what strings for super short scale basses?

[1stnamebassist]

Played one of the banjo basses. It's long scale and weights about 18 pounds. I think it'd be hard to play one for a whole show. Sounds pretty cool though.

I've seen a very well known bass player playing one on youtube a while back. Maybe it was with the Tedeschi Trucks band?

 

[pcake]

wow, it's been almost 5 years since i first posted this thread, and i recently bought a smallguitars.com bass with a 24.75" scale. the strings i thought would fit it don't, and while there is a set of flats that does work on this bass, i love rounds. oddly, the crappy strings that came on the bass are pretty nice to play, but i'm going to try some of the suggestions on this thread.

ironically when i looked up "strings for extra short scale bass" on google, this was the first listing that came up

 

[SBassman]

I have a bajo sexto set on the way. It could turn out to be a winner for sub shorts and GSABs. Without having to cut.

 

[Watchootognbout]

What's used on Wing basses?
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[J Posega]

What's used on Wing basses?
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Regular strings cut down because they’re clamped at the headstock end.

 

[pcake]

I have a bajo sexto set on the way. It could turn out to be a winner for sub shorts and GSABs. Without having to cut.

i don't love stainless steel compared to nickel as it's brighter and feels a little rougher, but definitely a good option. i'm going to try a set.

which brand / model did you get? the ones i'm seeing have loop ends.

 

[Jon Moody]

I have a bajo sexto set on the way. It could turn out to be a winner for sub shorts and GSABs. Without having to cut.

did you make sure they’re ball end? Most bajos still use loop end strings.

i don't love stainless steel compared to nickel as it's brighter and feels a little rougher, but definitely a good option. i'm going to try a set.

For a ~25” scale bass, why not just buy guitar strings? Most brands make guitar strings up to .095 for 8/9 string guitars. They should fit just fine on your sub-short scale bass.

 

[delta7fred]

wouldn't the string unwind?

Mine hasn't done.

I've shortened and removed wraps for a Strat conversion bass and they haven't shown the slightest inclination to unwind in 6 years (ongoing project).

 

[pcake]

did you make sure they’re ball end? Most bajos still use loop end strings.




For a ~25” scale bass, why not just buy guitar strings? Most brands make guitar strings up to .095 for 8/9 string guitars. They should fit just fine on your sub-short scale bass.

too bad about the bajos using loop ends, but they are made for bajos, after all.

my husband's 8 string has a 28" scale - even most of the 7 strings we've had had a 27" scale. closer to a mikro than to a 24.7" scale. that still might work, as it appears even the thickest 9 string guitar strings don't have the step that bass strings have.

 

[Jon Moody]

too bad about the bajos using loop ends, but they are made for bajos, after all.

my husband's 8 string has a 28" scale - even most of the 7 strings we've had had a 27" scale. closer to a mikro than to a 24.7" scale. that still might work, as it appears even the thickest 9 string guitar strings don't have the step that bass strings have.

They definitely have the same taper as bass strings, but smaller core diameters will allow them to bend easier around small timers.

 

[SBassman]

If you go to the Black Diamond site you will see steel, phosphor bronze, and nickel. All in both loose end and ball end. I ordered a nickel ball end. If they actually ship that I think there is great potential for that to be The alternative.

 

[pcake]

If you go to the Black Diamond site you will see steel, phosphor bronze, and nickel. All in both loose end and ball end. I ordered a nickel ball end. If they actually ship that I think there is great potential for that to be The alternative.

good find - i've ordered a set, as well

i've owned black diamond strings, but have never ordered direct.

 

[SBassman]

good find - i've ordered a set, as well

i've owned black diamond strings, but have never ordered direct.

Let's be sure we both publish results.

Have a great rest of weekend everyone.

 

[Jon Moody]

If you go to the Black Diamond site you will see steel, phosphor bronze, and nickel. All in both loose end and ball end. I ordered a nickel ball end. If they actually ship that I think there is great potential for that to be The alternative.

Were you able to order singles, instead of the full set? Reason I ask is there is nothing different between a set of electric guitar nickel strings and a set of ball end nickel bajo strings.

 

[SBassman]

Were you able to order singles, instead of the full set? Reason I ask is there is nothing different between a set of electric guitar nickel strings and a set of ball end nickel bajo strings.

I didn't order singles. If I remember correctly, the singles section did not go up to the gauges that the bajo sexto set had.

 

[pcake]

i ordered a set. the singles pages are lackluster
Bulk Single Strings - Black Diamond Strings

while the options for sets seem to fit the bill
Bajo Sexto Bajo Quinto

 

[Dominic D]

17593071[/URL], member: 202366"]…wouldn't the string unwind?

I know this is old post but wanted to let anyone who’s looking for info to know my experience. I’ve been partially unwinding the E string on my Samick Corsair MCR1 for years without issue. It obviously wouldn’t work on flats or tapes, but it has been fine for me with rounds. I don’t notice any effect on the string. It still rings out nice like the rest of the strings.

For those curious, my goto gauges are .125, .105, .085, .065 tuned to standard E. I always get compliments on big this little bass sounds.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, if you going to use a heavy string like .125 and your tuners have smaller posts (like Y-style tuners), make sure you unwind it past the post. It will break if you try to wrap the full gauge around the post.

 

[pcake]

i've been ordering my extra short scale strings from newtone. you can get custom length strings to fit any instrument, and you can choose any gauge for any string. i have sets on my 24.75" scale bass and my 32" scale 5 string.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

You might like these on your short scale StingRay .

They should be available this summer. I love them on my regular scale StingRays.

 

[SDBassed]

wow, it's been almost 5 years since i first posted this thread, and i recently bought a smallguitars.com bass with a 24.75" scale. the strings i thought would fit it don't, and while there is a set of flats that does work on this bass, i love rounds. oddly, the crappy strings that came on the bass are pretty nice to play, but i'm going to try some of the suggestions on this thread.

ironically when i looked up "strings for extra short scale bass" on google, this was the first listing that came up

First, thanks @pcake for following up over 8 years. You mentioned you found extra short flats. Where? Which brand?