Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
DIY: Making Short Scale Strings out of Long Scale Strings
- Thread starter ray_castro
- Start date
Excellent! The largest string I would want to try on is a .132" (3.35mm). Would a collar for that be ok for use on a gauge .050" (1.27mm) as far as the fixing screw goes or are dif sizes diameters required as per different string gauges. Is it best practice to try and match as closely as possible the collar diameter with the string gauge? I see a pack with various diameters here Dubro Dura-Collars 1/8 In Plated Brass12 pcs, #DUBRO597 11859005979 | eBay but would prefer to use same size if possible.
P.s Would you get enough torque with the little allen wrench supplied in above link to tighten collars adequately without snapping the wrench. Seems to me that collars with phillips or flathead screws would be preferable
Last edited:
Those look exactly like what I wanted when I bought the grounding lugs! No modification needed! I’ll buy a set and try them out.
@Prodigus Filius ,
That listing is confusing because it shows an assortment in the image but the text and Dubro part number referenced both indicate a single size, 1/8”.
I’ve used a single size on multiple string sizes without issue.
Yes, the allen wrench works just fine.
That listing is confusing because it shows an assortment in the image but the text and Dubro part number referenced both indicate a single size, 1/8”.
I’ve used a single size on multiple string sizes without issue.
Yes, the allen wrench works just fine.
Einstein said, "Make everything a simple as possible, but no simpler." I think Einstein would have been impressed with your solution.
Using the collars to shorten and replace the ball end of the string is a great idea!
For 32" basses, there is another solution I have seen - a second bridge without the saddles installed behind the first bridge. It brings the ball ends to just the right distance.
However, the above or cutting strings at either end it doesn't eliminate the problem that the strings will still not be at their design and manufacturing tension and are liable to be a bit floppy. It will be as if a 34" bass is capo'd at the 4th or 5th fret and tuned down to pitch.
It is very frustrating to me that most makers of sub-short scale basses do not provide replacement strings. They are already buying them OEM for production - make them available!! What do they think users are going to do?
Ibanez DOES sell strings for the miKros. I have ordered a couple of sets for mine. I use the GoldTone LaBella flats, but don't have a real solution for SSS rounds. I believe that Pyramid does special orders.
For 32" basses, there is another solution I have seen - a second bridge without the saddles installed behind the first bridge. It brings the ball ends to just the right distance.
However, the above or cutting strings at either end it doesn't eliminate the problem that the strings will still not be at their design and manufacturing tension and are liable to be a bit floppy. It will be as if a 34" bass is capo'd at the 4th or 5th fret and tuned down to pitch.
It is very frustrating to me that most makers of sub-short scale basses do not provide replacement strings. They are already buying them OEM for production - make them available!! What do they think users are going to do?
Ibanez DOES sell strings for the miKros. I have ordered a couple of sets for mine. I use the GoldTone LaBella flats, but don't have a real solution for SSS rounds. I believe that Pyramid does special orders.
Last edited:
I’ve had this set of DaddyO 50-120 long scale strings on my shortscale for 6 or 8 months. I’ve got a pair of shaft collars on the E and A strings. It’s worked perfectly, no slipping or other issues. Installation was super simple.
Position the strings so the large wraps are at the nut, tighten the set screw collars, trim the strings to length at the tuners, and tune them up. Once I’m sure everything is where it needed to be I cut the strings flush at the bridge.
No superglue needed, the set screws seem to keep the wraps locked down without issue. I bought two different setscrew collars. The smaller ones are brass, the Dubro collars meant for RC airplane landing gear. The larger are beefier and steel. I was worried that the brass ones wouldn’t clamp down as hard or might strip, but it wasn’t an issue. I originally had two of the Dubros per string and they worked perfectly. I swapped in the steel one later just because I had them.
The collars are Dubro 597 and Climax Metals C-012, both available on Amazon.
Position the strings so the large wraps are at the nut, tighten the set screw collars, trim the strings to length at the tuners, and tune them up. Once I’m sure everything is where it needed to be I cut the strings flush at the bridge.
No superglue needed, the set screws seem to keep the wraps locked down without issue. I bought two different setscrew collars. The smaller ones are brass, the Dubro collars meant for RC airplane landing gear. The larger are beefier and steel. I was worried that the brass ones wouldn’t clamp down as hard or might strip, but it wasn’t an issue. I originally had two of the Dubros per string and they worked perfectly. I swapped in the steel one later just because I had them.
The collars are Dubro 597 and Climax Metals C-012, both available on Amazon.
Very good. The use of collars definetly supercedes the approach of unwinding wraps and super gluing at the tuning post end, or as I did as well, making a 'collar like' super glue thingie blob at the bridge end.
They are custom made. Around 20 minutes of turner work. But this is overkill model, you dont need two 5mm screws, so it can be done thinner a half.
Dimensions also differ, one was made for 130 string, another for 100, for supertight and secure fit. Cause i was the first for 20 years who asked such thing)
Yeh, I think the different hole diameters is important. Snugger the better. If you did the turning yourself maybe you could get some business making them if the demand was there.
I'm from Russia my friend. We cant ship abroad now. And wont in the near future as i see.
But we can create community design and pass it to Thomann/Music Store/etc, they will do it at way lower price )
On my long scale bass the G string tuner is very close to the nut so that long scale strings with 38'' (more than half of the brands) winding length are 3mm (a bit more as the string stretches over time) too long and would wind around the tuner for about a quarter loop. With LaBella tapewounds the nylon wrapping broke and unraveled :/
Since it's a really tiny bit I wonder if for metal flatwounds it would be enough to cover the transition of silk and winding with some heatshrink (i.e. without shortening the winding). The same tiny bit of the winding would still be bent heavily but not touch the tuner or the other loops there. Does anyone have experience with this?
Since it's a really tiny bit I wonder if for metal flatwounds it would be enough to cover the transition of silk and winding with some heatshrink (i.e. without shortening the winding). The same tiny bit of the winding would still be bent heavily but not touch the tuner or the other loops there. Does anyone have experience with this?
Non tapewound G strings are not a problem when it comes to winding any full thickness part of the string around the post. No one worries about doing so a on a guitar E string post. A guitar E string and a bass G string are pretty much the same except for the length and bigger ball end. Using Heat shrink tubing on a tapewound string to prevent tape unravelling is a good idea though. All brands of tapewounds are rounds under the nylon for G strings (GHS tapes are the only brand using flatwounds for BEAD strings under the tape).
Last edited:
