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Flat wounds on a Taylor GS Mini-e Bass?

rorsini

rorsini

Supporting Member
Jun 8, 2010
253
441
N. California
pybass.com
#1
Background: I love flat wound strings on acoustic bass guitars. I love the sound, but also that I don't have to change the strings as often as with phosphor bronze rounds (that everyone seems to recommend by default). Flats stay clean, and sound great for a long time. The only downside maybe is lower volume, but I can live with this.

For full-size acoustic bass guitars, I've had good luck with Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (another TBer highly recommended them!).

My problem is that I'm considering picking up a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] but want to see if it's possible to put flats on it. Flats that have the same properties as the Link Removed that Taylor and D'Addario collaborated on for this bass specifically. The custom strings designed just for it seem to be low tension and short. In a perfect world, the people at Taylor would have read my mind and also collaborated with D'Addario to make a flat wound option, but they didn't.

So my idea is to pick up a set of Link Removed, and use the upper 4 strings on this bass. I don't know if this will work in terms of string length (can I cut them this short?) but also in terms of string tension (will the physics of this work, intonation, etc).

This is an expensive experiment so I hope to get some indication if this could work or not before pulling any triggers. Do you have any helpful advice for me?

Screen Shot 2022-03-16 at 9.54.01 AM.png Screen Shot 2022-03-16 at 9.52.57 AM.png Screen Shot 2022-03-16 at 10.04.40 AM.png

Reference links:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Link Removed
Link Removed
 
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#2
Just got this note back from Taylor support:

Josh Mundt (Taylor Guitars)

Mar 16, 2022, 1:19 PM PDT

Hello Rob,

Thanks for reaching out. As far as well know at this point there have been no flat wound strings developed for the GS Mini bass.
Currently, there are two string options that are safe.

They are...
D'Addario EXPPBB190GS Taylor GS Mini Coated Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Bass Guitar Strings - .037-.090 Custom Light 23.5 inch Scale
and,
D'Addario XTB3790GS Taylor GS Mini XT Coated Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Bass Guitar Strings - .037-.090 Custom Light 23.5-inch Scale

Best,
Josh Mundt
Customer Service Rep ​
 
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#3
rorsini said:
Background: I love flat wound strings on acoustic bass guitars. I love the sound, but also that I don't have to change the strings as often as with phosphor bronze rounds (that everyone seems to recommend by default). Flats stay clean, and sound great for a long time. The only downside maybe is lower volume, but I can live with this.

For full-size acoustic bass guitars, I've had good luck with Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (another TBer highly recommended them!).

My problem is that I'm considering picking up a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] but want to see if it's possible to put flats on it. Flats that have the same properties as the Link Removed that Taylor and D'Addario collaborated on for this bass specifically. The custom strings designed just for it seem to be low tension and short. In a perfect world, the people at Taylor would have read my mind and also collaborated with D'Addario to make a flat wound option, but they didn't.

So my idea is to pick up a set of Link Removed, and use the upper 4 strings on this bass. I don't know if this will work in terms of string length (can I cut them this short?) but also in terms of string tension (will the physics of this work, intonation, etc).

This is an expensive experiment so I hope to get some indication if this could work or not before pulling any triggers. Do you have any helpful advice for me?

View attachment 4623140 View attachment 4623139 View attachment 4623156

Reference links:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Link Removed
Link Removed
Click to expand...
Using the topmost four from the Thomastik-Infeld JF346 set you'd have intonation problems, as happens when steel-core strings are fitted on a nylon string instrument. How serious I couldn't say (T-I flats are super-flexible, which would certainly help in this respect).
More importantly, tensions for the four strings would be scary high* (about 42.5, 41, 41.5, 34.5 lbs) when tuned piccolo and too low (each of the previous values /4) in standard bass E1-G2 tuning. It would be probably wiser to tune them (octave-up) BEAD.

*(Relative to the tensions of the stock EXPPBB190GS set - 11.00, 12.89, 11.88, 14.39 lbs.)

The above being said, if I had a Taylor GS Mini I would try these first - a Pyramid nylon-core flatwound set made for it:
https://www.thomannmusic.com/pyramid_235_acoustic_bass_gs_miniset.htm
 
#4
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#5
rorsini said:
Hold the phone: I didn't know someone made flats for this. I guess Josh didn't either. Very cool! I'll educate myself about steel vs nylon core instruments. Thanks for the reply!
Click to expand...
These would be another option
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but gauges ergo tensions would be higher (the bass might take them, might not) and tone, at least judging from videos about the shorter-scale version (search for "ubass" and "flatwound" on YouTube), pretty tubby, not at all Thomastik-like.

(Full disclosure, I am still considering the Galli/Kala set for a 19" scale project, for which higher tension would be beneficial.)
 
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#9
rorsini said:
feels too dangerous to try.
Click to expand...
Dangerous...for the pins? If you don't feel like simply enlarging one or two pin slots to accommodate the silks, can't you enquire into getting a replacement set (of pins) from Taylor to remorselessly carve out?
[I wonder if there is an English equivalent of an old joke about two escaping convicts climbing up the gaol wall but giving up at the last metre because of...nature calling for one of them. ;)]
 
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#10
HaphAsSard said:
Dangerous...for the pins? If you don't feel like simply enlarging one or two pin slots to accommodate the silks, can't you enquire into getting a replacement set (of pins) from Taylor to remorselessly carve out?
Click to expand...

Too dangerous in terms of potentially damaging the instrument (that I actually just returned to SweetWater). If I had liked it enough with the stock strings, I might have tried the mod you suggested. But, I decided to cut my losses (Nature called! haha).
 
#11
rorsini said:
Too dangerous in terms of potentially damaging the instrument (that I actually just returned to SweetWater). If I had liked it enough with the stock strings, I might have tried the mod you suggested. But, I decided to cut my losses (Nature called! haha).
Click to expand...

By any chance do you still have these strings? I need a set for my Tony Boy and I really don’t want to pay 31 dollars for shipping from Thomann.
 

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