Fender Bass VI/Danelectro Bass Six/Schecter Hellcat Strings Discussion

[HelpImaRock]

Last year, as part of their custom order system, LaBella made me a set of 24-96 stainless steel Hellcat strings for my Danelectro Bass Six. The Hellcat set had been discontinued and the only remaining LaBella Bass VI sets are too long for any non-vibrato Bass Six type instrument.

Last week, my tech finally put them on and busted the low E string at the ball end. Because these have the smaller guitar ball ends, finding a replacement is not as simple as stealing one from a standard short scale bass set.

I contacted LaBella who has now also discontinued their online custom ordering system. They're winding me a new string (actually two just in case this happens again). So I'll have a reasonable resolution in short order, and I appreciate them accommodating me.

In looking at the other available sets on the market, here's what I found:
Ernie Ball nickel 20-90: I don't like this set. It's way too low tension for me.
D'Addario nickel 24-84: The industry standard for years. High strings are fine, low strings are a floppy mess.

I also contacted Stringjoy who makes a nickel Bass VI set. They told me I could custom order a baritone set with the proper string gauges and the .95 low E would fit properly. So while it's not a stainless steel set, at least I can get the right fit.

Figured there would be some in this crowd who could use the info, or find this in a search later one.

 

[HaphAsSard]

D'Addario nickel 24-84: The industry standard for years. High strings are fine, low strings are a floppy mess.

The D'Addario set for Dano six-string bass - EXL155 - was discontinued when Jerry Jones retired; the EXL156 is wound for the longer-needing Fender/Squier VI. The latter set has now a heavier-gauge alternative (if also D'Addario made, I believe) in the new-version Fender 250B6 (24-34-44-56-72-100) - also too long for your Danelectro, alas.
(All the above are of course nickel-plated steel roundwounds.)

 

[HelpImaRock]

The D'Addario set for Dano six-string bass - EXL155 - was discontinued when Jerry Jones retired; the EXL156 is wound for the longer-needing Fender/Squier VI. The latter set has now a heavier-gauge alternative (if also D'Addario made, I believe) in the new-version Fender 250B6 (24-34-44-56-72-100) - also too long for your Danelectro, alas.
(All the above are of course nickel-plated steel roundwounds.)

That's interesting. I probably last used the D'Addarios when JJ was still in business. Thanks for the update and the info on the Fender.

I'm going to order a pack of the Stringjoys while that option is still available. Even if they sit for years, at least I'll have them.

 

[HaphAsSard]

That's interesting. I probably last used the D'Addarios when JJ was still in business.

I can't rule out the possibility you didn't use the XL155* set but the longer XL156, fitting the full-wound 084 on the tuning post.
Which, however, would be harder with the Fender 100, what with it being a guitar tuner.
(I guess one could unwind the string a little, and secure it between nut and post with...something - superglue, heat shrink tubing - but not my idea of fun for sure...)


* [speaking of which, back then there was no "E" in the names]

 

[HelpImaRock]

D'Addario just called me back. They can't accommodate a set for a Danelectro/Schecter.

Stringjoy it is. There's nothing else out there.

 

[mellowgerman]

Here's my fix for the LaBella Bass VI string length issue, which may work for others as well, depending on tailpiece design.

I love the tone of their flatwounds on a Bass VI, but the Gretsch G5260 is only 29.75" scale and there's not a ton of space from saddle to tailpiece. For that reason, the main outer flatwound winding of the E strings start to go around the tuning peg, which is very risky with LaBellas. Speaking from personal experience, their length/installation warning is on the package for good reason!

I debated installing a new tailpiece, farther back, or maybe even making a wood-block tailpiece out of rosewood that extends farther back... but all it took was a spare socket wrench attachment. Aesthetically it may not work for some, but I'm a pragmatist, so as long as it works and is reliable/stable, I'm good! The fact that the chrome matches perfectly is a bonus. The outer windings of the high E also go around the peg a bit, but since it's a much thinner gauge, it's more flexible and worked fine without affecting tone or stability.

 

[winston]

I just came across this thread as I contemplate restringing my 30" scale Schecter Hellcat VI for the first time since I got it in 2007 ;-). Likewise, the 28.5" Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom I had before it always kept the stock strings on it.

I had not considered the length issue for non-trem Bass VI-alikes. Do any of the currently available Bass VI sets work for a 34" ball end to tuning post length or is it strictly custom sets? Especially interested in flatwounds.

Thanks!

 

[HaphAsSard]

I just came across this thread as I contemplate restringing my 30" scale Schecter Hellcat VI for the first time since I got it in 2007 ;-). Likewise, the 28.5" Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom I had before it always kept the stock strings on it.

I had not considered the length issue for non-trem Bass VI-alikes. Do any of the currently available Bass VI sets work for a 34" ball end to tuning post length or is it strictly custom sets? Especially interested in flatwounds.

Thanks!

La Bella has discontinued the Jaguar VI and Hellcat VI sets, so answer's unfortunately no. Only two currently available flatwound sets for VI are Fender/Squier-length: to wit, the extant one - 767-6F - by the aforesaid La Bella, and one by Pyramid. You could, as surmised, get a custom-length version from Pyramid.

Or, you could try and dig out a NOS set for the Hellcat. Google (in quotes) "hc6-f" and "la bella". Also try replacing the former with "hc6f" and the latter with "labella", and try all possible combinations. If I'm not mistaken, they're seemingly all gone Stateside but there should be some left in European stores: if you find one, shoot them an email and arrange a trans-Atlantic trans-action.

Or, finally, get a medium-scale, 4-string flatwound bass set, and complement it with two guitar flat singles (say, 032 and .024, or 030 and 022).

 

[insomehonkytonk]

Am also looking for flatwounds for my 90s MIK Danelectro UB-2. I read that La Bella can customize the "speaking length" of their Bass VI set to 32" to accommodate the 30" scale Danos since discontinuing the Hellcat set, has anyone had success lately?

 

[Dan_reeves]

Kalium? Last I checked they had a few options in both stainless and nickel. But it has admittedly been a while.

Edit: I am talking rounds…if flats are what you are looking for then nevermind.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Am also looking for flatwounds for my 90s MIK Danelectro UB-2. I read that La Bella can customize the "speaking length" of their Bass VI set to 32" to accommodate the 30" scale Danos since discontinuing the Hellcat set, has anyone had success lately?

LaBella did this before discontinuing their custom ordering options. Your best option today is a custom baritone set from Stringjoy. I haven't taken the plunge yet.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Especially interested in flatwounds.

Am also looking for flatwounds for my 90s MIK Danelectro UB-2. I read that La Bella can customize the "speaking length" of their Bass VI set to 32" to accommodate the 30" scale Danos since discontinuing the Hellcat set, has anyone had success lately?

LaBella did this before discontinuing their custom ordering options.

Since my post above, I've noticed that the Pyramid set designed for the Harley Benton GuitarBass, whose lowest string is a .085" (pretty thin in absolute terms as well as compared to the .075" A), has a 33" winding length:
https://www.thomannmusic.com/pyramid_vi_flatwound_string_set.htm
If you can put up with that skinny low E, the above is a good value option.

(If going the fully custom route is your preference, the same Pyramid is still active on that front, unlike La Bella AFAIK, and is the only company I'm aware of - barring Garry Goodman's Octave4Plus - doing so for flatwounds.)