Thinking about getting a headless fiver. Is there any variety in double end strings?

[Invisible_Kid]

I can only find a couple manufacturers for double ball end strings, and even less for five string basses. Are there any independent string makers or the like, or are Steinbergers forever doomed to blandness in string variety?

[mmbongo]

Best variety is right here:
Steinberger Double Ball Bass Guitar Strings

Lack of strings is what keeps me from buying another Steinberger

[mmbongo]

And oddly enough, Ken Smith offers the most headless bass strings of anybody. Does he even make a headless bass??

[251]

Originally Posted by Invisible_Kid

I can only find a couple manufacturers for double ball end strings, and even less for five string basses. Are there any independent string makers or the like, or are Steinbergers forever doomed to blandness in string variety?

Buy a string adapter. They are easy to use & there are no limits to the strings you play.

FWIW, I never met a double ball string I liked.

[MBlackbird]

GHS makes double ball end strings, and they have a 5er set. I've never used them, so I can't venture opinions on quality, but there they are: Bass Double Ball End - GHS Strings

I just bought a headless 5er, an Ibanez Axstar, and I love it. The string thing may turn out to be a bit of a pain though.

[WalterBush]

LaBella, Steinberger, GHS, Ken Smith, and Status are it, AFAIK. And LaBella makes Steinberger's brand, although to different specs than the LaBella name.

Steinbergers can be retrofitted with string adaptors that work well. Don't know about other headless basses.

[MBlackbird]

Originally Posted by Invisible_Kid

I can only find a couple manufacturers for double ball end strings, and even less for five string basses. Are there any independent string makers or the like, or are Steinbergers forever doomed to blandness in string variety?

Of interest: I bought an '86 Ibanez Axstar headless 5er yesterday, and it does not require double ball end strings. There's a weird, fiddly (but very secure) tensioning system on the, er, whatever you call the bit where the headstock isn't, and it's strung with some ordinary 5er set. So if you're interested in headless 5-strings, you might check out the old Axstars if you can find one - they usually seem to go for around $350, and are surprisingly marvelous instruments.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Lots of variety...

Black Nylon Tape Wounds, Flat Wounds, Stainless Steel,

[ixlramp]

They sell the string adaptors on Ebay for 4 or 5 string headless basses.