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Piano Strings for bass?

#22
Generally a piano string is a single steel core and a single bronze/phosbronze or copper wrap layer. The core would be bare on both ends in a piano, but you could certainly traditionally nut a piano string.

These would work wonderfully - if a bit sonically differently - and at bass tensions if similarly gauged, but you would need a piezo pickup system as bronze and copper are non-magnetic.
 
#24
knuckle_head said:
Generally a piano string is a single steel core and a single bronze/phosbronze or copper wrap layer. The core would be bare on both ends in a piano, but you could certainly traditionally nut a piano string.

These would work wonderfully - if a bit sonically differently - and at bass tensions if similarly gauged, but you would need a piezo pickup system as bronze and copper are non-magnetic.
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In doing some more research about piano wire, how would you fit one in a traditional tuner? Would you have to strip the winding and expose the core wire? They certainly aren't designed to fit into a typical bass tuner (or bridge for that matter).
 
#25
Ric5 said:
A piano string is not designed to be used on a bass guitar ... and it is not designed for an instrument with a magnetic pickup.

I say this would be a fail. Also the neck may not withstand the stress.
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I'm really confused as to why everyone is bringing up the stress or tension on the neck. Just because the strings are tuned to pitch on a grand piano (around 50", IIRC) and have a tension of ~180 lbs doesn't mean that it will be the same on your bass. For example, a .150 string has roughly 180 lbs of tension when tuned to a low E at a 50" scale length. At a 34" scale length, it's only about 80 lbs. 100 lbs of difference, and all you changed was the scale length.

Granted, you'd still have to size the strings down to more "traditional" sizes, like a 0.100 for your low E, but there's no reason it should have more tension than your neck already does with bass strings.
 
#27
Ric5 said:
Do you know if the tension on a piano string is the same as a bass string? I don't. I wouldn't want to assume and then damage a neck.
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It's not going to vary too much, but I understand the concern.

Piano strings aren't the easiest to find and order, so you'd have to get a rough unit-weight calculation. I know this information is easily accessible for the smaller gauges, but you might have to get some measurements for the thicker gauges or simply ask the string makers if they have the information on-hand.
 
#33
mjmeche said:
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copper coated strings love the sound!
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I tried some of those when they first came out years and years ago. They sounded good, but my fingertips on both hands turned green after a few days of playing them. I guess I was slightly allergic to the copper? Weird.

I wonder if the formula has changed from then?

A major part of the piano bass tone is a well-built hammer striking the bass strings, something that bassists can't really duplicate (easily, anyway). New round wounds are as close as we're gonna get to a piano bass string-like tone (which is pretty good actually)
 
#34
Geri O said:
I tried some of those when they first came out years and years ago. They sounded good, but my fingertips on both hands turned green after a few days of playing them. I guess I was slightly allergic to the copper? Weird.

I wonder if the formula has changed from then?
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The original D'Addario Red set(s) from, when was it? the Nineties?, were by all accounts very prone to going green fast.
The EXL Reds from the Aughts are (or were: they too have been discontinued, but are still available NOS in some stores, as linked to above) polymer-coated, on top of copper-plated, ergo reasonably durable.
 
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#37
bass_IMG_8151vcrop.jpg


Lumped 45s for Bass

Pretty sure this is the best closest thing
 

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