What strings to buy for short scale bass?

[Billy Lowe]

I am new to the bass and I was thinking that it was about time I bought some new strings. I have an epiphone eb-0 bass which has a short scale neck and just wondered what strings you would recommend that are good quality but also not too expensive? Cheers.

 

[darkside 88]

You can use full length strings. Do you have an idea of the tone you want?

 

[Billy Lowe]

You can use full length strings. Do you have an idea of the tone you want?

Quiet a deep, grungey but concise tone, like catfish and the bottlemen's bassist? as I like to play alternative rock/grunge music.

 

[Gorn]

You can use full length strings. Do you have an idea of the tone you want?

Or he can use strings made for short scale basses.

 

[Gorn]

Quiet a deep, grungey but concise tone, like catfish and the bottlemen's bassist? as I like to play alternative rock/grunge music.

Your best bet is to try a few different types. Nickel rounds, steel rounds, and a set of flats. That way you'll know what you like and what you don't.

 

[Billy Lowe]

Your best bet is to try a few different types. Nickel rounds, steel rounds, and a set of flats. That way you'll know what you like and what you don't.

okay thanks, which ones do you prefer?

 

[Gorn]

okay thanks, which ones do you prefer?

There's so much variety out there. Me? I like steel rounds. You really just have to try different strings.

 

[Yaralag]

I would start with some D'Addario nickels. They are cheap, sound decent on an EB-0 and are a great starting point for getting your sound. You can decide from there whether to go brighter (steels) or darker (flats or tapes). I have an EB-0 which I have made it my personal mission to make sound good because it's fun to play, but if I were you I would save the money you would spend on string experiments and get a used Squier P bass or something. If you are stuck on the EB-0 then use it for what it was meant for and get some flats or tapes on it. Anything else sounds tinny and then you will have to replace the pickup. Again, by the time your done making it sound good you could have purchased a cheap p bass or jazz bass. I am only making this recommendation because you are so new to the bass. You should be practicing instead of noodling around with a niche bass like the EB-0. If you are stuck on it then have a Dimarzio Model one pickup installed. It will help your tone tremendously.

 

[zontar]

Or he can use strings made for short scale basses.

I would unless someone with the exact same bass can show they used long scale.
I have never been able to use long scale on my EB-3 copy--admittedly a different animal.

 

[Billy Lowe]

I would unless someone with the exact same bass can show they used long scale.
I have never been able to use long scale on my EB-3 copy--admittedly a different animal.

D'Addario EXL110-3D Electric Guitar Strings 10-46 (3 Set Pack) Tone & Long Life.
will these be ok?

 

[Bodeanly]

D'Addario EXL110-3D Electric Guitar Strings 10-46 (3 Set Pack) Tone & Long Life.
will these be ok?

Not ok. Those are guitar strings.

I would start with these:
D'Addario EXL160S XL Short Bass String Set

 

[Billy Lowe]

Not ok. Those are guitar strings.

I would start with these:
D'Addario EXL160S XL Short Bass String Set

oh, i got the wrong link haha, those are the exact ones i bought.

 

[LanEvo]

I went through this with my '69 Les Paul Bass. Tried every short-scale string I could get my hands on. I strongly preferred the short-scale GHS Bass Boomers. They had a low-mid growl that really complemented the bass.

EB-0's are known to be very bottom heavy with a thumpy, sometimes indistinct tone. The Bass Boomers really tightened things up and gave the bass more presence. Really brought the bass to life.

 

[fretlessguy]

Go juststrings.com or basstringsonline.com and type in short scale bass strings. You can pretty well find just about any gauge or string type found on either site.