You might look into the Labella Bass VI sets, I think they should fit a top load 34" scale, you'll probably want a plain steel string for the high F.
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I don't have an uninstalled guitar Chrome to measure at the moment, but those currently on my bass-VI type thing have a winding that is approximately* 37.5" (95cm) long, plus 2" (~5cm) of exposed core.
* [it's a string-through-body, so I can't be precise]
^ To riff on this idea:
I don't know how cheap or not it would turn out, but PF could also get the Thomann-exclusive Pyramid Gold flatwound set for the Harley Benton GuitarBass VS:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
The set is cheaper than both the La Bella and Pyramid's own, regular VI2595F set - this one has a puny 085 low E, not relevant here because Filius would only use the highest three.
They'd still need to source a single D'Addario CB020 and see if it's long enough, or use a plain string if not.
Thanks for info folks.
I think the Ernie Ball set Chapman mentions in the vid are the 11-52 Burly Slinkys. He mentions at the end of the vid that the 18p in the set wasn't long enough for the G post on the Mustang bass and was replaced with a Dunlop plain not specified ( Anderton mentions he'd have prefered a wound F.)
I'm not a rounds guy, so a little digging, I notice D'addario have the Chromes XL ECG25 set for guitar in 12-52 and you could ditch the 24w and replace it with an 018 plain ( I was never a fan of wound G's on electric guitar if you like to bend). I'm only speaking hypothetically in my case if I had a shortscale 30/30.5 with a 2x2 headstock like the Epi EB-0 in the vid, which I don't have.
@HaphAsSard The link for the Pyramid HB guitarbass was dead
This one works Invalid Link Removed
The info in the link says they have a total length of 100cm or 39.37" . They wouldn't be long enough for any wraps on the A and D posts of 2x2 headstocked 34" I have ( 40" from rear of bridge to posts) and for the inline headstocked basses is a non starter for the D and G as well. I really should just get a 30incher and not be stressed about trying to find flatwound guitar strings to fit a long scale bass
I think the Ernie Ball set Chapman mentions in the vid are the 11-52 Burly Slinkys. He mentions at the end of the vid that the 18p in the set wasn't long enough for the G post on the Mustang bass and was replaced with a Dunlop plain not specified ( Anderton mentions he'd have prefered a wound F.)
I'm not a rounds guy, so a little digging, I notice D'addario have the Chromes XL ECG25 set for guitar in 12-52 and you could ditch the 24w and replace it with an 018 plain ( I was never a fan of wound G's on electric guitar if you like to bend). I'm only speaking hypothetically in my case if I had a shortscale 30/30.5 with a 2x2 headstock like the Epi EB-0 in the vid, which I don't have.
@HaphAsSard The link for the Pyramid HB guitarbass was dead
This one works Invalid Link Removed
The info in the link says they have a total length of 100cm or 39.37" . They wouldn't be long enough for any wraps on the A and D posts of 2x2 headstocked 34" I have ( 40" from rear of bridge to posts) and for the inline headstocked basses is a non starter for the D and G as well. I really should just get a 30incher and not be stressed about trying to find flatwound guitar strings to fit a long scale bass
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Yeah, I'd recommend getting a short scale for piccolo or tenor tuning, especially for the types of things you typically play with that type of tuning. I love my Bronco in baritone fifths (G1DAE) and you can fit just about anything in the existing route if strat single coil isn't your vibe (although it is a good vibe)
Very interesting about the 5ths tuning. An octave below the Octave Mandola. Correcto mundo?
I've read Stanley Clarke, originally pioneered piccolo bass on a 34" but then went to a 32"
Returning to the DGCF tuned Ernie Ball Burly strings ( if that is the set) in the Chapman/Anderton vid, I have cobbled together what are prob close to the tensions based on tensions specs from the same gauged wound strings of D'addario's EXL140 and from set EXL150 for the plain 018. Both the EB's and Dads are nickel, and despite what are maybe some construction material differences, prob have pretty much similar tensions.
at 30.5" scale ( the EPi EB-0)
D2/.052/23.95lbf
G2/.042/29.06lbf
C3/.030/28.12lbf
F3/.018/21.08lbf
TT = 102.21lbf
At 30" scale ( the Mustang). F3 is a Dunlop plain string in the vid, presumably an 018
D2/.052/23.17lbf
G2/.042/28.11lbf
C3/.030/27.20lbf
F3/.018/20.39lbf
TT = 98.87lbf
EB doesn't publish tension specs ( have they ever historically?)
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If you wanted to use a comparable flatwound set for D standard piccolo as per aforementioned on the short scales. D'addario ECG24 with the 22w swapped out for a D'addario plain 018 ( 2x2 headstock only) is an option as far as sets go.
DGCF at 30.5" scale using ECG24 set + 018 plain
D2/.050/25.20lbf
G2/.040/30.54lbf
C3/.030/30.31lbf
F3/.018/21.08lbf
TT = 107.13lbf
DGCF at 30" scale using ECG24 set + 018 plain
D2/.050/24.38lbf
G2/.040/29.54lbf
C3/.030/29.32lbf
F3/.018/20.39lbf
TT = 103.63lbf
I went ahead and ordered D'addario's EXL280 Piccolo set to give em a go at DGCF on a 34" bass. Rounds. Oh no!! He he
DGCF at 30.5" scale using ECG24 set + 018 plain
D2/.050/25.20lbf
G2/.040/30.54lbf
C3/.030/30.31lbf
F3/.018/21.08lbf
TT = 107.13lbf
DGCF at 30" scale using ECG24 set + 018 plain
D2/.050/24.38lbf
G2/.040/29.54lbf
C3/.030/29.32lbf
F3/.018/20.39lbf
TT = 103.63lbf
I went ahead and ordered D'addario's EXL280 Piccolo set to give em a go at DGCF on a 34" bass. Rounds. Oh no!! He he
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Wise decision @Prodigus Filius! They sound great on my 34" bass, especially with some distortion.
If your bass has single coils (like my Jazz Bass does), you can get some 7ender Stratocaster-like sounds.
I'll be putting them on this. The super J6 is basically two jazz pickups beside each other. I did put in a replacement switch for south coil/ parallel/series in it, which is what the long gone Tri- switch did. But I was always in series, so I took the switch out and just wired up in series. I look fwd to hearing how it sounds.Wise decision @Prodigus Filius! They sound great on my 34" bass, especially with some distortion.
Regarding the EXL280 set, the tension specs on the D'addario website are preposterous and must be erroneous.
EXL280 Nickel Wound Piccolo | Bass Guitar Strings | D'Addario
EXL280 Nickel Wound strings are designed for piccolo bass tuning, delivering bright tone and smooth playability for versatile styles.
www.daddario.com
I've been honing up on the muscle memory stuff with DGC at least on my modded, chunky necked, 3 string Jazz. ( I'm waiting on a bridge blade jazz pickup to put in) The gauges of the Trubass 88's I'm using for the DGC are 135 100 and the 075. The 135 gives a better sound defintion imho compared to the the 115 downtuned to D.
DGC Tuning Rotosound Trubass 88 ( progressive tension, higher to lower)
Gauges 075 100 135
D1/.135/42.92lbf
G1/.100/37.35lbf
C2/.075/34.79lbf
TT = 115.06lbf
I've been doing BEAD for a fair while now, and going DGCF is like going to put the dishes in the wrong cupboard.
Attachments
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Here's the back of the packet, with the correct figures:Regarding the EXL280 set, the tension specs on the D'addario website are preposterous and must be erroneous.
View attachment 6993158
EXL280 Nickel Wound Piccolo | Bass Guitar Strings | D'Addario
EXL280 Nickel Wound strings are designed for piccolo bass tuning, delivering bright tone and smooth playability for versatile styles.
D'Addario Piccolo strings are in my hot hands. But I have set them aside for now, because whilst looking around for guitar strings (round wounds) that might be long enough to reach and for wraps to the A & D posts on by rb850 (min 42") I came across a post on Reddit that mentioned that made in China el cheapo Artist brand electric guitar strings are 42" long. $10 aussie bucks per set. So I rang Artist HQ in Sydney and a guitar techie was kind enough to measure a string and it was 42" . So I bought a set of 10-46 and will try the 17 26 36 46 for DGCF piccolo bass. Artist ELST1046 10-46 Electric Guitar Strings Gauge | eBay
D'addario's XL nickel round set, EXL110, have the exact same gauges as the el cheapo Artists brand, so I presume the tensions would be similar. These are the tensions at 34" scale tuned DGCF for the EXL110 strings
D2/.046/22.25lbf
G2/.036/26.80lbf
C3/.026/25.96lbf
F3/.017/22.42lbf
TT = 97.43lbf
See how they go when I get them.
Artist have a presence in the U.S, but I don't see strings listed on the site Link Removed
D'addario's XL nickel round set, EXL110, have the exact same gauges as the el cheapo Artists brand, so I presume the tensions would be similar. These are the tensions at 34" scale tuned DGCF for the EXL110 strings
D2/.046/22.25lbf
G2/.036/26.80lbf
C3/.026/25.96lbf
F3/.017/22.42lbf
TT = 97.43lbf
See how they go when I get them.
Artist have a presence in the U.S, but I don't see strings listed on the site Link Removed
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D’Addario and Curt Mangan are the only string manufacturers who make piccolo strings in the USA that I know of.
I think the 017 as F3 should be ok. Equivalent of tuning it up at guitar scale of 25.5" a little bit sharper than A3.
I used Stringjoy guitar strings for my Ibanez MiKro in 5-string cello tuning (gauges here), which is plenty high enough to count as a piccolo tuning in my book. They're long enough to accommodate the 28.6" scale length, and have held up to the roughly 25 and 30 lbs of tension for the plains and wounds, respectively, I had to thread them through bass ball ends to hold at the bridge, and I'm not sure if they're long enough for 34".
I got the Artist brand guitar strings and the only string of the set long enough for any wraps around the 2x2 posts of my rb820 was the 017 string for F. So I think I will try out the D'addario piccolo strings on that bass, and get a short scale to use the guitar strings. Only question is what short scale. Budget restrictions have me thinking of a Gretsch or Epiphone EB-0 at this stage, as far as a brand new bass goes.
Out of interest I measured the D'addario piccolo set. The E A and G strings are 48.75" from ball to end and the D string is 50.5"
Out of interest I measured the D'addario piccolo set. The E A and G strings are 48.75" from ball to end and the D string is 50.5"
Tried the D'addario Piccolo set on the RB820. Gotta say it wasn't the greatest experience. Felt weird to me with such puny gauges at 34" scale and I really didn't get going with it. I don't know quite what I was expecting. Anyways, back to focusing on the low end again after this excursion
Any suggestions for a 34" scale 5er in A standard? I'll be having a new nut cut and would like to have a set of string ready to go. I was considering a balanced set (~40 lbf) from Kalium, but a little hesitant about the .154 5th string.
Agree that would be ideal, but I am working with an existing bass I modded and wanting to try out A standard on. If the experiment is successful, I would definitely go with something longer scale.
