Roundwounds through the body, flatwounds through the bridge?

Flatwounds in the dumpster

 

The rational reason for through the body stringing is that, with 35 inch scale basses becoming normal, a lot of string makers have added more winds on their strings. As a result of that, on some basses, you end up winding the fat part of the string around the lowest string's tuner (E or B, depending). So, with through the body stringing, you can avoid that issue (whether or not it's a real issue).

With flats (some at least), they don't like to be bent in a tight radius - through body stringing can be an issue with flats.

There are folks that have other reasons, but that's mine.

 

Concur with keeping the main winding part of the string off the tuner post and only winding the leader or taper to avoid risk of breakage.

Now - the real question - tonal difference? I have strung both flats and wounds both top-load and thru-body-load, and some on the same bass with a convertible bridge, like the Fender "hi-mass" bridge or similar. I can hear no difference in tone or sustain.

 

THIS THREAD is just one example of what COULD happen to flats when the break angle at the saddle is too sharp.

 

I have a degree in Acoustical Physics (I'm a scientist that studied the acoustics of musical instruments in rather fine detail), and...yeah, I can't see a rational reason why the tone or sustain would change with through body stringing.

 

Old wives tales. Been going thru the body for over 3 decades, using many brands of flats [including heavy gauge GHS 115-55's], and the only string I've ever broken was a Jazz bass resting on a stand that was hit by a flying billiard ball.

 

Agreed.

 

I wish. Have broken a Labella DTF clean off at the ball end stringing through body when the package warned me in big letters not to do so. Be smarter than I was.

 

Even though I have TI or LB on about half my basses I salute your hilarious post. Well done.

 

I hear no difference between either. But I personally prefer just going through the bridge on every bass because once I take a string through the body then I cant use it again on a bridge only bass since the bends are on different places.

 

I actually had a Labella DTF E string break at the ball end, strung through the bridge. Didn't even make it up to pitch, once. Definitely a manufacturing defect.
I've also strung a set of "Jamerson" (extra-heavy) flats through the body without issue - except it was a real pain to swap them out - and there was a slight kink that never came out on the other bass that was bridge-only. (Inadvisable on multiple levels - but the strings never broke.)
Thru-body looks cool to me, but the audience would never know.

 

There's a lot of room on the continuum between a pristine new string on one end and a broken string on the other. Maybe you like your strings to sound dead, and so it wouldn't matter much if the integrity of your strings is compromised. Maybe you've been lucky. Maybe your vision isn't good enough to see the stresses at the break-angle point on your strings. But the only way you can pass it off as an old wives tale is to disregard other people's bad experiences.

 

I have installed TI through body and am happy with the results. Also straight with good results, obviously. I’ve never had an issue with any flat string bent over a bridge at any angle. But I have had rounds bunch up and even expose the core over the bridge. I’ve had tapes get messy over a bridge too.
Goes to show you everyone has unique experiences.
My thinking is that if the builder puts ferrules in the back of the body they think it’s best. Otherwise there’s no good reason for them to make that 2 step drill in their wood and mess up a clean back.
But do what you like. That’s all that matters.

 

If I was a guitar builder and I felt strongly about stringing the strings through the body, I'd drill the holes at more of an angle.

 

Practically all of the top boutique basses
use the bridge and don’t go through the body, so it isn’t done for sonic reasons. Taking up the extra string length makes more sense. I don’t know if it’s a round or flat issue, but some fat strings (B & E) don’t do well with a dramatic bend like that.

 

Maybe.

 

And you know for a fact that same string wouldn't have broken being strung thru the top?

No, I'll go with my own experience. It's served me well.

Do what ya' gotta do.

 

I've never heard a difference, but when the saddles are bottomed out on a bent plate the break angle is pretty low, and through body (or a shim to change the geometry) can be helpful.
Insufficient down pressure at the saddle can steal vibrational energy, and cause odd overtones.