I see a lot of short scale strings say on the package for 32 inch scale. Is that what I get for my 30 inch scale bass ?
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Is 32 inch for 30 scale bass?
- Thread starter magic8161
- Start date
Which 30” scale bass? Asking because the Fender Mustangs with string through body are common 30” scale basses, but require longer strings than other 30” scale basses.
A 30" scale bass with a top-loading bridge would require strings with roughly 32"-33" in winding length (ball ends to taper/silk).
A 30" scale bass with the thru-body bridge would need strings with 33"-35" winding length.
You can measure the E string from where the ball end is seated to where it just clears the nut. That's the minimum "winding length" you need. Then measure from the ball end to the E tuner post. Ideally, that would be the maximum "winding length" you want just to make sure not too much of the full winding ends up wrapping around the post.
Once you can provide us with those measurements, we can make recommendations based on the manufacturers' specs.
In that case you need strings for a 30" bass, no afterlength behind the bridge...
With roundwounds, 32" might work, with flatwounds NOT.
I'm talking about SCALE, not ball-end to nut length!
I've played any number of 30" and 32" scale basses. I have used standard-length strings on all of them and they work just fine.
Don't confuse the strings' winding or speaking length with the scale of the bass they are designed to fit. I think what you are seeing on the package is the winding/speaking length of the strings, not the scale length of a bass. A common mistake. And since basses of a nominal scale length can still differ in what strings fit, let us all repeat the mantra:
1) measure from the string anchor to the tuner side of the nut;
2) measure from the string anchor to the middle of the lowest string tuner post;
3) purchase a set of strings that the winding or speaking length is between these two numbers.
Although you can certainly do this, the 34" strings are not pulled to the proper tension at 30", and can be muddy. Strings are wound under their design tension. Better to use the proper strings. I think that this is how short scales got the reputation for being muddy sounding.
Nope.
A 45-105 set is a 45-105 set, no matter whether you use it on a short, medium, or long scale neck.
And yes, a 45-105 set will feel softer/floppier on a short scale than on a long scale, so if you want to keep the same feel, you might to go up one gauge when switching from long to short scale.
But the string construction is EXACTLY THE SAME for the same gauge, that's why with hexagonal core roundwounds you can just cut down a long scale set to your desired length (caveat: depending on your tuner, the long scale E might be to fat for your tuner hole).
With flatwounds and with round core roundwounds there's a different problem: you need the silk ends to keep the outer layers of the string from unraveling, and with flatwounds, the outer layer might break if you try to wind the "speaking part" of the string around the tuner post - that's why you need the correct length of string - so that the silk starts beyond the nut, and the outer windings/speaking part of the string ends before it reaches the tuner post (at least for E and possibly A strings - with the thinner D and G it's usually not a problem).
Just to reiterate: String construction for the same gauge long, medium, and short scale versions of a string type is exactly the same - the only difference is where the "speaking length" ends, the silk layer towards the tuner end starts, and the strings start to taper.
Well, again, Nope - not always. Yes, many manufacturers, like D'Addario and La Bella, do make the same set in all of the different scale lengths, so the tension does vary. But others actually engineer their sets differently for the scale length. For example, GHS Balanced Nickels were designed for short scale, and the long scale sets came later. GHS Boomers have a 107 E string on the short scale set and a 105 on most other sets of that gauge.
