DR Sunbeams short scale for SG bass?

[Tubehed]

While the SG bass is short scale, I need to actually use medium scale D'addario exl170 strings for the proper length. I would like to try short scale Sun Beams. Would they be long enough? Anyone have experience with Sun Beams on an SG/EB shorty? Will they fit? How's the feel and tone?
Thanks!

 

[michael_t]

While the SG bass is short scale, I need to actually use medium scale D'addario exl170 strings for the proper length. I would like to try short scale Sun Beams. Would they be long enough? Anyone have experience with Sun Beams on an SG/EB shorty? Will they fit? How's the feel and tone?
Thanks!

DR "short scale" = 33.75" from ball end to taper, except for the E at 33". Measure your bass and make sure 33" for the E is long enough.

Sunbeams are round core and more flexible than the D'A XL Nickels (hex core) when comparing similar gauges.

 

[ajkula66]

Somewhat of a late response, but you should be fine IMO/IME.

I have Sunbeams on my Guild JS-2 (a warped EB/SG shaped object), they sound great (IMO) and fit just fine. In the past I had DR Hi-Beams on my EBs and the fit was perfect.

Obviously, YMMV.

 

[iiipopes]

Let us all repeat the mantra:
1) measure from the ball anchor to the tuner side of the nut;
2) measure from the ball anchor to the middle of the lowest string tuning post;
3) purchase a set of strings that the speaking or winding length is between these two numbers.

 

[jeff62]

I just tried a set of these on my SG bass and they fit perfectly fine. However, they were on the bass for all of 2 weeks before I canned them and went back to Chromes. The Sunbeams were very sterile through the SG -- I guess I prefer the fatness of the Chromes, soundwise.

 

[GIBrat51]

Well, assuming they fit your bass...
How do they feel? I don't like round wound strings, as a rule - for several reasons. One reason is that, since my hands have been frost bitten a lot - making my fingers extremely sensitive, - playing rounds feels like they're being rubbed against a wood rasp. Some rounds are worse than others, of course; the DR Sunbeams are... kinda bad, IME. But, some folks around here consider them kind of smooth, so... YMMV, I guess. The ones I had on my Warmoth Mini-Precision Bass were pretty flexible; if you like that kind of thing, I suppose you'll like the Sunbeams...
How's the tone? On the Warmoth, with it's SD Vintage Precision pickup, I have to admit; they sounded pretty darn good. Good enough that, despite how they felt, I left them on that bass until they died. Which, being rounds, they did in fairly short order. For what I like to play on that little bass, the GHS Precision Flats that I replaced them with sounded every bit as good; felt much better; since they're the light gauge set (45-95), they're as flexible as the Sunbeams were; and, being flats, they've already lasted about 4 times longer than the Sunbeams did. Which is another reason why I don't like rounds...
Still, except for the TI Jazz Rounds on my Gretsch Broadkaster, and the EB Hybrid Slinkys I put on any new-to-me bass until I decide on the strings I'll put on it permanently, the DR Sunbeams are the only rounds I've ever played that didn't get thrown into the garbage as quickly as I could manage to get them off the bass. Which, I admit is pretty faint praise, but... there you go.