Identify strings on an SG bass I recently bought

[Deleted member 271037]

Zooming in.....

View attachment 5022828

Hmm... it certainly looks like a flatwound G-string. Looking more closely at the original pic it also seems like the silk on the G-string might be slightly darker, more like purple.

Like others have suggested, E-A-D could be Boomers, or possibly something else??? I'm pretty sure I've seen the silk color on Boomers vary from brighter red to burgundy over the years.

Using long scale Boomers on a short scale bass actually makes sense to me. I've always found the available Boomers short scale sets to be either too light/floppy or too heavy/stiff. I've never understood why there's such a huge gap in tension between the two available short scale Boomers sets. A 45-105 long scale set would probably be my choice if I wanted to use Boomers on a short scale bass (provided that the bass in question could be used with long scale strings of course, not all short basses can).

But then again, if JonMoody says they might be B52s he's probably right.

 

[sgiacomo]

Zooming in.....

View attachment 5022828

It’s roundwound. Must just be a glare in the picture.

 

[Leonid Nidis]

Safe bet its boomers.
I recommend DR Sunbeams,very good fit for this bass,adds clarity and balance,not too dark or bright.
They last long and feel good.

 

[moreblues]

I think Jon Moody may be right, they look like the B52'S and the OP says he like the way they feel...they were one of the nicest feeling...and sounding roundwounds I ever had the pleasure of using.
If not then Boomers.
Op...do you have a micrometer to measure the gauge of each string? They look like these:

SOLD - GHS Custom Shop Boomers 52s

 

[sgiacomo]

I think Jon Moody may be right, they look like the B52'S and the OP says he like the way they feel...they were one of the nicest feeling...and sounding roundwounds I ever had the pleasure of using.
If not then Boomers.
Op...do you have a micrometer to measure the gauge of each string? They look like these:

SOLD - GHS Custom Shop Boomers 52s

90, 70, 50, 30

 

[moreblues]

The Boomers XL3045 set are those exact gauges: 30-50-70-90...but boomers have Red silks?

 

[sgiacomo]

The Boomers XL3045 set are those exact gauges: 30-50-70-90...but boomers have Red silks?

These strings could be as old as this bass from 2014, if that matters.

 

[Jon Moody]

90, 70, 50, 30

Hmmm...

The closest specs we had for B52s would be 35-55-75-95.

Progressives would fit the bill with 30-50-70-PRR91, but those had silver ball ends.

The Boomers XL3045 set are those exact gauges: 30-50-70-90...but boomers have Red silks?

That's the thing. Even with some of the dye lots and color shifts, Bass Boomers have ALWAYS been red. Dark red? Sure, but the pic is showing a more burgundy/brown type silk color. We wouldn't have ventured off that far from the brand.

 

[sgiacomo]

Hmmm...

The closest specs we had for B52s would be 35-55-75-95.

Progressives would fit the bill with 30-50-70-PRR91, but those had silver ball ends.




That's the thing. Even with some of the dye lots and color shifts, Bass Boomers have ALWAYS been red. Dark red? Sure, but the pic is showing a more burgundy/brown type silk color. We wouldn't have ventured off that far from the brand.

Here’s another photo. The ball ends are definitely all brass and string gauge measurements are accurate (I used a set of old school dial calipers to measure).

 

[sgiacomo]

And another of the ball ends.

 

[moreblues]

Rack ‘em up!

 

[Jon Moody]

Here’s another photo. The ball ends are definitely all brass and string gauge measurements are accurate (I used a set of old school dial calipers to measure).

And it's definitely not a EB-3L, right?

 

[sgiacomo]

And it's definitely not a EB-3L, right?

Nope!

 

[Jon Moody]

Nope!

Well, unless the photo is showing a lot more brown/burgundy in that silk color (and IRL it's actually red silk) or your calipers are off by .005, I'm stumped.

 

[michael_t]

View attachment 5022924

The shade of red in this pic above does look fairly close to the ones I had on my Jazz at one point. By the way, these are Round Core Boomers.

 

[michael_t]

Just thought of something right after I posted the pic of the Round Core Boomers on my Jazz above...

Could the ones on the OP's Gibson possibly be Round Core Boomers instead of the regular Boomers? I ask because the regular Boomers come in both "short scale" and "medium scale", while the RCBs only come in "long scale". The fact the ones in question are "long scale" strings on a short-scale bass tells me maybe that's because it was the only option.

 

[Killing Floor]

Look like Boomers standard scale and wound up. They are great and easy to get. That’s what I think they are. If I’m wrong I will give you a virtual hug.

 

[sgiacomo]

Thanks for all the help! Guess I’ll have to try a set of Boomers and see. I think I’ll use a heavier gauge on my 34” scale though...

 

[matante]

Just thought of something right after I posted the pic of the Round Core Boomers on my Jazz above...

Could the ones on the OP's Gibson possibly be Round Core Boomers instead of the regular Boomers? I ask because the regular Boomers come in both "short scale" and "medium scale", while the RCBs only come in "long scale". The fact the ones in question are "long scale" strings on a short-scale bass tells me maybe that's because it was the only option.

In the newest pic the silks look more red, until i zoom in. Then they look burgundy again. And I still say the G looks like a 0ka8n string. I don't see how glare could do that and only to one string in the photo.

It's possibly a different brand and not GHS at all. Maybe Pyramid or one of the other lesser known strings. I know Pyramid offers 30-90.

 

[Jon Moody]

Could the ones on the OP's Gibson possibly be Round Core Boomers instead of the regular Boomers?

Not in the gauges mentioned. Closest you can get is 30-50-70-95