Overtones and Short-Scale Basses

Well... I have the Squier Jag SS and the Junior Jet 2220 and I haven’t noticed the “problem” that I’m hearing in the video. The Squier has had Roto 77s, D’A Chromes and D’A Tapes. The Gretsch had the flats on it when I bought it. I think they are Chromes.

I can’t help but wonder if playing technique has anything to do with it. Maybe strumming the string before fully fretting it? He’s playing rather fast. Timing between left and right hand may be off a hair? I actually thought it sounded kind of cool and wish I could make that happen on demand. I just can’t play that fast.

Or if it’s about a string manufacturer trying to sell ice to Eskimos? Probably not. This is a highly reputable company, not some snake oil peddler. It’s just my nature to be wary of someone trying to sell me on a problem I don’t know I have.

I also found it odd re: the comment about Fender 34 scale basses always sounding good.
Can you say dead spot? Yes. I thought you could.

But now that I’ve re-read the story I’m confused... Is the video before or after the change to balanced strings? And if after, why don’t they post a video of the before strings. How do I know what problem I am supposed to have if they don’t show me?
If I have a problem with my shorties I sure wish they’d enlighten me as to what that might be.

 

There are plenty of balanced sets out there. I've never noticed the problem though. I started on a short scale (Hofner 500/1 w/Labellas.) I have a Gibson SG on order and think I'll get the GHS Brite Flats for it eventually. A balanced set that can be tuned BEAD or EADG.

 

From the article, it appears the snake oil is Fenders, not Labella strings.

 

This sounds like a pharmaceutical company trying to sell you a drug for a condition you never knew existed nor "have." Can anyone on TB corroborate this overtone issue?

- John

 

I would have no problem trying the LaBellas.
To be honest I’m also confused by the description of the string two tones at once.
Strings play many tones at once, many harmonics at once, it’s the nature of a vibrating string to do so. if they didn’t your sound would be very boring. This is why I wish they would show me, so I can hear the problem both of my basses have.
And I might question them calling out the Hofner... Seems those had all sorts of issues. I seem to recall Sir Mac complaining about his.
Again, I am probably being overly skeptical given my propensity to...
1. Not automatically take everything I read at face value, especially on the internet.
2. That this comes from a source that might have a bit of a bias towards their own product.
YMMV

 

Weird. I’ve just never noticed that in either of my shorties.
I obviously would do better at IDing this if I could hear an example.

I really hate having to decipher sounds from descriptive words.
It kind of grinds on me even though I do a lot of work in audio.

 

short-scale instruments and overtones which are sharp (#) --- coincidence? i don't think so.

 

I currently own and play regularly 4 short scale basses. I've owned several others. I never noticed this issue. I agree with @JKos Big Pharma theory. Someone has got their marketing team working overtime.

 

here are some things he says in that article that I would think are misleading or just plain wrong:

EDIT: this one may be true, I don't know! Sounds like a pretty bold claim to me.

(just to be clear on this one – the strings are .45/.65/.85/.105 - doesn't sound like a balanced tension set to me)

So I'm going to guess that while the guy may have fixed his problem by using those strings, with the best will in the world it sounds like he doesn't really know what he's talking about.

 

Have you tried lowering the height of the pickups? I got a chorus-y type warble on my Squier J when the pickups were very close to the strings, fixed by dropping them down a bit. Might not be the cure, but you never know.

 

My thought would be to overdo it and lower the pickups WAY down to check.

FWIW I was also thinking pickups when reading this.

 

Ack! Won’t play for me. Will have to try it at work. Thanks for posting it though.

 

I've never run into this problem with my three SS basses. Not saying it doesn't happen, but it's certainly not universal in short scales.

I'm not understanding the physics that would make this disappear with a balanced set of strings. That just sounds like BS.

 

My only non short scale is my Rick which has TI flats. My others are several Hofners which have either original or LaBella flats on them. My Jag SS I made into fretless and has Ernie Ball flats. My SG has rounds and is the only bass where I liked rounds. Never had an issue like you describe. I think each bass has a certain string that works best for the combination of bass and player so, in other words, what someone else says is a universal issue is their universal issue but may not be anyone else’s issue.