Strings for a 12-string Bass........

[ElectricBass72]

Options are very limited for 12-string Bass strings. D'Addario offers a light gauge on Amazon. Back in the 00's decade when I had a Dean Rhapsody 12.... there were many more options than they are today. Google search didn't turn up much. Does anybody know of obscure retailers who sell 12-string Bass strings? Most of the major string manufacturers like Ernie Ball, Dunlop, DR, etc... do not offer strings for a 12-string bass.

 

[JimmyM]

Piccolo bass strings are more common, so get two sets of them and a regular set.

 

[BassKees]

Maybe @Basvarken might have an answer

 

[bholder]

Figure out what gauges you want and then piece sets together from singles?

I've sometimes used the bottom 4 strings from a regular electric guitar set as the octaves - most seem to be cut just long enough. Made an 8 string set out of DR Black Beauties this way...

 

[Basvarken]

D'Addario has a perfect 12-string bass set for 34" scale bass

D'Addario EXL170-12 XL nickelplated steel Bass Electric 12 string

Set Bass 12-String XL Nickel Wound Soft Gauge Long Scale

lordofthestrings.com

But D'addario also offer single strings. You can assemble your own custom set of you want a 30" or 32" scale

Lord of the Strings

Europe's online strings specialist for guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin and other instruments.

lordofthestrings.com

 

[ElectricBass72]

Figure out what gauges you want and then piece sets together from singles?

I've sometimes used the bottom 4 strings from a regular electric guitar set as the octaves - most seem to be cut just long enough. Made an 8 string set out of DR Black Beauties this way...

I did this years ago on my Dean Rhapsody 12. Strung it....... bbB eeE aaA ddD. Low B was .125.... can't remember what size drones I used for B. I think I ordered individual strings from juststrings.com....but they are out of business.

 

[ElectricBass72]

D'Addario has a perfect 12-string bass set for 34" scale bass

D'Addario EXL170-12 XL nickelplated steel Bass Electric 12 string

Set Bass 12-String XL Nickel Wound Soft Gauge Long Scale

lordofthestrings.com

But D'addario also offer single strings. You can assemble your own custom set of you want a 30" or 32" scale

Lord of the Strings

Europe's online strings specialist for guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin and other instruments.

lordofthestrings.com

Found these on Amazon. Will try them out.

 

[bholder]

Figure out what gauges you want and then piece sets together from singles?

I've sometimes used the bottom 4 strings from a regular electric guitar set as the octaves - most seem to be cut just long enough. Made an 8 string set out of DR Black Beauties this way...

to be honest, it did require a little "donor grafting" to get the guitar strings to reach:

 

[bassguitarist85]

It's a good set. Puts about 418.3 pounds of pressure on the neck which is less than most other sets. The stock set on my Stargazer 12 is about 468 pounds.

 

[ElectricBass72]

It's a good set. Puts about 418.3 pounds of pressure on the neck which is less than most other sets. The stock set on my Stargazer 12 is about 468 pounds.

I bought the white version of this bass with ebony fingerboard. It's on backorder. Won't get it until October. Was considering Dug Pinnick 12, but I've never been a fan of single cutaway basses.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

DR would be happy to make up whatever custom gauges you might need.
You just have to figure out what gauges, the standard strings are easy, the pairs of smaller strings would be the challenge.

Myself I'd use piccolo set for the other pairs as mentioned above. But if I recall all the pairs on most 12's are all the same gauges.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Kalium?

 

[Wyrdlow]

I had a Dean Rhapsody some years back too. Loved the sound but had awful pain in my left hand after a while. Also, to be fair, the rest of the band hated it!
I only restrung it once. Being an RS66 sort of bloke, I bought two sets of Rotosound's 8 string set, which left me with a spare 45 - 105 set for my regular bass.

 

[ElectricBass72]

I had a Dean Rhapsody some years back too. Loved the sound but had awful pain in my left hand after a while. Also, to be fair, the rest of the band hated it!
I only restrung it once. Being an RS66 sort of bloke, I bought two sets of Rotosound's 8 string set, which left me with a spare 45 - 105 set for my regular bass.
View attachment 7305965

I liked the Dean Rhapsody 12... but never did love it. The pickups were dull sounding in my opinion. I never could get close to that zingy Hamer 12 tone that Jeff Ament and Dug Pinnick had on recordings, even with effects, EQ, etc. I strung the Dean: ddDaaAddDggGgg, bbBeeEaaAddD and standard eeEaaAddDggG. Used it for Drop D sets in a hard rock cover band... sounded massive and bandmates liked it. Had it for about 8 years and sold it on eBay sometime around 2011.

I've had bad luck with Rotosound strings. Tried them when I got a Rickenbacker back in 2016. I went through 2 sets of Rotos that were completely dead within a week and gave up. My Rick likes Dunlop Super Brights, DRs and Ernie Balls much better.

 

[bassguitarist85]

I bought the white version of this bass with ebony fingerboard. It's on backorder. Won't get it until October. Was considering Dug Pinnick 12, but I've never been a fan of single cutaway basses.

Same sentiments! Yeah for some reason the Stargazer 12 is hard to find currently. Love mine. Got it as a B-Stock for far less. Needed a ton of setup and adjustment, but it was worth it!!!

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

to be honest, it did require a little "donor grafting" to get the guitar strings to reach:

View attachment 7305522

Would you say different types of knots have different tones? Sustain?

 

[bassguitarist85]

I liked the Dean Rhapsody 12... but never did love it. The pickups were dull sounding in my opinion. I never could get close to that zingy Hamer 12 tone that Jeff Ament and Dug Pinnick had on recordings, even with effects, EQ, etc. I strung the Dean: ddDaaAddDggG, bbBeeEaaAddD and standard eeEaaAddDggG. Used it for Drop D sets in a hard rock cover band... sounded massive and bandmates liked it. Had it for about 8 years and sold it on eBay sometime around 2011.

I've had bad luck with Rotosound strings. Tried them when I got a Rickenbacker back in 2016. I went through 2 sets of Rotos that were completely dead within a week and gave up. My Rick likes Dunlop Super Brights, DRs and Ernie Balls much better.

Never tried the Dean. The Stargazer sounds incredible in my opinion. I did a quick cover of Its Love from King's X. Split coil mode on the bridge and full neck coil. It's tuned 440...but my DigiTech Bass Whammy drops it a whole step. I did a 150 HZ low cut on the original track to fit my bass track in. 12 strings is such a big sound!

 

[bholder]

Would you say different types of knots have different tones? Sustain?

lolz, Seriously, just two interlocked half hitches, one on each side, then tighten away. I've never noticed any impact on tone or sustain.

 

[ElectricBass72]

Never tried the Dean. The Stargazer sounds incredible in my opinion. I did a quick cover of Its Love from King's X. Split coil mode on the bridge and full neck coil. It's tuned 440...but my DigiTech Bass Whammy drops it a whole step. I did a 150 HZ low cut on the original track to fit my bass track in. 12 strings is such a big sound!

Sounds great! The first four King's X albums were amazing, IMO. Dogman through Ogre Tones were also great... but Dug didn't use his 12 as much after the self-titled album. King's X had a different sound going on with Ty switching from solid state to tube... and Dug/Ty using dropped tunings.

Saw King's X open up for Living Colour in 1991. Great show!

 

[woodyng2]

Kalium?

Great strings, although there’s been issues with them fulfilling orders for several years.
I’m not a fan of the Daddarios, they are way too stiff feeling. I’ve had a set of Kalium hybrid metal balanced tension strings on my 8 string for many years. When they finally go, I’ll probably have to put together something from custom ordering. (Probably DR).