• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Piccolo bass - questions

D

Daraniel

Guest
Apr 2, 2017
8
0
#1
Hey guys,

I've been contemplating getting a cheap used Bass to string as a piccolo bass. I've done some googling and read some old threads about piccolo bass here on TB. I would like to ask some questions.

1) Scale Length vs tension
I intend to buy a regular 34" scale bass instead of a shortscale. (reasoning = if i don't like piccolo tuning i can still play a regular 34" bass.) However in the old threads I have read various comments about the tension being way too high for comfort.

Does anyone here have any experience that they can share with 34" scale turned piccolo? (Did you try it? Did you like it? Would you rather have a shortscale instead? Cons? Pro's?)

2) Strings and tuning
For tuning i intend to do either EADG or DGCF. This will depend on the strings probably.
In the old threads there were various comments about the "G-string" being plain steel in picollo set (D'addaria and GHS (i think it's GHS). According to several comments the plain steel caused an unevennes in volume/playability.)

I'm assuming that if i want to tune EADG i will have to deal with using a plain steel.
Questions:
Is the plain steel G-string really that bad?
Is there a possibility to go for a wounded G-string? (perhaps DGCF tuning?)
Do you recommend piccolo bass sets? Or should i try to go for singles?
(In case of singles what gauges would you suggest. I have only ever bought string sets)

Extra info: I live in Europe (Belgium), so my options might be different when it comes to the selection of strings.

3) "Basstype / pick ups"
Now the 1 million dollar question:
"What bass / pick up configuration would be desirable?" (i'm aware that this will be mostly opinion based)
Does it matter if i get a P,J, PJ, Humbuckers, Soapboars,... configuration for piccolo bass. Does it matter at all?
The goal for the piccolo is to have a very clear/bright sound and play a bit with effects. (atm i'm waiting for some cheap used squiers to pop-up in belgium add-sites)


Thank you for taking your time to read through this post.
Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Opinions, suggestions and experiences are very welcome! I'd love to hear them.


Greetings at a little past midnight in Belgium,
Daraniel
 
Last edited:
#3
Daraniel said:
I intend to buy a regular 34" scale bass instead of a shortscale. (reasoning = if i don't like piccolo tuning i can still play a regular 34" bass.) However in the old threads I have read various comments about the tension being way too high for comfort.
Click to expand...
The tension is determined by the gauges as well as the scale length, with the right gauges the tension can be anything you want and perfect for you on 34".

The comments are probably due to how most 'piccolo sets' have the same tension as a standard pitch EADG set, but thinner strings actually 'feel' and behave tighter at the same tension. They should actually be lower tension for playability, chords, soloing, bending, thinner strings don't require as much tension as fatter strings.

Manufacturers likely do this so that customers don't need to alter the truss rod, but of course, if you do it properly you should use lower tension and adjust the truss rod.

Most 'piccolo' sets i have seen have unnecessarily high tension (that is, equal to a standard pitch set), if the gauges are half of standard pitch EADG gauges they will be the same tension.

I recommend avoiding any equal-tension 'piccolo' sets and perhaps building your own set from singles and a plain steel guitar string (if long enough and you have a 2+2 headstock) (with a bass ferrule threaded onto it).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Daraniel
#4
Daraniel said:
I'm assuming that if i want to tune EADG i will have to deal with using a plain steel.
Click to expand...
Correct.
They sound different yes but you might like it, you can only find out by trying.
Daraniel said:
Is there a possibility to go for a wounded G-string? (perhaps DGCF tuning?)
Click to expand...
The highest pitch for a wound string is roughly F (high F of a 7 string set), being a .020 or .022. At that pitch they're slightly delicate as they have thin cores and are close to breaking tension. So you can do DGCF all-wound if you don't go crazy with the top string.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Daraniel
#5
ixlramp said:
Correct.
They sound different yes but you might like it, you can only find out by trying.

The highest pitch for a wound string is roughly F (high F of a 7 string set), being a .020 or .022. At that pitch they're slightly delicate as they have thin cores and are close to breaking tension. So you can do DGCF all-wound if you don't go crazy with the top string.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your in depth replies! I'll give the plainsteel G-string a try. And i'll also try to look into buying singles somewhere. (I don't own my soon-to-be piccolo bess yet but i'm hunting on some classifieds-sites here in Belgium :) )

I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to tensions on the bass. Do you possibly know of any sites that can recommend/calculate string tensions?

Cheers!
 
#8
Daraniel said:
I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to tensions on the bass. Do you possibly know of any sites that can recommend/calculate string tensions?
Click to expand...

Besides the site recommended above, remember that half the thickness will result in the same tension when tuned up an octave. So, if you like a .100 gauge E string in standard tuning, you should start with a .050 E string in piccolo tuning.

I use an unwound G on my piccolo bass and there's no problem with sound or feel. Wound strings of that thickness are more fragile and break easily due to the thin core. Start with an unwound and see if you like it.

Starting with a 34" bass is fine. But if you really get into piccolo tuning, you might find you prefer a different scale length for any number of reasons in the future.

One plus of (some) short scale piccolo basses is that you can use guitar strings. That gives a much wider variety of strings to choose from. Plus they'll be more readily available and less expensive than piccolo strings. But again, there's nothing wrong with your plan.

Pickup configuration is much the same. Start with whatever, but you may find that you prefer different types/locations for pickups on a piccolo bass than you do on a standard tuned one. I've found that I prefer hotter, more guitar-like pickups and pickup locations on piccolo. You may prefer something different, depending on what you want to sound like.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Daraniel
#9
Daraniel said:
Hey guys,

I've been contemplating getting a cheap used Bass to string as a piccolo bass. I've done some googling and read some old threads about piccolo bass here on TB. I would like to ask some questions.

1) Scale Length vs tension
I intend to buy a regular 34" scale bass instead of a shortscale. (reasoning = if i don't like piccolo tuning i can still play a regular 34" bass.) However in the old threads I have read various comments about the tension being way too high for comfort.

Does anyone here have any experience that they can share with 34" scale turned piccolo? (Did you try it? Did you like it? Would you rather have a shortscale instead? Cons? Pro's?)

2) Strings and tuning
For tuning i intend to do either EADG or DGCF. This will depend on the strings probably.
In the old threads there were various comments about the "G-string" being plain steel in picollo set (D'addaria and GHS (i think it's GHS). According to several comments the plain steel caused an unevennes in volume/playability.)

I'm assuming that if i want to tune EADG i will have to deal with using a plain steel.
Questions:
Is the plain steel G-string really that bad?
Is there a possibility to go for a wounded G-string? (perhaps DGCF tuning?)
Do you recommend piccolo bass sets? Or should i try to go for singles?
(In case of singles what gauges would you suggest. I have only ever bought string sets)

Extra info: I live in Europe (Belgium), so my options might be different when it comes to the selection of strings.

3) "Basstype / pick ups"
Now the 1 million dollar question:
"What bass / pick up configuration would be desirable?" (i'm aware that this will be mostly opinion based)
Does it matter if i get a P,J, PJ, Humbuckers, Soapboars,... configuration for piccolo bass. Does it matter at all?
The goal for the piccolo is to have a very clear/bright sound and play a bit with effects. (atm i'm waiting for some cheap used squiers to pop-up in belgium add-sites)


Thank you for taking your time to read through this post.
Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Opinions, suggestions and experiences are very welcome! I'd love to hear them.


Greetings at a little past midnight in Belgium,
Daraniel
Click to expand...
Just try it. Check out my bass if you want.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back