I just got an Ibanez Mikro 5 string for my birthday. I've been using Ernie Ball Flatwound Power Slinkys on my full size (4 string) basses, and really like the size and sound. The Mikro bass sounds kinda floppy with Dunlop stainless flatwound 45-125. Thinking bigger gauges would stiffen the B string a bit. Gotta confess, I'm a guitarist who owns a couple of basses, so I'm here seeking guidance. I know, buy a long scale! But I have this short scale bass, and would like to make it more useable. Suggestions please!
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Short scale strings for a 5 string
- Thread starter WJK
- Start date
Who said a 5-string needs to be tuned to BEADG necessarily? If you want those strings to feel stiffer on a short-scale, how about up-tuning it to C-standard, C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab? Just an idea... 
Dunlop flats are pretty loose. I love them but I don't play a 5 with flats. I hate fat gauges so I'd probably look for a stiffer flat set in the same basic gauges.
Which set? gauges?
Only Dunlop offers a short-scale, 5-string flatwound set: the DR Legend "short-scale" fiver set is actually 33.5" long ball to silk, and also has a .125" low B. The only operation offering custom-length flatwounds, Pyramid, only makes them up to .126".
For more options, you'd have to mod the bass (adding a string-through-body option) to accept long-scale strings (36–38" ball to taper, depending on the manufacturer), assuming there's enough room to do so. Also, you won't find flats larger than the .136" Thomastik-Infeld low B, unless you order from Octave4Plus.
What I'd do in your shoes is either tune up to C or D, as suggested above, or order a single roundwound low B (135 to 145) and resign to having a mixed set. You could get a long-scale B and unravel it to fit the tuner (put a section of heat-shrink tubing or a drop of superglue where the unravelling stops, between tuning post and nut, just to ensure that...the unravelling stops), or order a custom-length one from the aforementioned Pyramid or Newtone.
Which set? Power Slinkys-55-75-90-110.
I like the idea of using a round wound B string! Unwinding enough of the string to attach to the tuner without wrapping the windings around the tuning pegs.
For now, since the Dunlop's are still pretty new, I raised the action enough to allow a more agressive picking approach. Also, I lowered the pickups to the point the strings can no longer contact them. I think this is going to work!
I like the idea of using a round wound B string! Unwinding enough of the string to attach to the tuner without wrapping the windings around the tuning pegs.
For now, since the Dunlop's are still pretty new, I raised the action enough to allow a more agressive picking approach. Also, I lowered the pickups to the point the strings can no longer contact them. I think this is going to work!
