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Flats for semi-hollow bass?

RustyAxe

RustyAxe

Jul 8, 2008
6,534
10,010
Connecticut
#1
I have a new Fender Coronado bass, currently strung with D'Addario Chromes. It's a 30" scale. I used it for a country gig this weekend (I usually play my Fender J or P). The string to string balance was WAY off ... the D and G strings producing much less volume than the E and A. I raised the treble side of the neck pickup, it helped for volume and I got through the gig all right. But the tone on the D and G was still thin. I'm thinking a set of LaBella Deep Talkin' flats which are purportedly "Perfectly Balanced Sets". Although the scale is 30", I'll need medium length strings (34" ball to silk) to fit. Any experience with these, specifically on a hollow or semi-hollow bass? Thanks.

Don't suggest TI, not my thing (expensive, don't like the feel).
 
#2
Subscribing ..... I'd like to know too !! There calling the La Bellas " quarter rounds "


Bella Quarter Round electric bass strings are slightly ground to a smooth finish but not as much as "Half Round" strings. LaBella Quarter Rounds retain a bright tone with the smooth, not as rough to the fingers as regular round wound strings.
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#4
I think you have a very interesting bass. Jason at bass strings on line would know best about your needs for string length. I've played bass for 45 years, but have never owned a Fender. Your's sounds to be closer to my taste.

If you want an "old school" warm thump and classic 60's bass tone you might want to try Pyramid gold flat wound short scale. They fit the 30 inch Hofner scale and have an extra length for going over the bridge to the tailpiece. They last for years. This makes them cost effective. Jason also has excellent prices and service.

Jack Casady used to put them on his Guild Starfire in the old days. They are not as floppy as Thomastik-Infelds, and have a glass smooth finish.
 
#5
I have a 67' Coronado II bass. LOVE IT!

I use Chromes on my Coronado as I find it needs brighter strings to help it cut through more. Yes the balance is not perfect but I think it is the instrument more than anything. Only thing that can really help the dynamic balance is changing your technique or introducing a compressor into your signal chain.

I mainly use my Coronado in the studio but I have gigged with it as well. I suggest playing your lines if you can mostly on the E and A string. When I do go to the D and G string on mine I do not play lower than the 5th fret on the D string and not lower than the 7th fret on the G string.

My Starfire currently has La Bella tapes on it, but it has also had Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats and Chromes.

For both the Starfire and Coronado instruments you do need MEDIUM SCALE strings even though they are "Short Scale" instruments.

So if you like the tone of the strings try changing your playing style a bit to help compensate for the dynamics of the instrument.
 
#6
SLaPiNFuNK said:
I use Chromes on my Coronado as I find it needs brighter strings to help it cut through more. Yes the balance is not perfect but I think it is the instrument more than anything.
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That's not encouraging.
So if you like the tone of the strings try changing your playing style a bit to help compensate for the dynamics of the instrument.
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I have no intention of changing how I play to accomodate the instrument. And no, I don't like the tone of the Chromes (on this bass) at all. If I can't find a string that works on this thing, someone's gonna get a Coronado ... cheap.
 
#8
i owned a vintage 67 model. great bass and sound. jason is right, you need medium scale (32") strings. I really enjoyed tapwounds, gave it more of an upright type tone and if you're doing country that will sound great. most tapes have super thick strings, but a couple sets (d'addario) doesn't.

also if you want fatter d and g strings get that. a set of string with the same size e and a and get bigger gauge d and g. ghs precision regulars comes like this. chromes have some sets like that too.
 
#9
I'm playing a Fender Starcaster Bass (30" semi hollow) with GHS brite flats 3070. They sound better than the Fender flats 9050L but the sound is still not where I want it to be yet. Any recommendations welcome.
 
#10
Pimpernel Smith said:
You seem to be unhappy with the inherent sound of your Fender Coranado bass. Perhaps a Guild Starfire, or an Epiphone Jack Casady would sound better to you - they do to me.
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That may well be ... but I'm willing to try a few sets of strings before I give up on it. Although I've been playing bass since '67, I've never owned a hollow or semi-hollow body electric bass ... and suppose I could live the rest of my life without one. I use tape wounds on my two acoustic basses (Tacoma Thunderchief and Guild B-50) and love the upright-ish tone (I also play upright bass). The LAST thing I want is a brighter string on the Coronado.

Thanks for the input.
 
#11
La bella makes awesome flats. I think if you're long for that deep smooth tone the standard la bella deep talkin flats would be your best bet. when I had a hofner they sounded great. On a Precision they sound real nice. I currently have a set on my ric and they are very tasty.

I think that if you're willing to give the coranado one last shot the La Bella's will give it a chance at impressing you.

My 2 cents.
 
#17
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 tuner post (in this case the E string)
3) purchase a set of strings that the speaking/winding length is between these two numbers.

Since the tailpiece of the Coronado is significantly behind the bridge, regular "short scale" strings, made to fit Fender-style plate bridges on solid bodies, may not fit. I would suggest you investigate strings made to fit Hofner Beatle Basses to see if they might fit, according to what you measure.
 
#20
I ended up going with Dogal Hellborg flats on my Coronado II. I find them to be very balanced, consistent timbre across the strings, and intonate very well. Feel great too. I used Pyramid flats in the past but multiple sets had dead E strings, so I switched to Thomastik flats. I think I like the Dogal flats even more, at least for this hollow body bass. Downside: rather expensive.
 
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