30” cello tuning

[Swift713]

I apologize if this has been asked a lot or if I’m overlooking some obvious resource. I just picked up a 30” scale travel bass and I’d like to tune it in 5ths like a cello, possibly a whole step down Bb1, F2, C3, G3. Can anyone recommend gauges and where they can be found in appropriate lengths? I’ve seen recommendations for 5ths tuning on a guitar (62, 40, 26, 16) but I’m not sure how they would work for a 30” scale.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Can't help with strings, but I recently saw this:
So maybe 'cello strings?

 

[michael_t]

I just picked up a 30” scale travel bass and I’d like to tune it in 5ths like a cello, possibly a whole step down Bb1, F2, C3, G3. Can anyone recommend gauges and where they can be found in appropriate lengths?

I just used the Stringjoy Tension Calculator to get a rough idea as to what gauges you'd be needing, and here's how the numbers worked out:

"Short-scale" bass strings can range from 32" to 35.5" in "winding length" (ball end to taper) depending on the manufacturer. You might want to measure the physical distance on your bass from where the ball end is seated to where the string clears the nut in order to determine what "winding length" you'll be needing.

Are you looking for any specific type of string? Rounds or flats? Stainless steel or nickel?

 

[michael_t]

Here's a thread you can check out: The Fifths Tuning Club

 

[HaphAsSard]

I apologize if this has been asked a lot or if I’m overlooking some obvious resource. I just picked up a 30” scale travel bass and I’d like to tune it in 5ths like a cello, possibly a whole step down Bb1, F2, C3, G3. Can anyone recommend gauges and where they can be found in appropriate lengths? I’ve seen recommendations for 5ths tuning on a guitar (62, 40, 26, 16) but I’m not sure how they would work for a 30” scale.

For your Bb, you could get your favourite gauge for long-scale A - or go up .005" to have about the same tension as the latter; then multiply by .66 (and round to the nearest available gauge) for the rest of the set.

If rounds are fine, consider single guitar strings (GHS Boomers, for example, go from 018w to 090): they're cheaper than bass strings, long enough and work just fine:
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GHS Boomers Electric Guitar Wound Single Strings
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Thread them through bass string ball-ends before installation, so that they fit a bass bridge.

For flats, D'Addario (guitar) Chromes are a personal favourite of mine (largest gauge is 080):
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Actual cello strings fit a short-scale bass if you trim back the bridge-end silk, and work through magnetic pickups if at least the core is steel (better if the winding also is).
Tone-wise, depending on the amount of damping (the silk inlay between core and winding, meant to halt bow-related screech) they can be on the thuddy side when pizz'd.