Electric bass strings suitable for bowing.

[Will_White]

So assuming a properly designed bass what strings would be good for bowing?

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Really anything. A more responsive string will bow easier. So generally lighter gauge / less tension.

 

[Jon Moody]

Ideally, something flat/ground is going to be better. It grabs hold of the string and lets it vibrate nicely, and sounds tonally similar (or, as close as you'll get) to when you're playing with your fingers.

You can bow rounds, but there's a weird high-pitched overtone that's apparent, and the tonality of it is really thin and harsh. Night and day difference between arco and pizz with rounds and a bow.

I use an Expanding Hands Finger Bow on my Hofner fairly regularly, so I've bowed my fair share of electric bass strings. I'd also recommend a light rosin, as the heavier/sticky rosins (that are designed more for upright bass strings) tend to build up quickly and you fight with the bow to glide on the electric strings.

 

[JustForSport]

Now, that'll make the 'flats feel sticky' when going back to fingers...

 

[Will_White]

So would a longer scale be detrimental to bowing or would it not really matter.

 

[Jon Moody]

So would a longer scale be detrimental to bowing or would it not really matter.

Scale length will have absolutely no effect on bowing. Type of string is going to play a much larger role.

 

[xUptheIronsx]

...and size of the bow itself...and bow-hair specs.

I have found that a cello bow works better (for me) for bowing an electric bass b/c it is a bit thinner and shorter than an actual bass bow....

I used to try to use my bass bow and it was very awkward.

also, the "curve" of the strings as they come off the bridge might need to be adjusted to match that of a viol bridge. On my basses, the strings run flat with each other since I use fingers. I remember having to set up one bass specifically with the curved run of strings to bow effectively.

 

[Feral Feline]

Yeah, go for flats, I've got Supernils (rounds) on one of my DBs and it is scratchy-screechy to bow and tends to wreck the bow hairs. Mind, I've made good use of these "defects", too, at times (theatre gig). I don't have any slabs suitable for bowing, so I'd like to get One of these little guys...

A bow for slabbing, I, too, recommend a cello bow, not a bass bow. OR...

One of these little guys...

 

[Jon Moody]

A bow for slabbing, I, too, recommend a cello bow, not a bass bow. OR...

One of these little guys...

Yep, that's the bow that I use on my Hofner all the time, as well as on my EUB as well (when doing theatre scores with very fast pizz/arco passages and limited real estate). That's also my original thread, so if you'd got any questions on that "little guy," please let me know. I've got two of them that I've been using since May; one in black and red (had to ask politely to get that one...!).

 

[Jazz Ad]

Bowing on rounds gives very poor results. Flats are ok. If you can like with high action, any bass can be adjusted to be reasonnably bowable.
Of course, a small radius is better.