What Were The First Piccolo Bass Strings

[Pedrocdf]

I'm doing a research to finish my college degree about the development of the Bass Guitar, now I've arrived at the first Piccolo Bass made by Karl Thompson for Stanley Clarke and I just can't find anything about the strings, I've found the pitch but no one seens to talk about who made them or if they were normal bass strings? guitar strings?
Any help, specially with source, is welcome

 

[GTHintz]

I would look up who makes strings for Carl. Whoever that was or is will be who made them. My guess is Dean Markley due to how Les Claypool was a Blue steel user and ran those on his Carl Thompson basses. Due to the scale I know they had to be custom built but like most string makers they can do pretty much anything if you ask. The other good guess would be LaBella. They make strings for a lot of others and being from that part of the country I'd say it's a decent guess. Good luck with your research and I hope you'll post about everything you find. I'm a string nerd that loves obscure facts.

 

[Jon Moody]

Have you thought about calling Carl’s shop and talking to him? He might be able to help.

Given the timeline of when the piccolo was being designed, I’m guessing D’Addario for strings.

 

[Pedrocdf]

Have you thought about calling Carl’s shop and talking to him? He might be able to help.

Given the timeline of when the piccolo was being designed, I’m guessing D’Addario for strings.

The thing is that I'm from Brazil, you guys have some contact that I could reach Carl with messages?

 

[GTHintz]

Carl Thompson
This is a link to his business website. I would leave an email under the contact link. Either himself or his workers should email back. Mention that a lot of people here on talkbass are curious too. He might even post on here the answer.

 

[Bob_Ross]

There was an issue of Guitar Player Magazine in 1979 (I think?) that had Stanley Clarke on the cover, and he talked a lot about his gear and strings, so maybe try to dig up that article from an archive?

 

[Pedrocdf]

Apologies but I don’t have the information available. They would have been a mix of bass and guitar strings.

-Aaron

That's the answer that I got T-T

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

There was an issue of Guitar Player Magazine in 1979 (I think?) that had Stanley Clarke on the cover, and he talked a lot about his gear and strings, so maybe try to dig up that article from an archive?

I have that article somewhere. IIRC he wasn’t sure of the exact gauges, but he said they were “Pretty Thin”. I believe he said GHS made them for him.