This makes the Scale Length 35.25”. This guide covers everything you would want to know about guitar scale length. Best Bass Gear offers a wide selection of strings for electic bass in standard long scale, medium, short and extra long., Manufacturer: Daddario, Standard, Gauge: Light They will fit? Short scale basses are less common, Hofner’s “violin” bass models with their 30” scale and Gibson EB basses at 30.5” being examples. the distance from the bridge saddles to the nut). Hi, Modifications of the specs may also be made (within limited parameters) to adjust for your individual playing style or application (i.e., how hard you pick, finger, slap, pop or fret the bass). Hope that helps. I will need to order the strings seperately, as I think the La Bella 0760M-S 4-String Original 1954 Fender Style Short Scale Flatwound Bass Strings seem like a good choice, but are not offered by most guitar shops. No, you weren’t wrong, you ideally need the silk to end before the saddles as this would hinder the tonality and vibration of the string. If your playing involves running accross the fretboard, you might find higher gauges too difficult to play on. If you have really small hands or the bass is for a child under 12, you might consider a short scale bass. What you’re likely hearing is essentially the sound of dead strings. Transparency Act, The sound character and tone you want to achieve. Fits long scale basses with a string scale length of up to 36 1/4 inches. Does anyone make strings to these specs? I have a 26″ scale (nut to bridge) bass, I’d like to re-string. It’s the same with your bass: you’ll be amazed by the amount of tonal clarity that was missing. I use the new-fangled alternative material strings with the Doozy … The medium scale set measures 35.25″ from the ball end to the silk so yes this would be the correct scale length to go for. Each set has the ‘Ball end to silk’ measurement listed in there but you can use the filter down the left hand side… just scroll down for the left-hand side and locate the ‘Ball End to Silk’ filter. The feel of the polished stainless-steel wrap wire is smooth and comfortable under the fingers while the round core wire provides great flexibility. This texture wears down frets over time and tends to produce more finger noise. from 105 up to 110 as /u/ir1dium mentioned) will give you standard tension when tuned to D, and slightly tighter tension when tuned up to E. Flatwound: Popular with jazz and old-school soul bassists, they have a steel core wire wrapped with a flat wire that has a smooth feel and produces a mellower, rounder tone than roundwounds. to guide you through your entire shopping experience. There is no simple formula that can tell you what strings will sound best to you ears and feel best to your fingers. I have tried a set of Rotosound 77 flats and they had the silk on the saddles. Thicker strings provide more bass, thinner strings produce more treble. Will the Hofner violin bass strings fit? Another option is to add a piece of felt as a makeshift mute to your bridge that produces more deadened string response. Exactly 36 inches. As for going back to E standard, it is possible tune up from C using a 5 string bass set but it may be easier to just use two bass … Ideally i’d like to use the RS665LD strings if they can acomodate both guitars to save confusing things. Bass String Gauges Scale length is the measurement from the bridge saddles (or ferrules on string-through basses) to the nut at the end of the fretboard. I’ve measured from the ball end to the nut. Under the bass string section of our website, we categorise our strings into ‘short scale sets’, ‘medium scale sets’ and so on. One question however, does it matter that the silk on the bridge side rests on the saddles, or doesn’t that matter as much as silk resting on the nut? Well this distance will be the minimum length your strings need to be before any silk wrap or tapering should start. Have an account? When you start tuning down, you should usually change the string gauge so you can avoid the floppy strings. Have a measure first though just to be sure. (We’ll talk about factors such as string composition that also contribute to tone and brightness shortly.) Great article, thank you. 4.5 of 5 stars (20) Reviews. Thanks for reading and we’ll see you on the other side . Question though: I have a Lakland 55-94 with a scale of 35″ with the option to be anchored through the body which I’m estimating adds another 1.5″ – 2″. This might sound crazy, but we do come across instances where some strings just won’t fit through the machineheads because they’re simply too thick. From top: Cross-section of roundwound, flatwound, and groundwound bass strings. Did you get in touch with us any other way…di this get sorted? The lower strings have a long scale length (eg: 28 ) and progressively become shorter towards the higher strings (eg: 25.5 ). It’s also worth noting that when a set of bass strings has been created solely for a specific scale length, often the thicker gauge strings will taper at a certain point so that they can be threaded through the holes in the machineheads. I have an Ibanex SRMS805 fan fretted bass. © 2021 Strings Direct. Without seeing the bass itself, it’s difficult to say which one of these things need addressing but I hope this has given you some ideas. Sign in to see your saved items. Free Standard Ground shipping (48 contiguous states, some overweight and Used/Vintage items excluded). So sorry for the delay in getting back to you on this. I’d like to discuss two terrific YouTube videos Rick Beato and Rhett Shull recently made regarding string gauges. Knowing this measurement will always stand you in good stead for getting the right length of bass strings. Sounds like you’ve just got a standard ‘Long Scale’ bass there. Other than poor carpentry. Hi Brent, They were originally developed by Britain’s Rotosound company for The Who’s bassist John Entwistle who wanted clear, piano-like tones to complement his lead bass playing style. Hello, I have a 5 string bass with inverted headstock and some strings dont fit on the nut correctly because the length of the real measure wrap of the string. Very interesting article. D'ADDARIO EXL170 NICKEL ROUNDWOUND BASS STRINGS REGULAR LIGHT GAUGE, LONG SCALE 45-65-80-100. Unfortunately, there aren’t any firm “rules” on scale length that bass and string manufacturers stick to and as a result we often end up with conflicting interpretations of scale lengths where the length of one brand’s set will be longer than another brand’s, and vice versa (this is true for all scale lengths, not just long scale so it’s definitely something you should try to be mindful of). To make shopping simpler, you can browse Musician’s Friend’s diverse assortment of electric bass guitar strings and acoustic bass guitar strings using these filters: The Musician's Friend Team is dedicated to delivering musical instrument and pro audio industry news, performances, interviews, product reviews and more. Elixir's Nanoweb bass strings have a proprietary coating that protects them from grunge buildup and oxidation greatly extending their life. In fact, in D-standard, the twelve gauge set feels much like a ten-gauge tension on a standard-tuned guitar. If you measure your current set from the ball end to the back side of the top nut that will be the length that the string needs to exceed in order to fit. The most common designations are: short, medium, long, and extra long or super long scales. I love the feel and tone but they are all but silent unless it’s plugged in. These would be longer than you need by the sounds of things with a likelihood that the low E could have some exposed string wrapping around the post. I have Rotosound 77s on my 4 string acoustic. Bass guitars are designed to give you deep lows that help drive the music. A typical E-string is .105 inches in diameter. That being said, string manufacturers will create their sets specifically for certain scale length basses and often the gauges they select are carefully chosen to help give optimum performance and playability. An example of this is the Hofner Violin ‘Beatle’ Bass. On those strings that have silk wraps at each end be sure that the silk does not make contact with either the bridge or nut. This is particularly significant for flatwound sets. Most basses such as Fender’s Precision and Jazz Bass have a 34” scale—considered a long scale. Gauge refers to the thickness, or diameter, of the string. Great article. Lee. Bass String Materials. Bass String Construction Methods Extra Long Scale – 38″ / 96.5cm (from the ball end to the start of the taper). Long Scale – 36.5″ / 93cm (from the ball end to the start of the taper). Tacoma Guitars are factory strung with D'Addario light gauge round wound strings (.012 -.053). I had a epiphone viola and switched to Fender Bronco. usually ship the same business day. The following setup procedures and specifications are for you Fender bass as equipped with the strings that come on the instrument as standard equipment from the factory. Sometimes this can’t always be helped, especially on the machineheads that sit closer to the nut). Our friends at Fender demonstrate the correct way to change bass strings. It’s measured in 1/1000th of an inch. This site uses cookies to provide and improve your shopping experience. Hope this helps. Thanks for your question, yes if you send me an email to lee@stringsdirect.co.uk, I’d be happy to help here. 53, 77, 95, 115. Having high string tension makes it easier to create a tight and punchy rhythm. Would Rotosounds ELs do it? If you measure from the ball end of your string up to where it crosses the top nut, this would be ideal and give us a true representation of whether these would fit your basses or not. Thanks The strings themselves measure 32 1/4″ from the ball end to the start of the silk and La Bella always recommend ensuring the silk winding should be wrapped around the tuning post. Hope this helps This iconic bass is described as a 30” short scale bass (bridge saddles to nut). At the end of the day, it all boils down to the sound you’re try… EXL170, D'Addario's best-selling bass set and the standard for most electric basses, offers the ideal combination of bright, booming tone and comfortable feel. Roundwound: By far the most popular, roundwound strings have round wrap wires made of stainless steel or nickel. All Rights Reserved. Strings are commonly made of stainless steel, nickel, cobalt or copper. The heavier a gauge the lower the tone it is capable of producing. Then remove the string from the bass and measure it from the inner end of the ball to the point you just marked. How Often Should I Change My Bass Strings? The bright, punchy, high-energy sound of Swing Bass 66 bass guitar strings is a major part of early rock music history and brought the bass … However, where possible, we make every effort to include the speaking length of each set from the ball end to the start of the silk winding or taper (where some strings have no silk winding). If the shorts are a little too short, the medium scale set measures may be more suited to your needs as these measure 34″ and the long scale set measures 36 3/4″. ET Whilst it’s important to be aware of your scale length (short, medium, long etc… ), more importantly, we encourage bassists to know how long they need their strings to be, which will be a slightly longer measurement than basic scale length, aka Speaking Length. What other options are there? If you want to maintain the gauge that your guitar is setup for, then perhaps you should check with the manufacturer to see what they put on the guitar as standard, because it can vary. Call or Chat for expert advice and to hear On face value, this is a logical question, and yes this can work for some people. There's an added dimension to choosing bass strings, because you'll need to match the string length to your instrument's scale (i.e. Measuring with a digital caliper (but get slightly different readings on different parts of the string, so I’ve averaged multiple readings) are : D’Addario’s sizing is typical of most string manufacturers: Up to 32" Short; 32” to 34” Medium; 34” to 36” Long; 36” to 38” Super Long; While it’s possible to cut bass strings to the correct length, you risk causing the wrap to … Thanks for your time. My guess is I need to get 5-string gauge (130mm for the low C) strings, and then buy a single for the high C, but they also need to be tapered to fit the tuning pegs and short enough to fit the scale. Guitar, bass (6-string) 6 strings 6 courses. I am looking to put a set of flatwound strings on my acoustic bass. Changing String Gauges. If you'll mostly be keeping it in Standard and only occasionally dropping the 6th, go for a .52 or even just a .50. Sounds like the string needs to be 30″ (ball end to start of silk) in order to reach and clear the nut. Thanks, You’ll also notice that you need to retune more often with new strings due to their tendency to keep stretching. It’s a Kid’s style P bass. Rick Beato gets the string-gauge experiment started with a Les Paul Standard running through a Marshall JCM2000. The strings on your electric bass have a powerful influence on its tone and playability. Many bass strings are sold in specific lengths to match the scale length of your bass guitar. Now I thinking of getting a Fender Mustang. Hope this helps clear things up. . Description. This measures 33.5″ from the ball end to the top nut. I have an Ibanez fan fret 5 string bass and having a bit of bother trying to find a replacement set. Some strings are brighter and deliver a punchier tone that is ideal for rock, country, pop, and more. For example, a 10-gauge string is 0.010 inches. Hi Dan, How Long is the string from the ball end to the nut? Hello, A: Metal guitarists tend to prefer longer scale lengths (eg: 26.5? E 1 A 1 D 2 G 2 C 3; Bass, electric bass, 5-string bass Essentially a 4-string bass with one added high or low string. Essential Gear Buying Guides, Artist Interviews & More, How to Choose the Best Strings for Your Bass Guitar, About 45” in overall length. Not all bass scale lengths are the same so they are generally categorised into 4 main groups; short scale, medium scale, long scale, and extra-long scale. or higher) due to the increased string tension. 2 Options Brite Wire Electric Bass Strings, Long Scale $19.99. The "Standard" string gauge also depends on what type of guitar you have, Acoustic guitars will have a heavier gauge than electrics. Does this mean I need extra long strings? Thanks Groundwound: Also called half round, they are manufactured like roundwound strings, but are then ground or pressed to produce a partially flattened surface that reduces finger noise and fret wear while offering most of the brightness of roundwound strings. In any case, we would recommend taking the measurements yourself. Alternate: E 1 A 1 D 2 G 2 B 2 E 3. A website by Bruce Johnson, xstrange.com specializing in Ampeg Basses, recommends : “40 1/4″ from the ball end to the end of the outer winding (the beginning of the silk threads). How to Choose the Right Strings for Your Bass, How to Choose the Best Strings for Your Electric Guitar, How to Choose the Best Strings for Your Acoustic or Classical Guitar, Stocking Stuffers and Gift Ideas for Musicians, CA Interviews & Here are the characteristics of the most common materials: Nickel-Plated Steel: Probably the most popular string material, they have a comfortable feel and bright tone that’s the choice of bassists in many different music genres. So basically you need a set that measures more than 33.5″ from the ball end to the silk or start of the taper to ensure this doesn’t start before the nut. Logically, you would assume that this bass would therefore need a ‘Short Scale’ set of strings. And that just may be what you want. The length of the D’addario 045-130 standard is the same of your chart (36 inches)? LONG SCALE TOO LONG.short scale too short.. Rotosounds. I have an Ampeg Fretless Bass guitar ( model AUB-1 ). I also have an Ibanez SR305E-MSS which is a 34″ neck. Hi really interesting post so thank you but I think I still need help. Thanks. Hi, love the article! First, with the string installed, mark the spot where it contacts the nut. What brands do you suggest that are for tapered long scale that might work? Most medium-gauge 4-string bass sets range between .045 and .105. We’ll next look at each of these variables to come up with the strings most likely to work for you and your bass. Scale length for bass guitars can be a rather grey area due to the huge variation of basses and strings on the market today. The gauge or thickness of your strings makes a huge difference in tone and in playability. The most common winding metals are stainless steel and nickel. As with all things strings and musical instruments, there’s often some idiosyncrasies that throw curve balls into the mix so we’re here to help clear things up and guide you as you navigate your way through the (sometimes) murky waters of scale lengths. With regards to the measurements you have kindly given us, are these measurements that you have taken yourself, or have you got these from the manufacturer’s website directly. Notice how the lengths can also vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Hello – I have an Epiphone Vintage Pro Thunderbird and that means a 1960s claw tailpiece and a very big headstock – so the issue is getting enough winds around the G-String peg. GHS Precision Flats are available in short-, medium-, and long-scale sets, as well as light or medium gauges for 4-or 5-string bass. Does it matter how far the frets are from one to another? Do you have any suggestions as to where I might find those types of strings? If you provide us with this measurement we’ll be sure to let you know which strings will be most suited. Listen to old Motown and Stax recordings and you’ll hear that sound: a deep thud with little or no resonance. Polymer-Coated Strings: Many manufacturers use synthetic coating materials that extend string life by protecting them from corrosion. Image courtesy of Fender Musical Instruments Corp. Taperwound: Not to be confused with tapewound strings, taperwounds are available in all of the winding methods mentioned above. Just in case you wanted to measure your bass before you buy this particular set If you decide to change your string gauges from the factory installed string gauges, please be sure to remember that the guitar may need to be set-up to accommodate this change. Roundwounds are popular with rock and funk bassists and have a ridged or knurled texture like the edge of a quarter. If you have a bass where you cannot see the ball end i.e. Thanks in advance. Your email address will not be published. You also risk the string slipping off the post causing sudden detuning—an embarrassment in mid-performance. There’s no one answer to this eternal question. Scale length for bass guitars can be a rather grey area due to the huge variation of basses and strings on the market today. Most electric bass strings have an outer wrap around a steel core wire. The gauges for a six-stringed guitar range from the smallest on the high E string and level up to the B, G, D, A and low E strings. protection from manufacturer defects. Hi guys Stainless Steel: They produce a very bright tone with good corrosion resistance. I realized my mistake before ruining the other 4 strings. The most important factors to consider in shopping for bass guitar strings are: The things that impact those factors are: (At Musician’s Friend we make the shopping process simple by letting you filter your search based on the string characteristics you’re looking for.). It’s worth noting that these measurements are meant as a guide only. Was I wrong in that belief? Using the 32″ set would mean there is a chance the low E may be the only string that could have some portion of the exposed string wrapping around the post. Thanks I am thinking of buying an Ibanez 2018 GSRM20B Short Scale Bass Guitar – Walnut Flat. What I think I’m asking is, if its 1 3/16″ from F# to G on my 4th string (E) but on my 1st string (G) from A to b- it measures 1 5/16″ from fret to fret do I need to compensate for the extra ahhhhh……..”finger play”? Websites all seem to go for the scale length. Yes really sorry about that. It’s a fairly standard adjustment, however, if you are at all unsure about adjusting this, we’d highly recommend getting these things looked at by your local music shop where a guitar repairer could advise you on the best way to proceed. As a result of this, most “short scale” sets turn out to be a too short and medium scale sets are usually the order of the day in this instance. These Fender Taperwound strings maximize the transfer of their vibrations to the bridge saddles for enhanced sustain. I have a Warwick $$ Corvette 5 string and I always struggle to get the b to fit the neck – manufactures states long scale yet on buying various long scale brands I end up trimming way to fat into the B and it hardly sits in the neck. They’re also often used on fretless basses since their smoother finish causes less fretboard wear. Pure Nickel: With less magnetic attraction than steel strings, they produce a warmer, vintage tone. EXL170, D'Addario's best-selling bass set and the standard for most electric basses, offers the ideal combination of bright, booming tone and comfortable feel. Hi there, thanks for the question. This will give you a precise measurement when shopping for strings. If this happens, the string simply won’t sound as it should, not to mention they may not even be long enough to reach or wrap around the posts of your machineheads. The metal alloys used in strings also impact their feel, tone, and durability. Hope this helps. a thru-body bass, you will have to do this exercise once the string has been removed. Thanks. You’ll also want to let the stretch factor settle down before making any adjustments to your intonation. Brite Wire Electric Bass Strings, Long Scale (5-String) $24.99. Generally, lighter gauge strings are easier to play, brighter, allow you to bend strings and fret notes easier, and exert less tension on your guitar's neck. If you do need to do this, before removing the string be sure to make a mark on the string with a permanent marker just behind the nut so you know where to measure up to. My assumption therefore is that I need XL. “If bass players run the risk of selecting a set of strings that are ‘too short’, what’s stopping me buying a longer set and just trimming them down to the length that I need? Thanks Guys for your information provided. Yup, you’re correct about that ~1 inch short of -part. Thanks in Advance, Steve. One of our staff members has a Fender Mustang. If you need any more help just send me an email at lee@stringsdirect.co.uk. Thicker strings might have a more robust tone, but they are also harder to fret. The speaking length is 34 inches. It’s particularly important to purchase taperwound strings that match your scale length so the tapered portion of the string falls in the correct place in relation to your bridge. Do you sell something appropriate for that basis in Flatwound or Tapewound ? Spend £100 to get 10% off! Some Rickenbacker basses have mutes built into the bridge saddles to reproduce old-school bass sounds. With its 34” scale, the Fender Jazz Bass is typical of 4-string basses, giving you dozens of scale-specific string sets to choose from. If you wanted to thread the strings through the body, it may be safer to opt for the extra long scale set. If in doubt, check your manufacturer’s website or measure the length between the nut and bridge saddles.