For Those Who Have "String Thru-Body" Basses

[Vintage P]

Just passing along a personal experience that may be of help.

This is from the "Even after all these years you learn something new" file.

I have a 2011 MIA J (which is great) where the strings go over the bridge and through the body -- the theory being, it provides more tone and resonance. I not sure I ever bought into that, but always strung it that way anyway.

Then, after removing the strings and reapplying the same ones, I lazily just strung it straight through the bridge.

THE DIFFERENCE WAS CONSIDERABLE.

Better response, better tone, more sustain. And no, it wasn't just because the strings were"refreshed." It's been the case ever since.

If you think about it, it makes sense...

In order to put the string through the body it has to be bent and that would cause it to somewhat come off the bridge. So, less metal on metal mass equal less sustain.

Whatever it is, I'd recommend giving it a try. The "thru-body"design one of those things that sounds good but don't work as well as the more simple variation. Try it. I'd be curious how many people come to the same conclusion. (Many some of you already have).

 

[2saddleslab]

Tried it, still prefer strung thru. Have for 30 years. What's most important is finding what works best for you.

 

[yodedude2]

you used the same strings? what kind of strings were they? weren't they still bent from being through-body already? wouldn't the old witness point now be in the speaking length of the string?

did you set the witness point properly over the bridge saddles when you first used the strings?

 

[Zooberwerx]

I'm sure we'll be reading various and frequently conflicting observations. In either application, pay extra attention to properly establishing witness points which can be troublesome especially with the heavier gauge strings. Some folks have made a compromise by stringing thru-body with the A, D, & G strings while maintaining the more traditional thru-bridge (or top-load) with the E & B.

Riis

 

[nicopiano]

I noticed the exactly same thing last summer with my MIA Jazz Deluxe.

 

[wrench45us]

string thru can be more prone to string twist, which changes the string response much more than I ever would have guessed until someone here suggested that might be the source of a response problem

that's why the idea of backing it off and letting the string straighten may be somewhat similar to restringing just through the bridge

so I guess I'm not too surprised that in some cases you might get better response just using the bridge -- even with the same strings

 

[interp]

string thru can be more prone to string twist, which changes the string response much more than I ever would have guessed until someone here suggested that might be the source of a response problem

that's why the idea of backing it off and letting the string straighten may be somewhat similar to restringing just through the bridge

so I guess I'm not too surprised that in some cases you might get better response just using the bridge -- even with the same strings

String twist can be a major factor that is often overlooked. On many occasions I have achieved much improved tone and sustain by carefully eliminating string twist.

 

[Immigrant]

I prefer string thru with my favorite medium scale bass because then the fat B string windings won't reach the tuner post.

OP: Welcome to TB! What was your old username? Apologies for snarkiness if you never had one.

 

[baxter_x]

I tried both on my Fender AM PB Deluxe from 2002 a while ago and didn't notice anything. I'll give another try using the same strings that were mounted thru to really pay attention if there is a diference or not.

 

[brianrost]

All I'll say is the two do sound different, so use what you like better.

 

[Vintage P]

I prefer string thru with my favorite medium scale bass because then the fat B string windings won't reach the tuner post.

OP: Welcome to TB! What was your old username? Apologies for snarkiness if you never had one.

Jeff Berlin. : )

 

[mmbongo]

I agree..sounds like you twisted the string/installed it wrong when you went through body and fixed it when you went through bridge.

 

[Vintage P]

I agree..sounds like you twisted the string/installed it wrong when you went through body and fixed it when you went through bridge.

Nope, that's not it.

 

[mmbongo]

Nope, that's not it.

How do you know?

 

[cnltb]

I find that the two do sound different and prefer to string through the body.

 

[Vintage P]

How do you know?

Because it sounded the same all the time it was thought the body and all the times it as through the bridge.

 

[hasbeen]

I've never heard a difference. I've designed quite a few bass strings for a few different brands/companies and have experimented with this.

Another wrinkle though: I swear that string-through makes the string feel more "tense". However, there is no reason why that should be a byproduct of going string-through.

 

[pasco jacorius]

Sometimes when something sounds different it seems to sound better. String through can sound dull , or very refined it all depends on the bass...and on the player..

 

[Vintage P]

Sometimes when something sounds different it seems to sound better. String through can sound dull , or very refined it all depends on the bass...and on the player..

But the person doing the judging is always the same player, so their experience is their own -- which is what makes up opinions. But beyond sounding"different" I felt the strings were a bit "spongier" through the body. Whether that's preferable or not is up to the player.

 

[Real Soon]

I haven't tried stringing thru just the bridge on my ATK, but thru-body seems to fit its general sound profile as a hulk of a beast. Still, I'm all for experimenting.

I've got a pretty significant dead spot that affects both the C# and D on my G string. Common place to have one, I know, but could having a twisted string exacerbate dead spot response issues? The string seems pretty clean across the rest of the fretboard.