Busting the Scale Length Myth

[Jeff Moote]

Longer = tighter (No doubt about it - The physics conlcude this mathmatically)

I am convinced.

Cool! I'm glad you did the math and came to this conclusion

I guess I just didn't bother to do this with particulars of bass strings since I've done such calculations many times over in school

 

[PilbaraBass]

See, the true benefit of longer scale lengths is relying on a thinner gauge string.

If you follow tension equally high to low a B string ought to live in the .135 range. The down side to this is that at this point the string starts to sound dissimilar from the balance of your set because .135 is where string construction starts robbing you of transients.

.135 and thicker - regardless of tension - start to accent the fundamental at the expense of upper harmonics because the string is less free to vibrate. The thicker you go the more pronounced the effect. I have had wound up to a .275 so I have this on reliable evidence.

Nailed the issue square on the head ... +10

without the upper harmonic content, strings tend to sound "flat" and one-dimensional...