Length and Tension relationship with the Scale.

[micguy]

What that means is that if you wind a string with the core drawn to pitch tension, not only would that be a strain on the winding machine, but when the string is released the core will contract, causing compression and possibly disruption of the windings as the string is prepared for packaging and shipping.

As strings have to be wound at tension (there's not way you could get it to behave other wise), then yes, the core will contract when the string is removed from the machine. The windings have to be done with enough gap between windings to acommodate being used at a whatever tension range it might be tuned to - the whole point of a wound string is that it isn't one solid mass - if you don't have gaps, you will have intonation problems on the harmonics and other issues. I had some dead B strings recently, that I think were due to insufficient gaps - a string maker that prides itself in getting windings packed tighter than the competition went a bit too far.

 

[JRMK]

All those insights are valuable but I think the answer for OP problems is hidden in plain sight.

OP uses TIJFs which are the floppiest, softest wet noodle strings you might get if floppiness is the problem just change them to something regular like chromes, labellas, DRs, Fenders, GHS, Ernie Balls ... You name it

Asking because on my Ibanez AFB200 I mounted the TI Flats (some years ago) but they always feel floppy to me (Thomastik JF344 Set 43-100).

I don't know if I was clear enough...

 

[Chickenwheels]

Tune all the strings on your 34” bass down a tone. Now put a capo on the second fret. Enjoy your new short scale bass!!

 

[KidAmnesia]

All those insights are valuable but I think the answer for OP problems is hidden in plain sight.

OP uses TIJFs which are the floppiest, softest wet noodle strings you might get if floppiness is the problem just change them to something regular like chromes, labellas, DRs, Fenders, GHS, Ernie Balls ... You name it

And besides that, lower tension is a big part of the short scale thing, it's kind of what you are looking for when you go for a ss bass.
TI flats might be a bit too much tho.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

All those insights are valuable but I think the answer for OP problems is hidden in plain sight.

OP uses TIJFs which are the floppiest, softest wet noodle strings you might get if floppiness is the problem just change them to something regular like chromes, labellas, DRs, Fenders, GHS, Ernie Balls ... You name it

This problem sadly isn't unique to TIJFs. Lots of short scale sets from many manufacturers are RUBBISH. In fact, I would say most short scale sets from most manufacturers are rubbish. Typically far too low tension, far too floppy and also extremely unbalanced.

One notable exception is Pyramid Gold flatwounds. Unlike most short scale strings these were actually designed for a short scale bass (specifically Höfner). The Golds are perfectly balanced for short scale. Sadly their long scale sets are not nearly as good, very unbalanced and a completely "dead" E-string. This illustrates the importance of designing a set of strings that works with a specific scale. Most short scale strings don't seem to be designed specifically for short scale. They just feel like long scale strings made shorter and range from poor to utterly useless (with Rotosound's abysmal short scale sets at the bottom of the pile in the latter category).

At least we have the wonderful Pyramid Gold flats.

As for roundwound strings I like GHS Balanced Nickels. Ideally I would want them SLIGHTLY stiffer but that's just a matter of personal taste and I think this is more about the round core than about the actual tension.

I also like TIJRs (yes Jazz ROUNDS). With these strings TI didn't just use the same gauges as the long scale set. The result is a set that feels much tighter than the TIJFs (flats) on a short scale bass, although the TIJRs are even floppier than TIJFs on a long scale bass. The TIJRs are perhaps the only short scale roundwounds where I feel they've actually tweaked them to perfection for short scale. On paper the gauges looks WAY too light but they feel surprisingly "tight" and has an amazing tone. These are made for "short scale with tailpiece" though so the actual winding length is more like most manufacturer's medium scale strings.

So that's three short scale sets I like:

-Pyramid Golds
-GHS Balanced Nickels
-Thomastik Jazz Rounds

Then there are a couple of manufacturers who at least offer short scale gauges with decent gauges/tension, like Ernie Ball and Dunlop. The problem is, they usually end up feeling too stiff/lifeless at gauges that offer enough tension to avoid fret buzz. I suspect they're not really designed for short scale but just long scale strings cut shorter.

With short scale strings there seems to be a VERY narrow window between "too stiff/lifeless/weird overtones in higher frets" and "floppy/fret buzz". The three sets I've listed above are the only three I personally find to be in this Goldilocks zone.

I wish more manufacturers would take short scale strings more seriously. It can be done, as demonstrated by Pyramid, GHS and Thomastik (although all these three manufacturers unfortuntately also offer some rather poor short scale sets...).

 

[hasbeen]

all else being equal, if a string was more floppy, it means it means it is experiencing less tension than a floppy one. Again, all else being equal. That "floppy" string would now produce a lower note/frequency and it would have to be re-tuned.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

All those insights are valuable but I think the answer for OP problems is hidden in plain sight.

OP uses TIJFs which are the floppiest, softest wet noodle strings you might get if floppiness is the problem just change them to something regular like chromes, labellas, DRs, Fenders, GHS, Ernie Balls ... You name it

Another problem with the TIJFs is that they use the same gauges for the A-D-G strings in the short scale set as in the long scale set. The A-string in particular is already quite floppy on a long scale bass. The same gauge on a short scale is... let's be nice and say "an acquired taste".

To make matters even worse they have changed the E-string from .100 in the long scale set to .0106 in the short scale set. The result is a set where the A-D-G strings are even lower tension than the already VERY low tension long scale set but the E-string is considerably HIGHER tension than the long scale set! The jump in tension between E-A is INSANE. The TIJF short scale set is completely unplayable IMO. Extremely unbalanced. I honestly don't understand what they were thinking. Just another rubbish short scale set.

The TIJR (rounds) set is a completely different story. With the rounds they've increased the gauges for the short scale set (except for some reason the G-string). The result is a short scale set that actually feels BETTER than the long scale set (IMO) although still very low tension of course. It's probably too floppy for many bass players but still one of VERY few quality short scale sets out there IMO.


Thomastik do offer a "Höfner" version (JF324H) of their short scale flats though . The gauges for A-D-G as the same as the standard short scale set but the E-string is .096. This makes the E-string even floppier but the set is at least FAR more balanced than the useless standard short scale set. Unlike the standard JF324 set I find the "Höfner" set playable as long as I don't dig it to hard and raise the action a bit to avoid buzzing. The standard JF324 set is rubbish IMO. Even if you can handle the floppiness it's still far too unbalanced.

The Höfner short scale set is difficult to find though and almost never in stock anywhere. The only time I've purchased it the E-string turned out to be extra long scale (for some unfathomable reason the extra long scale E-string is the same gauge as the "Höfner" short scale set but not the same as the standard long scale set...). Thomastik sent me a replacement but it took forever and I ended up having to pay extra customs processing fees for the replacement string...

I really wish string manufacturers would realize that short scale basses have become more popular lately and that there is a market out there for quality short scale strings. 90% of currently available short scale strings are useless junk IMO.

 

[HaphAsSard]

the E-string is considerably HIGHER tension than the long scale set!

It's not: only one pound more (35.38 vs. 34.39 lbs) at 32", for which scale tension values were calculated and provided (I've checked); but actually 3.3 pounds less (31.09 lbs) at 30" scale.
The rest of your considerations I don't question.