Strings for Eko Barracuda Bass

[Morbihan Mike]

I have an Eko Barracuda bass guitar and I am having a problem finding strings. It is a short scale (30.3") with distance from tailpiece to nut of 35". The difficulty is the ball size, which needs to be 4mm or less. Most strings seem to have a ball size of 5mm or more. Ideally, the strings would be light gauge, .040 - .090 round wound.

Does anyone know what strings might suit me?

 

[Morbihan Mike]

I have checked the measurements of the existing ball ends the diameter is 6mm and the thickness is 4mm. It is the thickness that is the critical dimension. I may have misled everyone into thinking the measurements I gave were diameters. There is no problem with diameters 6mm+.

Checking an ordinary guitar string for comparison, I find it has a diameter of 4mm and a thickness of 3mm.

 

[Morbihan Mike]

Here are a couple of photos to illustrate situation.

 

[Pentatonic]

I would either file them down a little on each side to fit or squeeze the ball end with a pliers to fit.

Nice bass!

 

[Morbihan Mike]

Thanks Pentatonic. I guess that is what I'll have to do if I can't find a manufacturer who makes 4mm thick ball ends.

 

[Morbihan Mike]

Filed them down and fitted them - hope I haven't compromised their structural integrity. They play just fine (Ernie Ball Slinkys).

 

[gary m]

Your Eko looks just like a Vox Sidewinder I owned once...it was made in Italy, so perhaps it came from the same factory.
Anyway, I remember stringing it with the old Fender flats, which fit without issue. Never used rounds on it.
Check with Pyramid...they used to supply OEM strings to many European instrument makers. Those may do it.

 

[Pentatonic]

Filed them down and fitted them - hope I haven't compromised their structural integrity. They play just fine (Ernie Ball Slinkys).

Should be fine. I did the same to fit strings to my Rogue Viola bass, no issues.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Both Pyramid/ Hofner flats and Thomastik-Infeld Jazz flats have smaller ball ends than other brands.