String through Fender P.

[LT131]

I like to think that my bass playing is so awesome that if it wasn't for string through holding them extra tight the strings would just fly off the bass causing multiple orgasms.

Yah, this would be a bad thing? Could lead to increase popularity, more gig, money and opportunity in adult entertainment industry. Plus, make peoples happy!

Do the right thing today. Renounce inhibiting string-through design!

 

[elgranluis]

maybe 10 or 15 years ago, either here or on "activebass" (the "other" bass forum in existence back then), someone stringed two E strings on an american standard bass, one string through, one top load.

So basically the bass was

-E top load
-E string through
-D
-G

The purpose of the experiment was to test of there was any differenece between string through and top load.

Results: ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE, as I remember. Thread should be somewhere since nothing ever gets deleted on the web lol

 

[Chrisk-K]

The impact of a string through on tone and playability is as big as that of a pickguard screw.

 

[EarnestTBass]

"String through body" creates a more acute angle for string at the saddle.

The more pronounced bending of string at saddle might, in turn, focus more stress at saddle and increase likelihood of breakage.

But this is just a theory, based on my completely unscientific (but mostly sober) observations.

 

[phillipkregg]

Can one put flats on a string through bass?

Yes.

I've got a Fender American Pro P Bass 5 string with D'Addario Chromes on it strung through the back of the body.

Sounds great and plays great. Of course, I've also had them strung through the back of the bridge as well. No real noticeable difference in sound, tension, or playability.

 

[IronSpatula]

I'm in the "no difference" camp as well. The change in break angle may well have an impact on the sound of piezo saddles, though.

 

[BazzaBass]

Can one put flats on a string through bass?

LaBella make Through Body flats

 

[jj.833]

I'm getting the urge for:

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I like Fenders and I will not lie. What are the benefits of a string through?

I have luthier built P with strings through. In theory, the more the string presses against the wood, the more the wood vibrates, hence more wooden sound. This is what I thought I wanted and this is what I heard. But I didn't like the sound very much, it loses too much of the 'metallic' highs so desirable with Fenders. I was slapping a lot at the time so the difference was crucial. So I changed the bridge to classical Fender (bent sheet), the sound got more highs and also got 'wackier'. Proper P bass sound. But the quality of the Fender bridge - it was newly made 'vintage' style - was not very high, I think they use more hard less elastic metals nowadays, compared with what's on my old Jazzbass. When the adjusting screws started to break (!) I threw this bridge out and bought Badass II bridge, which I like for years now. The Badass bridge doesn't lose highs and the tones are more 'stable', meaning the transient is shorter, making the overall sound much more modern jazz like.
In my experience the bridge makes a big difference, especially regarding the highs.

What's nice on your chosen American Precision is that you can choose to put the strings through the body or put them normally without having to change the bridge. I guess this should offer you all the sound difference there possibly is. (Actually, I'm a bit tempted to try this bridge on my bass myself.) And it's beautiful, I say go for it

 

[JakobT]

But you removed before they were even broken in?

Eventually decided that flats weren’t for me, so I switched back to rounds.

 

[bhoff5150]

And yet another question without a single answer.

Some will hear a difference, some will feel a difference, and others will not. There are a whole lot of variables going into all of this including no two basses or guitars are ever 100% identical.

I play both and I'm among those who would say there isn't enough difference to worry about. It's more about preference and also string selection as some strings won't work with string through bodies.

There are also basses which can be strung either way.

I play both and agree 100% with this statement

 

[Gyver]

Can one put flats on a string through bass?

Yes, I have used flats on my string-through Jazz bass and MusicMan Sterling with no issues.

 

[garp]

We used ferrules to hold arming wire to the lugs of Mk-82 and Mk--84 GP bombs when I was a loader in the AF.

Ferrules and fins! Cool. Thank you for your service.

 

[micgtr71]

I personally like to top load especially for the feel of the g. I actually switched out the bridge on my MIA jazz so I could do this.

 

[The Chuck]

I've got the option on my 2015 ADE P. I use it every time.

 

[djaxup]

my Gibson Ripper has the option for both. In this case, because of the strange Gibson bridge design, it actually matters. If I put the strings through the body, the bridge gets firmly pressed down onto the body, lowering the string action considerably.
While putting the strings through the bridge only will actually lift the bridge a bit...

On this bass I prefer the through body type... the action is set to this bridge height. On all my other basses I don't care and usually put the strings through the bridge only if I have the option.

 

[Clearwave]

Can one put flats on a string through bass?

Some LaBellas you absolutely can not. I for one, much prefer through the bridge for a more gentle breakover angle across the bridge saddles. Stringing flats through the body will pull the flat ribbon outer wrap apart over the top of the bridge saddles due to the sharp breakover angle and also jam the wrap together underneath. It's an ugly thing. Many say so what and that it makes no difference. To me it does. There is a lot of commentary on both sides of the issue in the strings forum.

I have a Fender P with string through.

(1) Its only ever had one set of strings on this bass so I can't compare the sound of string-thru vs top load. But, I don't notice anything special with respect to sustain or tone. It just sounds great, like most P basses

(2) I put La Bella flats string-through before I knew they recommend against it due to the severe break angle. They've been on it a year with no problem. I'm just going to leave them and see what happens.

(3) Someone tell me how the string tension can be any different? Same strings, same length from nut to saddle, same tuning, therefore tension is the same?

LaBella make Through Body flats

LaBella are my favorite flats...what I've learned, they make different sets that are for "through body". I learned the hard way about this. I've had them snap over the breakover point as I was putting it on. Bassstringsonline was very helpful in finding the right set for me. Now, I always indicate "string through bass" when I order just to make sure. No problems since.

 

[MoeTown1986]

I have 5 string thru fenders and 3 top load. I hear no difference. And yes, you can string thru flatwounds. 51 P basses came string thru and came with flats.

 

[9mmMike]

The impact of a string through on tone and playability is as big as that of a pickguard screw.

...stainless give you more sustain than aluminum....

 

[Linnin]

51 P basses came string thru and came with flats.

While this is true. Leo Fender had the strings made specifically for his Precision by V.C. Squier. They were the only electric bass guitar strings in existence at the time just as the original 1951 Precision was the only electric bass guitar. You cannot extrapolate that fact and carry it 67 years into the future. You might notice that things have changed a bit. Yet most bass guitars do offer the option of through body stringing nowadays, and most stringsets do accommodate that type of installation.

 

[MoeTown1986]

While this is true. Leo Fender had the strings made specifically for his Precision by V.C. Squier. They were the only electric bass guitar strings in existence at the time just as the original 1951 Precision was the only electric bass guitar. You cannot extrapolate that fact and carry it 67 years into the future. You might notice that things have changed a bit. Yet most bass guitars do offer the option of through body stringing nowadays, and most stringsets do accommodate that type of installation.

Yeah, I get what you’re saying. I’m just saying, as long as the winding length is right, you should be fine stringing flats thru the body.