long scale strings with ball-to-taper length 36 7/8" or shorter

[Never2Late]

I'm looking for strings for a 34" scale bass. The length from where the ball rests on the bridge to the bottom of the winding post on the E string is close to 37". To avoid the outer windings from being pulled onto the post when the string is stretched in-tune, I'm looking for strings with a ball-to-taper length 36 7/8" or shorter.

I'm finding conflicting string winding length information, depending on the source. For example, here are 3 different lengths listed for D'addario strings:

• Long Scale = 37.1" Ball to Taper Electric Bass String Winding Lengths by Manufacturer from FretNation.com (Fret Nation)
  
• Ball to taper length 36.25” D'Addario XL-Series Nickel Wound 45-105 Bass Guitar Strings, Long Scale [EXL165] (Strings Direct)
• Long = Taper happens at the 36 7/8” mark Invalid Link Removed (D'addario)

This is for a friend's Mr Potato bass that I'm setting up. He doesn't play it much and wants to keep the cost down, so I'm looking at D'addario, Fender, et al., rather than Elixir, Labella, etc.

 

[michael_t]

Do what I did... Use a spacer on the E string at the ball end so it is extended farther away from the tuner.

Fender 9050L flats on my Highway One Jazz...

 

[michael_t]

I'm looking for strings with a ball-to-taper length 36 7/8" or shorter.

You won't find too many brands of "long scale" strings shorter than 36 7/8" unless you go with companies who do custom sets, such as Newtone and Pyramid. "Long Scale" by most major manufacturers (at least in N.A.) are 37"-37.75" in winding lengths. La Bella is one exception, whose flats and tapes are 36.75" (ball to taper/silk) for E and B.

EDIT: One specific set I can think of is the GHS Contact Core Super Steels, which are 36.5" in winding length (ball end to taper/silk). They're stainless steel roundwound on a hex core with exposed cores (at the ball end) on E, A and D.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[michael_t]

I'm finding conflicting string winding length information, depending on the source. For example, here are 3 different lengths listed for D'addario strings:

• Long Scale = 37.1" Ball to Taper Electric Bass String Winding Lengths by Manufacturer from FretNation.com (Fret Nation)
  
• Ball to taper length 36.25” D'Addario XL-Series Nickel Wound 45-105 Bass Guitar Strings, Long Scale [EXL165] (Strings Direct)
• Long = Taper happens at the 36 7/8” mark Invalid Link Removed (D'addario)

It depends on how the winding lengths are measured - whether they're measured from the top of the ball end, not including the ball end itself, or measured from the bottom of the ball end, including the ball end itself. The difference between 37.1" and 36 7/8" is 0.25", which is the diameter of most standard ball ends.

Obviously, the one from Strings Direct (36.25") is either an error or the info is seriously outdated.

 

[Derek Kay]

Do what I did... Use a spacer on the E string at the ball end so it is extended farther away from the tuner.

Fender 9050L flats on my Highway One Jazz...

View attachment 5427886

View attachment 5427887

I also use a brass spacer tube at the ball end.
his brings my B string taper point back to the saddle and makes the string more stable to play.

 

[michael_t]

I also use a brass spacer tube at the ball end.
his brings my B string taper point back to the saddle and makes the string more stable to play.

I've done that on my 5'ers as well.

 

[Never2Late]

Would Fender 7250M strings work? They’re listed on a couple of vendor sites and a bunch of posts here as being 36.5” ball to taper.

Is that the first taper? If so, does anyone know the length to the second taper?

 

[Deleted member 271037]

This is a 100% non-issue, except with SOME types of flatwounds. Install any roundwounds you want and don't worry about it.

Yes, Fender 7250M will work fine. As will ANY other roundwounds. Many types of flats will be fine too, although SOME types of flats may unravel at the tuner shaft if they're installed like that.

Lost of people even install long scale roundwounds on their short scale basses, without any issues. The Fender JMJ Mustang short scale bass even comes with factory installed 9050 long scale FLATS.

Stop overthinking this, just make sure you cut the strings to a suitable length and install any roundwounds you want. It will be fine (unless we're talking about a Danelectro or Höfner bass with "guitar"-style tuners where the thicker part of the string won't fit through the hole in the tuner shaft).

 

[iiipopes]

Do what I did... Use a spacer on the E string at the ball end so it is extended farther away from the tuner.

Fender 9050L flats on my Highway One Jazz...

View attachment 5427886

View attachment 5427887

This ^ I have a couple of basses using the spacers.

 

[Never2Late]

Follow up post for anyone else who might have this same question.

The D'Addario website was correct for their strings. The EXL165 E string (0.105 gauge) has only 1 taper and it ends at 36.8 inches from the ball contact point. Those are the strings I ended up installing and they worked beautifully.

Here are the specs for Fender's Super 7250 Nickel Plated Bass Strings. The E string is 37 inches ball to taper.