Tic-Tac Bass... what strings?

[moonshinegtrs]

I am setting up a late sixties Emperador violin bass for a customer so that he can use it to record "Tic-Tac" bass lines (doubled with upright):


He left it up to me to set it up.

My question is; what strings should I use? I realize that the original Dano's were six string basses, but should I use the lower four strings of a baritone set or (lowest string is a .068) or a light gauge flatwound set (such as .045 -.095: GHS 3020 set) ?

I wonder if the "Tic-Tac" sound is more the Dano lipstick pickups than the strings?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

[williamk]

all I know is that Tic-tac bass was usually played by a baritone guitar (or sometimes a regular palm-muted guitar, like in reggae for instance), not a bass...
I do realize I'm not really helping here.

Nice bass btw!

[moonshinegtrs]

Originally Posted by williamk

all I know is that Tic-tac bass was usually played by a baritone guitar (or sometimes a regular palm-muted guitar, like in reggae for instance), not a bass...
I do realize I'm not really helping here.

Nice bass btw!

(I'm doing my best George Gruhn accent here) "Well Actually..." the original "Tic-Tac " bass was a Danelctro longhorn 6 string bass, which was the same scale as the 4 string version (29 7/8"), tuned E to E, an octave down from guitar (like a standard bass, but with two higher strings).

Most Baritone guitars today are tuned from A to A, or B to B, not so when Harold Bradley was making history in Nashville.

Thanks... It is a nice bass; I wish it was mine.

Moonshine

[Lefty52]

That would have to be one the best-looking basses I've seen. Are they rare??

[lunarpollen]

Light gauge flatwound set would be ideal. Getting that tic-tac sound is largely from playing technique, muting the strings by the bridge with some foam and using a pick... Also playing through a smaller tube amp (or dialing in a smaller amp sound from a modern bass amp) would be ideal.

[testing1two]

If this is about historical accuracy then I would find out what kind of strings were being used on the Dano baritones. If the original baritone strings were rounds then I think you need to go with rounds. The gauge you choose will depend on the desired tension/stiffness of the strings and the stability of the neck IMO.

But if I was going to choose a string which suits that instrument IMO, I would put some TI flats on it.

[FunkMetalBass]

If the original Dano Longhorns were tuned E-E, you'll want to replicate the bottom 4 strings of the Bass VI set (like the D'Addario XL156).

As far as flats or rounds, that's a tough call. I'm thinking rounds + soloing the neck pickup + tone rolled down + technique will get you there and leave in just enough brightness.

[uhdinator]

TI flats, 40-95. Foam under strings in front of bridge and or palm muting with a pick.

[jasper383]

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

If the original Dano Longhorns were tuned E-E, you'll want to replicate the bottom 4 strings of the Bass VI set (like the ).

As far as flats or rounds, that's a tough call. I'm thinking rounds + soloing the neck pickup + tone rolled down + technique will get you there and leave in just enough brightness.

+1

I would go with the bottom four strings of a 6 string Dano set. D'Addario makes one, so does Ernie Ball (the 2837 set).

The Rotosound medium scale Tru Bass tapewounds muted with a pick would also be great here.

[Coolhandjjl]

Sorry I'm late to this thread. I just learned what I was looking for is called Tic Tac. Don't have the budget to look for the proper guitar, but I tried some Pyramid Golds on one of my Hamer Cruise Bass's and they may get me reasonably close. The attack using just the edge of my fingers is very prominent. Closer to a Thunk than a Tic, but no other flat I've tried comes close. I've tried LaBella DTB, Chromes, Roto 88 Tapewounds, and the recent Fender 9050 reformulation. Haven't tried GHS Precision Flats yet, but comments would be appreciated.