Strings for 51 style Precision / Telecaster bass?

[bassrique]

I should have that style bass soon and am wondering "out loud" about strings.

Any experiences to share? Ideas?

Did John Paul Jones play a Tele on "Immigrant Song"? Was he using Roto66?

I could go flats or rounds. I'm open minded on this one.

 

[2saddleslab]

TI flats on all mine. Not sure of the strings but JPJ played an early 50's P. You could start by trying some Fender flats, they're relatively inexpensive and sound good too.

 

[bassrique]

TI flats on all mine. Not sure of the strings but JPJ played an early 50's P. You could start by trying some Fender flats, they're relatively inexpensive and sound good too.

Yes the the Fender flats that came with my JMJ Mustang are good. I bought more.

I have TI flats on three basses. EBMM Cobalts (light 95s) on a couple and GHS PressureWounds on a couple. Dunlop flats too.

I'm curious about GHS flats and D'Addario Chromes as well as LaBella LTFs.

And I keep hearing about the Dogal strings.

 

[Yahboy]

 

[bassrique]

What strings? What color CV? That cool shell pink/white color?

 

[Killing Floor]

TI Jazz Flats. Because they’re great.

 

[Yahboy]

What strings? What color CV? That cool shell pink/white color?

That used white blonde one i post on Squier CV club which weight almost 5 KG . La bella LTF4A loaded.

Squier Classic Vibe Club (Part 3)

 

[MarshallAC50Stack]

LaBella flats of some sort.

 

[bmusic]

I have a Fender Custom Shop 54. It came with Fender flats, but I swapped out for La Bella DTFs because, well, that's what I do. But occasionally I think about putting the Fenders back on because...that's what I also do. They both sounded great.

 

[Matt R.]

I have Fender 9050L flatwounds on mine. They sound great and are a sonic compromise between flats & rounds in my opinion.

 

[SoulReflection]

LB flats or Nylons.. I had nylons of some kind on my Tele bass back in the '60s. They were great.

 

[Grinderman]

Yes the the Fender flats that came with my JMJ Mustang are good. I bought more.

I have TI flats on three basses. EBMM Cobalts (light 95s) on a couple and GHS PressureWounds on a couple. Dunlop flats too.

I'm curious about GHS flats and D'Addario Chromes as well as LaBella LTFs.

And I keep hearing about the Dogal strings.

I was going to say "Strings", but I think the most constructive input I think I have to offer is this: Between those three the Chromes are the outlier and if I were leaning that way I would rather use Roto 77 Jazz Monel flats instead--but that's me; I do use those one of my P basses. My second or alternative P bass is set up with GHS Precision flats because I don't need or want two basses that sound so much alike.

I know TI flats are fairly popular and loved here. I prefer flats on the heavier and stiffer end of the spectrum. I like strings al dente enough to resist my heavy-handed fat mitts.

 

[Andy Marshman]

Mine is a Fender Sting signature model. It's string through body. I use D'Addario for all my basses. This bass needs SL (super long) in order to fit. Mine's already a fairly bright instrument so I use flats or tape wounds rather than round wounds.

 

[michael_t]

Mine is a Fender Sting signature model. It's string through body. I use D'Addario for all my basses. This bass needs SL (super long) in order to fit. Mine's already a fairly bright instrument so I use flats or tape wounds rather than round wounds.

Sting signature... Isn't that a 34" scale? D'Addario's "long scale" should be plenty long enough for thru-body.

 

[Andy Marshman]

Sting signature... Isn't that a 34" scale? D'Addario's "long scale" should be plenty long enough for thru-body.

Yes, the Sting is 34". I know there's no other bass I would have got the longer strings for - it's been a long time since I changed them.

 

[iiipopes]

Nobody has mentioned GHS flats. Remember that GHS was started by two men from the V. C. Squier string company, which used to make the strings for Fender, including flats, including the strings with the wonderful, woody, organic tone of the golden era.

Other than that, yes, a set of La Bella in the player's choice of gauge get a great tone.

I respectfully disagree with TI flats. In my experience they are floppy rubber bands with no defined articulation.

 

[5StringBlues]

I like the GHS precision flats on my 51 style square P. base with the Lindy fraylin stack pickup. Nice thick tone, but capable of some air on top of you choose to EQIT that way.

 

[5StringBlues]

Squire, that is. Voice to text does not account for southern drawl

 

[micguy]

The answer, if you're trying to sound like the "original" P bass, is, of course, flats of some sort. But....that single pickup has more bandwidth than the split coil on later P's, so it can take advantage of a good set of rounds better than a split coil P. I know where I'd land (I find flats frustratingly dull on any bass), but ultimately it's your decision to either zing of thud.

 

[michael_t]

Yes, the Sting is 34". I know there's no other bass I would have got the longer strings for - it's been a long time since I changed them.

D'Addario's "long scale" used to be 36.5" in winding length (ball end to taper), which might not have been long enough for thru-body on a 34" scale. It's been lengthened to 37" in order to accommodate thru-body installation on a 34" scale. The same goes to most other major manufacturers.