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String ID
- Thread starter Brians356
- Start date
They look like GHS Precision Flats, 45-60-75-95. No silk at the ball end, correct?
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Yes! Thank you.
However: Short (medium?) scale length no longer listed at GHS' web store.
They only carry "38 in. winding" whatever that means, presumably long scale. The E and G posts on my Epi are only 35.5" from the ball ends. (You can see how the shorter set I bought years ago fit my bass.) Think I can make the 38s work?-
However: Short (medium?) scale length no longer listed at GHS' web store.
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GHS Precision Flats still do come in all three winding lengths (ball end to silk) - 38" (long plus), 35.5" (medium) and 32.75" (short). Sounds like you need the "medium scale" for your bass.
Looks like Fret Nation has what you need in stock.
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Awesome, thanks again. Odd that GHS only lists 38s on their web site. I wonder if F.N.'s are residual NOS?
Seems my Gibson EB (34" to the E/G posts) would also take "medium" scale.
I may try a set with heavier E/A strings (you referenced them in an older P. Flats thread) on the Gibson.
Brian
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I've dealt with Jason at Fret Nation (formerly Bass Strings Online) long enough to know their stock is always fresh.
GHS still does list all sets on their main page. Products - BASS PRECISION FLATS™ - GHS Strings
"34" to the E/G posts" means you actually need the "short scale" (32.75" ball end to silk) for that bass.
I was just measuring things and came to that conclusion. Both basses have the same scale length (distance from nut to 12th fret x 2) but it depends also on overrun distances, from bridge to string anchor point, and also from nut to string posts.
One last clarification then I'll go away: The published "winding" figure actually seems to be from the silk to the end of the playable wound surface, not including the short (~1") doubled-over portion required to anchor back on itself after looping around the ring end. (See photo below.) The strings currently on my Epi viola I believe are GHS "short" as they measure 32.5" as I just surmised. Notice how much thin tapered silk portion is required to reach the A/D posts (previous photo.) It also explains why I had to peel back some silk to get past the nut.
So I'll order "mediums" for the Viola, and "shorts" for the Gibson which anchors very close behind the bridge, so close in fact the doubled-over portion adjacent the ring end actually rides over the bridge breaks on all but the G string. Yikes! I don't think that's optimal for tone or intonation:
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The "winding length" published by GHS (38"/37.25"/35.5"/32.75) is measured from the very end of the string, including the ball end, to the taper (end of full winding). The silk at the tuner end usually covers the last 0.25" or so of the full winding, so the actual measurement "from the ball end to silk" can be a bit shorter than the published winding length.
And I had the length 32.5, not 32.75, so there's another 1/4". Thanks for clearing that up.
Seems GHS only makes the "Custom Medium" (45-60-80-105) set in long scale, I don't find those in medium or short scale. I could use a less floppy E with more positive attack pitch.
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Is the trapeze tailpiece on the Viola the stock, "wrought iron" looking one? Looks like the fact GHS lenghened their short-scale offerings a couple years ago was, in part, to meet the demand for violin basses, and it apparently worked. (It kind of left other model owners - Danelectro, for example - in the lurch though, but I guess that's the nature of shorties: you can't fit everyone of them.)
D
You're right, that's not ideal with the "doubled-over" part of the string past the saddle on the Gibson.
Search ebay for "Gibson mod bar". Problem solved. Every Gibson/Epi 3-point bridge should have one IMO.
No, tailpiece is chrome-plated bent wire.
I notice La Bella sells a Deep Talkin' Flatwound Electric Bass Strings Hofner Beatle Bass Set, but FN does not publish the actual string length.
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That's great, thanks. Last night I actually pondered making a makeshift extension myself, but it wouldn't look as clean as the one on Ebay. Also, for $30 not worth my time to fabricate one.
PS it could add enough length to favor the "medium" length GHS strings.
PPS nope, it only pulls the ball end back about 3/4", so 32.75" "short" GHS will still be required. Not even close really.
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That's the one I had in mind - just made it sound fancier...
Huh, true, [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], in the product page. Only in the "[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]" tech resource page -
- Hofner Beatle Bass = 34" Ball to Silk
Strings
you'll find
- Fits Hofner "Beatle" basses and similar models that require 34" distance from ball-end to silk
The shorts on the Viola required peeling the silk back, and frankly only the 1/4" "extra" winding michael_t mentioned avoided string taper crossing the nut.
Epi Viola measures 32.75" from the nut to the end of the winding (including double-over) at the ball end. The distance to the E/G posts is 35.25".
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You're right, it's not ideal and this is one of several reasons folks don't like these bridges. Hipshot makes a replacement bridge for the Gibson 3 point, if you can spare $100 or so it's probably worth it.
Good to know, but I just ordered the $30 extension bar. I like that it is reversible with no mods to the body. (I assume the Hipshot is not pure "drop-in".)
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I don't know about that, but $30 is an inexpensive fix so if that works for you, then I'd say problem solved.
