String through body or bridge?

[major10th]

Huh???

I don't have much experience with this but, from what I've read here at TB, I got the impression that stringing some types of flats through the body might result in a sharper angle and cause the outer windings to spread apart and possibly put more pressure on the core. I have no empirical evidence to back this up. The photo below shows separation of the outer windings.

 

[agreatheight]

In my experience with qaulity high mass bridges, theres no diff in tone or sustain with string thru bridge versus thru body. However there is a small feeling of a little greater tension with the thru body. However with thin bent metal bridges one could expect and find they get better sound (fuller tone) and better sustain with doing those type strung thru body.

This.

 

[RustyAxe]

Depends on my strings ... flats always through the bridge.

 

[robgo]

It's got more to do with string angle than anything else. I put my thicker strings through the bridge and thinner ones through the body. Doesn't really matter though.

 

[GGman]

I like string through the body, not for tone reasons, I just like the idea of the strings holding the bridge down, as opposed to the strings pulling the bridge off the body and only the wood screws holding it down. I know it sounds crazy, but I sometimes think that over time those screws are going to strip the wood out and the bridge will eventually fly off.

over forty years and many types of bass guitars I have never had the strings pull the bridged up or the screws up or even loosen them.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

In theory, stringing through the body gives more sustain, but you may need to buy longer scale strings.

Given the two options, I would definitely go for through-body.

Well, some say it's the opposite in theory. Strings strung through a high-mass bridge will result in more sustain because the bridge is stiffer than the wood that absorbs the vibrations more. I don't know if that's true or not.

I prefer strings strung through the, bridge because I feel like that puts less tension to the screws holding the bridge.

I know that some flatwound strings "prefer" to be strung through the bridge.

I prefer the strings strung through the bridge, but my flats don't. They can't be bent like roundwounds without breaking.

 

[sissy kathy]

Another disadvantage to through body is unless you are very careful it is very easy to twist a string when restringing. after you have the string up to the tuner the end of the string needs to be bent down, not whatever is easy, and the key has to be used for the entire wind, no twisting the string around the post.

 

[96tbird]

Never mind claims of sustain, if you string through it will add ten years to your life and bring much prosperity.

Now seriously, it depends on the bridge in that if it's cast metal "high mass", I've seen many that actually bent along the screw line and the tail lifted away from the body. I've never seen it happen with a billet machined bridge. If you have a cast "no name" bridge which are common even on many upper mid priced instruments made in Asia, I would personally string through.

 

[Batmensch]

Important note: La Bella flat wound strings are not suitable for use on instruments that require through-body stringing.

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I thought they had dealt with that, did they not? Or did they just put aa disclaimer on the pacakaging?

 

[Batmensch]

The sharp turn that occurs where the string bends around to go through the body can mess with some flats.

Given the choice, I'll go through the bridge, as it makes re-stringing a bit less of a chore.

I'd only ever heard of that happening with LaBellas, as was mentioned. Were there others?

 

[Kukulkan61]

It's time for the monthly thread on this again?

No difference in any way. None. Try a REAL test. String the E and D through the body, the A and G top-load. Play it until the strings are dead. When you restring, reverse the top-load/string-through so that the E and D are top-load and the A and G are through the body. That way you've eliminated EVERY variable. And when you do that you'll find it makes absolutely no difference, despite the people with no understanding of phyiscs, or the advertising people who say otherwise.

I used to be one of those who swore there was a noticeable difference in feel and sound until I did that very side-by-side experiment (on two Laklands). The facts forced me to change my mind on this one. The only reasons I still string through the body are that it keeps the ferrules from falling out, and it won't mar the finish where the strings go into the bridge plate. Both reasons have nothing to do with sound or feel.

John

I have a Lakland duck Dunn p that came to me with chromes strung thru the body, what length of strings did you use to do your experiment so that I know what to get next time?
Thanks

 

[Kukulkan61]

I'd only ever heard of that happening with LaBellas, as was mentioned. Were there others?

My Lakland has Chromes thru the body no issues...

 

[Turnaround]

I thought they had dealt with that, did they not? Or did they just put aa disclaimer on the pacakaging?

This from LaBella (note, they make both standard and thru-body):

• Do not use standard flat wound bass sets on basses that require stringing through the body of the bass (or else they will break). We have ThroughFBody “FTB” models for those basses e.g. 760FLFTB, 760FSFBFTB, etc.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I still don't get why sustain is something people point to as desirable in bass. If anything, you are muting the sustain.

 

[Turnaround]

A better use of the term "sustain" is to describe the quality of the note. The various overtones that give the note colour decay at different rates. Instruments with more "sustain" tend to hold onto the overtones longer. It's like the difference between "eeeeeeeeeyyooh" and "eeeyooooooooooh".

 

[GIBrat51]

As has been already mentioned;
- Yes, it is possible to pull a bridge off a body, if it's made of something soft - like basswood. According to the Ibanez Mikro Owners Forum here, for example, it's happened a time or three. But, those guys like to modify their basses, and tend to mess with the screws a lot. Which, probably, aggravates the problem.. So, in a case like that, there's something to be said for stringing through the body - as long as you don't pull the string ferrules out, instead...
- No, some strings don't handle being strung through the body very well at all - and yes, they seem to be mostly flats. La Bella does make flats that work, but I don't know that anyone else makes string-through specific ones. You just have to take a chance and see...
- Yes, I agree with Turnaround. I strung my LB-20 Carvin through the body once, purely in the spirit of scientific inquiry. And yes, while the length of the sustain didn't seem to change, the tone did - a little. But, it wasn't a wonderful enough difference for me to leave it that way. I'd never tell anybody here what to do; but, that said, IMO string-thru is a waste of time; it limits my string choices; it serves no useful purpose; and, it's a pain in the tush. But, that's just me...

 

[Badwater]

I guess it all depends on the type of string through. On the Yamaha BB424x series, the the string through is at a 45 degree angle, and the ferrules are counter sunk deep into the body so regular 34" long scales will fit. I've used Chromes the same set on and off 3x and they held up well without breaking or problems with dead strings.

 

[Mechanical]

 

[leonard]

I guessed right! There is a difference! Zombie thread!

 

[Dave Neal]

Fender has been making basses for 60 years and I have never heard of a bridge "fly off" the body of the bass.

I agree I have been playing and repairing bass guitars for 40 years .. never heard of such a thing happening.