Hello,
I've an old Mustang bass (thru-body). It's been years since playing but unfortunately I have a neuropathy (weak fingers). Stock strings are a bit too much tension for my fingers - I believe these are 0.095-0.075-0.060-0.040, round wound. However de-tuning a couple steps feels good and doesn't sound bad.
I was looking at Rotosound 66 Extra Light (30-85) set or even individual strings along the lines of 0.080-0.060-0.045-0.030 for a standard EADG (if the tension calc is correct). I believe these would need to be 34" (Long) for the Mustang, correct?
Any recommendations for flat wound, available in individual sizes? Nylon tape wound?
First off, have you got a caliper in order to confirm if the stock strings are indeed 40-95?
Now for suggestions.
A) If you're in the US,* here's a cheap experiment - assemble a set out of
single D'Addario Chromes for electric guitar:
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Gauges
080-065-048-035. Yes, they're long enough. Depending on the inner hole of the through-body ferrules, you may or may not have to use tiny washers or similar, for the guitar ball-ends to stay put.
* [If you're in Canada, try here:
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Discount Electric Guitar Strings - Strings and Beyond
If you're in the UK, have a look at
Strings Direct. Prices of single guitar Chromes in continental Europe make it not as cheap an experiment - you may have to stalk Amazon (look up single string product codes, e.g. "CG080" for each string to occasionally come down in price).]
Failing that (read: if you find guitar Chromes too light, or maybe too pitch-jumpy upon the attack, due to a combination of low tension, inherent stiffness and a not-light-enough plucking/picking),
B) you could get a set of
Dunlop flatwounds, discard the low E and complete the remaining three with a single guitar D'Addario, as linked to above, for your high G. Here's the DBFS45105M set (45-65-85-105):
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I think that, but I'm not entirely sure if, the A (your new low E in this scenario) is tapered at 34" like the (old) E. Dunlops are flexible, which makes the possibility of it breaking at the post somewhat low. Should you find it at a better price, you might as well get the regular scale set (DBFS45105, no "M" - presented [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] for reference). Also consider the heavier (but probably still manageable, with the shifted-A trick) DBFS50110 set:
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C) A more expensive option is one of the
light-gauge Dogal Jaco System Carbon Steel Flat sets:
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They're reportedly very flexible, which means 1) that, similarly to Dunlops, the risk of the long-scale low E breaking at the post from it being wound on it at full gauge should be low, and 2) that the thinnest option might prove to be *too* light.
