium scale or not. Thanks in advance.

[GlennW]

Probably medium. You can call LaBella and talk to a guy (forget his name) and he'll want to know some measurements. I had a set of their short scale strings and they would fit nothing I had, not even a solid body Hagstrom. They (LaBella) replaced them since they were unused. JustStrings wouldn't exchange them, but did give me the phone number.

Here's where to get them for a good price. Thank Chef.
http://imperialguitar.stores.yahoo.net/760fl.html

[bongomania]

The unfortunate thing is that different manufacturers use different standards for "short" or "medium". In your case, I would gamble on "medium" because IME LaBellas tend to fall on the shorter end of the range.

[GlennW]

That's the hang, the standards don't apply to all manufacturers.

I just measured a medium scale E and G. Between the ball end and the silk is just over 33" on the E and just over 34" on the G.

[thobbinghotrod]

Thanks for the replies. I'll order the mediums, just to be on the safe side.