As a complete and total bass nerd, I really appreciate time and the effort you put into making your videos. You have quickly become one of my favorite sites to check into. Wish you success and hope you get the following you deserve.
I wish I had seen this video before purchasing flatwound hofner strings... Exactly like you predicted at 16:45, the E string was too long and it broke. Very informative.
I’m sorry to hear about the broken string….on a similar note, I’m rather frustrated with the tuners on my Hofner Club. Really limits string options without mods. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for clarifying this important topic. I appreciate the time and effort to gather the information and produce the video. This is an excellent resource and video.
FYI: I just received a test sample set of Thomastik Jazz Flat Wound for 30 inch scale. They are developing a short scale set of strings for Paul McCartney’s lost Hofner that was recovered. I had contacted Thomastik looking for strings for my Sire U5 and luckily they said I could participate in the test. Very excited.
You have put a lot of effort into this video and it's much appreciated. I have a Ibanez Mikro and you have done my homework for me. I'm enjoying all your short scale videos.
Thank you for producing this informative and entertaining content. It's helpful and I'm saving it as a reference. You're very good at explaining things clearly, concisely and in a manner that's easy-to-understand. It's appreciated. As an aside, kudos must be given for the excellent t-shirt. All the best!
Ahh, thanks!! You’re the first to comment on the shirt! I definitely live a complicated life, so my wife thought the irony would be appreciated when she bought me the shirt! Thanks for watching!
Yes, Labella does have more ‘specialty’ type offerings! Whether you like the feel or sound is another matter, but they’ll probably custom make you something. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching! I've recently discovered that the GHS precision flatwound 45-95 set's E string is slim enough to just get through the tuner hole on my Hofner Club Bass Contemp series. However, the medium scale set is too long (!) and you'll get flat windings around the post. Fortunately, the short scale is long enough to get the silk past the zero fret and the nut. I've been enjoying them more than the Labella set I had on! But not intuitive.....I've burned a lot of strings on my Hofner, unfortunately.
I am a guitarist but just started to look at short or medium scale bass for me and my 12 years old daughter to start and I am glad that I found your channel. You've been very helpful sir.
I play mostly guitar, but also a bit of bass (34" scale). I plan to build a 30" scale bass soon and you've been one of my go-to YT channels to learn the particularities of short scale basses. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I appreciate the video, thanks! I've been using D'Addario Medium scale half-rounds on my 73 Mustang Bass (String-thru) for years which fit perfectly. The taper winding starts for the E,A and D strings just over an inch beyond the nut. No taper on the G. Current set is approaching 4 years and they still sound great. Which is fortunate because D'Addario has stopped making this set! So like you I may need to break the rule and get a regular scale with full string width wound on some of the tuners. Oh well. I know in the past (I've owned this bass since 1979) I've used regular scales with no problems, like you report. Cheers and thanks.
Thank you very much! These videos are very informative and very helpful especially for someone like me who just got interested in the electric bass guitar and is clueless about the instrument. Excellent work, thanks!
Thank you good sir. Glad I came across your videos, especially this fine installment. You are an incredibly engaging and informative poster. I recently purchased the exact Hofner model as you showcase and have been looking at strings to replace the roundwounds that are included from the factory. Though I have been looking at short scale flatwound strings, I would have quite possibly purchased the wrong set had it not been for this video.
You're so kind! Thank you! I like the tone I'm getting with the Labella Beatle flats on my Club palm muted with a pick, but I'm not totally sold on the finger sound (slightly boring, lacking in character). I'm sure the search will continue at some point! Thanks so much for watching!
You have no idea how useful this video just so happened to be for me. I happened to buy a used contemporary hofner on reverb and the strings it came with were just some random roundwounds. Didn't think anything of it until I barely tuned the low e slightly sharp and the thing snapped and unraveled. At the end of the day, I'm not happy at the news of having to spend 50 bucks on beatle strings, but you did me solid.
Man….I’m sorry to hear about your new Hofner. The Hofner tuner is really due for a redesign. It really limits what strings you can put on them. Thanks for watching!
Wow! You really did some work on this! How is it possible that you have done all the work that guitar manufacturers should have done? Thanks so much, new subscriber.
I put flats on most of my basses and for me the Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats are the best. On my standard scale basses, JF344s are fantastic. I have two Sandberg shortscales, both are 30” scale. I put JF324s on both and they also work great, even tho they are technically 32” strings.
I have an Ibanez GSRM20B MiKro short scale bass and have found that the D'Addario XL Flat Wound Chrome strings (ECB81S) fit perfectly. As far as winding the string past the step or taper is probably more of a problem with basses using the Gotoh style tuning machings as the winding posts are I believe a smaller diameter than the standard Fender style tuning machines,
Re post diameter. I think you’re absolutely correct. The smaller posts will put more stress on the outer wrap. D’Addarios in general, have always been pretty reliable for me! Thanks for watching and sharing your experience with us!
Hey Jonathan, first of all thank you for this particular video, as it helped me somewhat. However I wanted to make you aware of a slight flaw in your measurements during the video. I build custom ergonomic bodies, and I am currently building one to fit an Ibanez Mikro neck. When you measure for the 28.5 scale neck in the video, you hold the eye of the string at a drilled hole between the 28.5 and the 30 inch marks, and then mention that the string length at that point would hit the machine head peg before the taper of the string begins. That's the flaw. I measured my Mikro and found that the measurement from where the string enters the bridge plate to the nut is a full 30 inches: Not the 29.5 I estimate the hole to be drilled at. If you had held the eye of the string just over your 30 inch line, THAT is where the eye of the string would actually be entering the bridge plate on the Mikro, likely providing enough string length for the taper to arrive properly at the machine pegs (which are 32 and 32.5 inches from that bend in the bridge plate). Now to find the tapewounds I want to use for my creation! Check out my videos if you might be interested in my innovative body designs. You did a great job on the video, and yours is the only one I could find that gave me any assistance at all in gathering some very needed information. I thank you! Gregg
Hello! Thank you for the feedback and pointing that out. Unfortunately, finding more specialty strings in that scale length is rather difficult. Good luck with your builds!
Ernie Ball just came out with a set of cobalt flats for 30" scale bass. The gauges run 50 to 110 which yield pretty much the same tension on a short scale as 45 to 105s yield on a long scale. They sound similar to D'Addario Chromes with that bright zing. They are a little gritty and I can feel the difference when I play with a pick. So what I do is take some 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper and sand the area where I use the pick, smooths them out nicely and doesn't affect the sound. Hope this helps fellow shorty low enders.
Sanding some of the finish off with super fine sand paper is such a clever idea! I too, generally find cobalts a bit in the sticky side. Do you get corrosion or rust-like build up? Thx for watching and sharing your experiences!
@@jonathanwong458music So far no issues with corrosion or rust. I use 2000 grit wet/dry which is pretty high grit, usually used for wet sanding finishes before buffing. All it really does it knock down the roughness. it only takes about 10 to 15 seconds per string. The first time I did it, the strings where still on the bass (I put a paper towel between the strings and the bass itself to keep the residue from getting on the bass. I then clean the sanded area with window cleaner and a paper towel. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the input! I was laughing when I seen the JMJ bass example. My only bass string I busted winding was on my JMJ low E string. The funny thing it had exposed the inner string after the 3rd set up and tune.
Awesome! Labella is pretty clear on their website about which strings fit what and when to not use certain strings. I really like that degree of openness. Many companies unfortunately don't publish their string wound lengths or provide guides or recommendations, which leaves the buyer (experienced or not) with a bit of a 'gamble & roll the dice' type scenario. And good strings aren't cheap! Thanks for watching!
I have been looking for this exact info. I have a Bronco bass that I want to put flats on. Im a guitarist and flats are way more expensive than strings I am used to. This takes out all the guess work. Im going to get some short scale Chromes and give it a go. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching! The bronco is 30” top load only, so the XL chromes short scale should fit perfectly! As an aside, I’m currently doing a series on modding a sonic bronco, piece by piece, and later on, I hope to demo different strings on it!
Thanks for the info about the Hofner Beatle bass . I have bought one and was buying a wrong set of strings, and instead I have bought the Labella Beatles short scale strings as you recommanded in your vidéo.Thanks
rotosound RS 77M jazz bass strings will fit Hofners properly. They're flatwound medium scale standard gauge (40-50-75-90 ).I used them for 40 years before switching to the more expensive Labellas
Cool suggestions! Those brands are not very popular around here (Winnipeg Canada). Pyramids can be ordered from a few online retailers but I’ve never tried their custom lengths yet. Hopefully soon! Thanks for the suggestions and for watching!
Knowing that Fender used long scale on the JMJ, I tried them on the Mustang through-body. No issues (I replicated stock string length when cutting). I also had a conundrum with my Guild Starfire 1 bass, which is a 30.75” scale. I thought it would be medium scale like the Mustang, but I had to remove some of the silk from the E and A strings on the Jim Dunlop medium scale flats because the Guild bass has an asymmetrical tailpiece and the silks of the E and A went over the nut slightly. In the future, I’ll probably have to go to long scale flats in the future. Another unique thing about the Guild Starfire 1 is that the headstock tuners aren’t in a row like Fender, but 2 per side, so the A and G strings are 2.5” longer than the E and D strings… The Dunlops are expensive, but you might love them on the string-through body Mustang because they sound great and are lower tension than LaBella.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences! That knowledge may help a lot of through-body mustang players. Re the guild's asymmetrical tailpiece. Oh man! Using the long scales on the higher strings is likely less of an issue due to the thinner wraps. Best case scenario is assembling a custom set with individual strings, but that can get pretty expensive very quickly. Thanks for watching and sharing!
Thank you for making this incredible video! I wish I had seen it three years ago before all my re- stringing false starts. I have owned ten short-scale basses, including pretty much every 28.6 on the market. I prefer flatwounds and put flatwounds on every single one, though recently I did put a set of D'Addario short-scale nylon tape wounds on my Jackson Minion and it sounds incredible (so Motown). So here's the skinny on flatwounds because I have used four different kinds. First of all, DR short-scales do not work on a 28.6 because DRs are 33.5 inches from the bridge end to the silk, which is too long. For a 28.6, length to silk cannot exceed 32 inches. The DRs will probably work on a 30 inch, however. Sadly, Ibanez does not make a set of miKro flats. Here are the short-scale flats that I have used, all of which fit a 28.6 perfectly: GHS D'Addario LaBella Dunlop My favorite are the Dunlops because of how they feel, though I would characterize the D'Addarios as the brightest. LaBellas I found to be too dull, with GHS somewhere in the middle. If you have a five-string 28.6, such as in the Ibanez GSRM with five strings, I found the best five-string set to be the Dunlops. I found that LaBella five set B string to be so floppy that I could not even get a sound out of it. The same discussion may not hold for a 30-inch short scale. My favorite place to read about strings is on the Fret Nation website.
Just found your channel, Jonathan. I am a new subscriber. All of my basses are short scale except one, which is the 32 scale Ibanez Mezzo. I have flats and tapes on all of my basses. RotoSound tru bass RS88M are medium scale tape wounds that will fit the Hofner Beatle bass and the Club bass. RotoSound jazz bass 77 RS77S are flat wound strings that will fit the Ibanez Mikro and the Squier Mini basses. My next short scale bass will be the Ibanez EHB1000S, which is headless. Apparently it doesn't matter what scale of strings that you put on it, because you will be cutting them off after you put them in the "Ibanez custom head piece".
Thanks so much for watching, subscribing and sharing your experiences! Much appreciated! I have been wanting to try that Ibanez in a 5 string. None available locally, unfortunately.
Boy did i need this video. so professionally presented. I'm a jazz guitar player that just got into bass guitar. I'm also intrigued with lead bass. I just got great deals on a Jackson minion bass and a Gretsch g2220. I have Labella Jazz tapes (Guitar strings) on order for the Jackson. That will become my lead bass experiment. I'm shopping for flatwound strings for the Gretsch. I like D'Adario Chromes on my guitars so I'm leaning in that direction. Any recommendations? Thanks again for a great video. I learned a lot.
Thanks so much! For the Gretsch, here are two links that may be helpful: th-cam.com/video/yZibmu9dCE4/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/uCqfC09W0XY/w-d-xo.html I have found the D'addario chromes for bass to be a bit on the tight/higher tension side and they seem to always have a brighter clank to them, even if you let them settle and deaden out. Which can be great if you want a newer school flat sound. They don't sound vintage Jamerson, though. TI are really expensive and I've been using them for a long time. I am experimenting with GHS precision light flats too. Maybe a video to follow in a month or two. Thanks for watching!
Great research Jonathan, thanks for the info! A bit off topic but you said you modified a fretted bass into a fretless. There are differing opinions on which method to use, which one did YOU use?
Thanks for watching! Re defretting. I've defretted 2 different necks and used different methods. The first, I filled the slots with wood filler. Sanded smooth. Finished with polyurethane. The problem with that one, was that the wood filler shrunk a little and left little depressions in the fret slots. Not ideal. The second time around, I used thin maple strips and put them in the slots. Sanded smooth. Polyurethane finish. This time, the rosewood fretboard shrunk ever so slightly more than the maple strips and left the maple strips higher than the fretboard. Even worse. So I had a local luthier do it again but he lacquered it with a different technique (I didn't quite understand it...language barrier!) and it was significantly better. That was the Fender neck in this particular video. Now I'm playing an unlined ebony board and that ended the process! Harsh winters here with wide humidity and temperature swings, so other people's experiences will likely vary.
@@jonathanwong458music thanks for that. I live in the Okanagan and I can’t imagine what the dryer climate would do to a homemade job. The more I think about it, the mess and after-effects, the more I think that I’ll just buy a factory-built fretless lol.
Hi Dr. Wong, I'd like to know what your thoughts are on installing a string thru body bridge on a Squier Mini P. Would you go with a 30" scale string or something else ?
If you drilled through the body, you would need to add the thickness of the body to the string wound length. So the closest would be a ‘short scale’ set. I have always preferred top load bridges in terms of feel. Some flatwounds also state that they shouldn’t be used on a string through (some Labellas come to mind). But a string through on a 28.6” mini would potentially give you way more string options! Thanks for watching!
I've just bought 2nd hand CV Mustang Bass, so I've found so much useful information on your channel, Jonathan. Appreciate it! And I've ordered Chromes 45-100, Dunlop 40-100, Dunlop 45-105 (all are flatwounds). Which of these strings do you prefer? Sometimes, for several songs I will drop the 4th string in D. In the first sign, in compare with my Coolz Japan Jazz Bass, CVMB is lacking fullness, width of tone (however , I got CVMB with absolutely dead roundwound strings). I hope new strings will do it's job! Thank you very much! Best regards.
Thanks for watching! the D'addario chromes are a pretty bright sounding flatwound, it's not really a thumpy/vintage tone to my ear. It's more of a smooth sound and there's still quite a lot of sustain. I haven't tried the Dunlop flats myself, but I love their super bright nickels. Those feel great! If you're dropping the low string to D, you may benefit from the heavier set (the 105). It'll keep the E string from being too flabby and loose. Good luck in the string hunt!
As a bass beginner, already decided on a Short Scale Bass, this is a very informative, well explained video on the 'reality' of short scale/medium scale string lengths that need to be considered in any restringing effort. On 2 of your videos directed at Gretsch Jet Junior Bass 'stringing' examples, it seemed the Thomastik Jazz Flat Wounds (JF344) had packaging labeled- Long Scale, how did you get them to work on your Gretsch? Sorry, keyed this mid-video, you answered later- I like them so much, I didn't care about 'the rules'. ;)
I use the long TI flats on several of my short scales. I didn’t like the short scale set as the gauges are different - 106 E string). If you top load them, which is my preference (vs. string through the body), I still had flat wraps around the tuning post, so there was really no real advantage to the short set for me. I’m sure the folks at thomastik are cursing me, but to date, I have not had any issues with stringing this way. And they sound and feel awesome. But $$$. No string or artist deals here! Thanks for watching!!
Nicely put together video! Back in the 60s my dad put together a kit bass (kinda a Hofner knockoff) which is *super* super short scale - I measured it at about 25"! Needless to say, finding strings for it is an endless struggle (I believe Fernandes used to make a set for their travel basses, but they're no longer in production). Do you have any ideas or suggestions as to what might fit?
Oh man! 25" is going to be a tough one to find off the shelf. I can see how this bass would have sentimental value, though. As finding strings for 28.6" is already difficult, my best suggestion would be to contact a company such as Labella (as they do and can make custom strings) and see whether they are able to make or modify an existing model for you. The bigger companies are likely so automated and economized that custom strings may not be possible. Best of luck to you! And thanks for watching!
Hey really interesting video, I appreciate your effort! I was wondering at the end if the special light gauge laBella strings for the Club and Beatle Bass were less floppy than the TI strings? The gauge of the laBella strings seems pretty light to me and thus should be more lose right? What experience did you have in the past with different string gauges on your SC-Basses? From my experience the low E usually misses some clarity and definition due to the shorter scale length and I've heard that you could compensate that with a heavier gauge. Would be interesting to hear your opinion on this :) Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much for watching! Re strings for Hofner. The gauges for the Labella for Hofner are numerically weird/different (96-77-56-39). But put head to head with the TI flats I had on my Club bass, they actually feel quite a bit stiffer. I think it's in the construction. I have never got on with the Deep Talkin flats on other basses but this set fit on my Club bass without me wrestling it through the tuner hole, so they get to stay. It did, however, bring out a dead spot, which was annoying. I have a separate video on how I mitigated that! Re low E. To be honest, I haven't really struggled with weak E strings on my basses. I'm not sure why, otherwise I could provide suggestions. I think the setup has a lot to do with it. I did try the TI flat short scale set which had the 106 E string and I gotta say, I actually prefer the feel of the 100 E. I think it would be perfect with a 102 or 103, but I'm not a Thomastik artist! I have a bunch of play-through type videos earlier on when I first started this TH-cam journey if you want to hear how the basses I typically use sound! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@jonathanwong458music Thanks for your detailed answer! Seems to be worth it keeping the LaBella strings in mind even if they brought out a dead spot on your bass. I was also thinking about changing my setup to deal with the E string. But good to hear that you didn't have any issues on your basses!
The Labellas on the Hofner sounds more Hofner-esque, especially when played with a pick. It has a deeper, thumpier tone than the TIs. I have a recent video on a danelectro where I play the Hofner with Labella's as a comparison. Here's a link: th-cam.com/video/Osc6YMe48WY/w-d-xo.html
Hi Jonathan, I need your expert advice on strings for a Squire CV Mustang. I replaced the pickups with Nordstrand Mustang pickups. I also replaced the electronics with CTS pots and it’s fully shielded so nearly 100% silent. However, I’m not happy with the tone from my E string. I replaced the original strings with Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 45-105 strings. I’m trying to get as close to a P-Bass as possible. I’m very happy with the tone from the lighter A, D, G strings. The E string sounds muddy and less clear. Is there a string brand, series, and gauge that you know of that you have found to have pleasant tones across the range? I’m not interested in the “Thump” sound so not looking for flats. Thanks in advance
That's a great question! And one that I have struggled with myself! Here are my thoughts: i) The usual teaching is that heavier gauge strings give you more bass and lows and less of a 'wirey' type tone. On the other end, light gauge strings give you more 'zing' and 'wirey-ness' and less pronounced bass response. What I've found in short scale basses, however, is that the heavier gauges (at standard pitch) can often mess with the overtones produced. ii) Specific to the Squier CV Mustang, the example I had in the studio (that I used to film a few videos) had a very 'chorus-y' and phasey sounding E string. This was even more apparent when you fret an A and compare it with the open A string next door. Sounded like a different instrument. I have also found this to be true of other short scale basses (not all). iii) My hypothesis - E strings heavier than 100 tend to produce this overwhelming low end that conflicts with the overtone structure of the instrument and you end up getting this chorus-like effect. Worse the higher up the neck you go. It also makes it more difficult to intonate accurately. So in addition to not liking the feel, I've found that these basses seem to be happier with E strings of 100 or lighter. I had a similar experience on my Fender Junior Jazz, stock with 105-45. I went down to Fender nickels 100-45 and it's much better. Feels better too. *So before switching brands and materials (that's a whole other rabbit hole!), the first thing I'd try is to get a lighter gauge E string. If clarity in the E is what you're after, go lighter in gauge! Please let me know how you make out with the experiment! Having said all of that, the Mustang Bass design and dimensions, often gives a weaker sounding E string. I've played a few higher end, Japanese and US-made models where this was also true. Some examples are worse than others. So it seems to be a thing inherent in the design and dimensions.
Thanks for watching! If I’m not mistaken, those jaguars were top load only and not string through right? If so, you want ‘medium’ scale strings. (32” scale). The short scale sets will be too short.
Darnit .. i was hoping youd tell me the exact string to use on my 24" scale martin 000cjr-10e to stop the crazy roll that these strings are having. Why isn't everything always perfect??? Hey, good video though thanks. Watched the whole vid.
So can I put Ernie Ball Short Scale Flatwounds on my Hofner Club Bass? They use the 32" scale, and you said that the Hofner is a 30", but really a 32" because of the tail piece. Thanks.
If they are marketed as a 32” scale, the length should be fine, however, the bigger concern is whether the string end will fit into the tuner hole. On my club bass, the tuner string hole is so small that most flatwounds won’t fit (too thick on the silk end) . That’s why I switched over to beatle bass specific labellas. I would check with Ernie ball before you buy!
@@jonathanwong458music Right, okay. Another question, I know that Hofners can only take so much pressure from the strings. What do you think is the max string gauge for a Hofner, specifically a Hofner Club Bass? I'm thinking of getting .050 .070 .085 .105. Thanks.
@@topps4213 Interesting, I have never heard of a legitimate case of the top of a Hofner bass caving in under string pressure (or the neck joint coming apart). That being said, I might shy away from heavy strings on a Hofner not so much because of the tension, but rather, the string spacing is rather narrow on the typical Hofner bass (~14mm spacing) so heavier strings may feel really close together. Might feel weird.
Yeah, you likely won't find 27" off the shelf, unfortunately. However....here's a link for a Form Factor Wombik 27" bass and the page states that it uses custom Labella strings. My best suggestion would be to contact Labella and maybe they can sell you, make or modify an existing model to suit your needs. I would be interested to hear that low B in such a short scale! Thanks for watching! www.ampshopbassexchange.com/product/woodcraft-wombik-4-special-edition-mini-scale-27-4-string-electric-bass-guitar/
@@jonathanwong458music thx so much, ... just got my red one, too. Ur videos are good. Just red the side. VERY good explained with audio examples. Fantastic.
Gad, I hate dead spots on basses. I don't keep / buy a bass if it is inflicted. My Squier Bronco and Korean Rogue Violin basses are completely devoid of this scourge as is my all carbon Steinberger XL-2A. My Hofner has a few minor spots, but it's so thuddy, you don't really notice them a whole bunch. My 77 B.C. Rich Mockingbird has one, but it just sits in it's case waiting to be sold someday. I like GHS Pressurewounds for the 30" and 32" (Hofner and Rogue).
I'm about to buy my first short scale bass (Harley Benton PB-Shorty for lefty), but there aren't short scale strings available in my country so I'm a little scared in the long term that I can't find strings that fit, would it be too bad if I just use a regular "mainstream" string type? like for example an Ernie Ball or Daddario Regular (50-105) or Hybrid (45-100)?
You can try long scales, as I described at towards the end of this video, that’s what I do. The risk you run is that you snap the core or the windings. The stock strings on the Harley Bentons are passable. Where are you located? Does Amazon deliver to your country? Thomann should be able to deliver you some strings?
@@jonathanwong458music I noticed you did, so I guess I should take the risk when the bass arrives, who knows I guess it works fine, I decided to switch to short scale basses due shoulder pain mostly I'm from Chile and Amazon does deliver to my country but it is too expensive and not every item can be sent so what I can buy there is more limited (I think in 2024 they will establish a center here so I guess that is a future possibility) and no chance from Thomann, it is way too far and it would be way too expensive between shipping and taxes as there are no branches of Thomann in latin america (AFAIK) I forgot to mention that I only use roundwound strings, I like flats but they don't cut well in a mix for the music that I play (alternative, punk, metal, shoegaze, grunge, etc)
Thanks for watching all the way from Chile! I have used the D’addario XL long scale 100-45 for sure on a short scale and they seemed ok. Hopefully they will work for you too! Good luck!
Oui, you could ream out the hole slightly. Might get into metal fatigue issues as the post around it is also small in a diameter. But it might work! Thanks for watching!
Oh man! Sorry to hear about that….the Martin is a 24” scale? Super short. I can see how steel strings could tear it apart if it’s not braced for that kind of tension. I haven’t tried those yet. Are the strings like those on the Goldtone uke style basses? Fat rubber bands on those. Thanks for watching. Unfortunately my video was more geared towards solid body short scales.
I put flats on most of my basses and for me the Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats are the best. On my standard scale basses, JF344s are fantastic. I have two Sandberg shortscales, both are 30” scale. I put JF324s on both and they also work great, even tho they are technically 32” strings.
As a complete and total bass nerd, I really appreciate time and the effort you put into making your videos. You have quickly become one of my favorite sites to check into. Wish you success and hope you get the following you deserve.
Ahh, you’re so kind! You’ve made my day! Thank you for supporting me and my little upstart!
This is EXACTLY the information I was looking for. Thank you so very much.
Thanks for watching and for commenting! Hope you find strings that work for you!
I wish I had seen this video before purchasing flatwound hofner strings... Exactly like you predicted at 16:45, the E string was too long and it broke. Very informative.
I’m sorry to hear about the broken string….on a similar note, I’m rather frustrated with the tuners on my Hofner Club. Really limits string options without mods.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for clarifying this important topic. I appreciate the time and effort to gather the information and produce the video. This is an excellent resource and video.
Thank you so much for watching and for the encouragement!
Another incredible video Jonathan, thank you for your time, attention to detail and terrific ability to make the complex simple
Thank you so much for watching and for your encouragement! Much appreciated!
FYI: I just received a test sample set of Thomastik Jazz Flat Wound for 30 inch scale. They are developing a short scale set of strings for Paul McCartney’s lost Hofner that was recovered. I had contacted Thomastik looking for strings for my Sire U5 and luckily they said I could participate in the test. Very excited.
That's SOOOOOO awesome!! Wish I could get in! What gauge is the low E string? 100 or 106?
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!
@ The gauges are 43, 56, 70, and 100. I put them on a couple of hours ago and the tension is light and very comfortable. The sustain is really good.
That’s perfect. I much prefer the 100 to the 106!
@ I agree
You have put a lot of effort into this video and it's much appreciated. I have a Ibanez Mikro and you have done my homework for me. I'm enjoying all your short scale videos.
Thanks so much for watching and for such positive comments!! The Mikro’s a fun bass!
Thank you for producing this informative and entertaining content. It's helpful and I'm saving it as a reference. You're very good at explaining things clearly, concisely and in a manner that's easy-to-understand. It's appreciated. As an aside, kudos must be given for the excellent t-shirt. All the best!
Ahh, thanks!! You’re the first to comment on the shirt! I definitely live a complicated life, so my wife thought the irony would be appreciated when she bought me the shirt!
Thanks for watching!
Heh, that made me smile. Kudos to her for her sense of humor.@@jonathanwong458music
The takeaway here is that, whatever your string needs, La Bella has you covered.
Yes, Labella does have more ‘specialty’ type offerings! Whether you like the feel or sound is another matter, but they’ll probably custom make you something.
Thanks for watching!
Bravo! And thank you, Jonathan. Lots of helpful info I didn't know, including where and when to bend the 'rules'. I hope it was as useful to others
Thanks so much for watching my videos!
Big thanks for pointing to the beatle bass sets
Thanks for watching! I've recently discovered that the GHS precision flatwound 45-95 set's E string is slim enough to just get through the tuner hole on my Hofner Club Bass Contemp series. However, the medium scale set is too long (!) and you'll get flat windings around the post. Fortunately, the short scale is long enough to get the silk past the zero fret and the nut. I've been enjoying them more than the Labella set I had on! But not intuitive.....I've burned a lot of strings on my Hofner, unfortunately.
Love your videos Jonathan. I have wrist and thumb problems so I’ve swapped to SS recently. Very informative and always positive. Keep them coming!
Thanks so much for watching and for your encouragement! It was health issues that got me into playing short scales! Game changer for me!
I am a guitarist but just started to look at short or medium scale bass for me and my 12 years old daughter to start and I am glad that I found your channel. You've been very helpful sir.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Best to you and your daughter!
I play mostly guitar, but also a bit of bass (34" scale). I plan to build a 30" scale bass soon and you've been one of my go-to YT channels to learn the particularities of short scale basses. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks so much for watching!!
Very helpful with new information that I have not seen elsewhere.
Thanks so much for watching! Glad it was helpful!
I appreciate the video, thanks! I've been using D'Addario Medium scale half-rounds on my 73 Mustang Bass (String-thru) for years which fit perfectly. The taper winding starts for the E,A and D strings just over an inch beyond the nut. No taper on the G. Current set is approaching 4 years and they still sound great. Which is fortunate because D'Addario has stopped making this set! So like you I may need to break the rule and get a regular scale with full string width wound on some of the tuners. Oh well. I know in the past (I've owned this bass since 1979) I've used regular scales with no problems, like you report. Cheers and thanks.
Thanks for watching and sharing your experiences!
They stop doing those!!! I’m looking for a pair to never change it 😭😭
Thanks!
Thanks so much for your support!!
Thank you very much! These videos are very informative and very helpful especially for someone like me who just got interested in the electric bass guitar and is clueless about the instrument. Excellent work, thanks!
Thanks so much for the encouragement!
Thank you good sir. Glad I came across your videos, especially this fine installment. You are an incredibly engaging and informative poster. I recently purchased the exact Hofner model as you showcase and have been looking at strings to replace the roundwounds that are included from the factory. Though I have been looking at short scale flatwound strings, I would have quite possibly purchased the wrong set had it not been for this video.
You're so kind! Thank you! I like the tone I'm getting with the Labella Beatle flats on my Club palm muted with a pick, but I'm not totally sold on the finger sound (slightly boring, lacking in character). I'm sure the search will continue at some point!
Thanks so much for watching!
I have an Ibanez Mikro and it does not look like the picture you found. The strings have a taper and it is where it's supposed to be. Good video!
That's really interesting! Maybe Ibanez used a different brand of strings on a different iteration?
Thanks for watching!
You have no idea how useful this video just so happened to be for me. I happened to buy a used contemporary hofner on reverb and the strings it came with were just some random roundwounds. Didn't think anything of it until I barely tuned the low e slightly sharp and the thing snapped and unraveled. At the end of the day, I'm not happy at the news of having to spend 50 bucks on beatle strings, but you did me solid.
Man….I’m sorry to hear about your new Hofner. The Hofner tuner is really due for a redesign. It really limits what strings you can put on them.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much, all your videos are so interesting and helpful.
I very much appreciate the encouragement! Thanks for watching!
As a newbie bass player, but a long time guitarist, thank you so much for a very informative video.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Wow! You really did some work on this! How is it possible that you have done all the work that guitar manufacturers should have done? Thanks so much, new subscriber.
Thanks so much for your support and encouragement! Just experience I gained from journeying through string usage. Sharing with the world!
I found the most comfortable and best sounding strings for my short scale basses is the D’Addario Chrome XL flat wounds.
For a mass produced string, D’Addario certainly has quality control perfected! Thanks for watching!
I put flats on most of my basses and for me the Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats are the best. On my standard scale basses, JF344s are fantastic. I have two Sandberg shortscales, both are 30” scale. I put JF324s on both and they also work great, even tho they are technically 32” strings.
Love TI flats. I use the JF344 set on many of my short scales!
Thanks for watching!
@ Try the JF324s on the shorties!
I have! The 324 set has a 106 E string, and I preferred the 100 from the 344 set. The other string gauges are the same.
@@jonathanwong458music Good point!
I have an Ibanez GSRM20B MiKro short scale bass and have found that the D'Addario XL Flat Wound Chrome strings (ECB81S) fit perfectly. As far as winding the string past the step or taper is probably more of a problem with basses using the Gotoh style tuning machings as the winding posts are I believe a smaller diameter than the standard Fender style tuning machines,
Re post diameter. I think you’re absolutely correct. The smaller posts will put more stress on the outer wrap. D’Addarios in general, have always been pretty reliable for me!
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience with us!
Hey Jonathan, first of all thank you for this particular video, as it helped me somewhat. However I wanted to make you aware of a slight flaw in your measurements during the video. I build custom ergonomic bodies, and I am currently building one to fit an Ibanez Mikro neck. When you measure for the 28.5 scale neck in the video, you hold the eye of the string at a drilled hole between the 28.5 and the 30 inch marks, and then mention that the string length at that point would hit the machine head peg before the taper of the string begins. That's the flaw. I measured my Mikro and found that the measurement from where the string enters the bridge plate to the nut is a full 30 inches: Not the 29.5 I estimate the hole to be drilled at. If you had held the eye of the string just over your 30 inch line, THAT is where the eye of the string would actually be entering the bridge plate on the Mikro, likely providing enough string length for the taper to arrive properly at the machine pegs (which are 32 and 32.5 inches from that bend in the bridge plate). Now to find the tapewounds I want to use for my creation! Check out my videos if you might be interested in my innovative body designs. You did a great job on the video, and yours is the only one I could find that gave me any assistance at all in gathering some very needed information. I thank you! Gregg
Hello! Thank you for the feedback and pointing that out.
Unfortunately, finding more specialty strings in that scale length is rather difficult. Good luck with your builds!
Ernie Ball just came out with a set of cobalt flats for 30" scale bass. The gauges run 50 to 110 which yield pretty much the same tension on a short scale as 45 to 105s yield on a long scale. They sound similar to D'Addario Chromes with that bright zing. They are a little gritty and I can feel the difference when I play with a pick. So what I do is take some 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper and sand the area where I use the pick, smooths them out nicely and doesn't affect the sound. Hope this helps fellow shorty low enders.
Sanding some of the finish off with super fine sand paper is such a clever idea! I too, generally find cobalts a bit in the sticky side. Do you get corrosion or rust-like build up?
Thx for watching and sharing your experiences!
@@jonathanwong458music So far no issues with corrosion or rust. I use 2000 grit wet/dry which is pretty high grit, usually used for wet sanding finishes before buffing. All it really does it knock down the roughness. it only takes about 10 to 15 seconds per string. The first time I did it, the strings where still on the bass (I put a paper towel between the strings and the bass itself to keep the residue from getting on the bass. I then clean the sanded area with window cleaner and a paper towel. Keep up the good work.
That’s awesome. Thanks!
Super comprehensive video Jon! great job!
Thanks so much Ted!
Thanks for the input! I was laughing when I seen the JMJ bass example. My only bass string I busted winding was on my JMJ low E string. The funny thing it had exposed the inner string after the 3rd set up and tune.
Oh man! I was very surprised that Fender doesn’t make a flatwound that properly fits their string through Mustangs…
Thanks for watching!
Another highly informative video Jonathan! Think I'm going to order the La Bella flats for my Squier Mustang - Thanks again
Awesome! Labella is pretty clear on their website about which strings fit what and when to not use certain strings. I really like that degree of openness. Many companies unfortunately don't publish their string wound lengths or provide guides or recommendations, which leaves the buyer (experienced or not) with a bit of a 'gamble & roll the dice' type scenario. And good strings aren't cheap!
Thanks for watching!
I have been looking for this exact info. I have a Bronco bass that I want to put flats on. Im a guitarist and flats are way more expensive than strings I am used to. This takes out all the guess work. Im going to get some short scale Chromes and give it a go. Thanks again.
Thanks for watching! The bronco is 30” top load only, so the XL chromes short scale should fit perfectly!
As an aside, I’m currently doing a series on modding a sonic bronco, piece by piece, and later on, I hope to demo different strings on it!
Thanks for the info about the Hofner Beatle bass . I have bought one and was buying a wrong set of strings, and instead I have bought the Labella Beatles short scale strings as you recommanded in your vidéo.Thanks
Right on! The Hofner tuners are a pain, unfortunately. Thanks for watching!
rotosound RS 77M jazz bass strings will fit Hofners properly. They're flatwound medium scale standard gauge (40-50-75-90 ).I used them for 40 years before
switching to the more expensive Labellas
That’s so great to know! Thanks for sharing and for watching!
Newtone Strings (UK) for custom length rounds.
Pyramid Strings (Germany) for custom length flats and tapes.
Cool suggestions! Those brands are not very popular around here (Winnipeg Canada). Pyramids can be ordered from a few online retailers but I’ve never tried their custom lengths yet. Hopefully soon!
Thanks for the suggestions and for watching!
Hofner German reissues are strung with Pyramid flats...beautiful woody tone.
@@joycerichardson1810 Awesome! Thanks for sharing the info! I'll have to check them out.
Knowing that Fender used long scale on the JMJ, I tried them on the Mustang through-body. No issues (I replicated stock string length when cutting). I also had a conundrum with my Guild Starfire 1 bass, which is a 30.75” scale. I thought it would be medium scale like the Mustang, but I had to remove some of the silk from the E and A strings on the Jim Dunlop medium scale flats because the Guild bass has an asymmetrical tailpiece and the silks of the E and A went over the nut slightly. In the future, I’ll probably have to go to long scale flats in the future. Another unique thing about the Guild Starfire 1 is that the headstock tuners aren’t in a row like Fender, but 2 per side, so the A and G strings are 2.5” longer than the E and D strings… The Dunlops are expensive, but you might love them on the string-through body Mustang because they sound great and are lower tension than LaBella.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences! That knowledge may help a lot of through-body mustang players.
Re the guild's asymmetrical tailpiece. Oh man! Using the long scales on the higher strings is likely less of an issue due to the thinner wraps. Best case scenario is assembling a custom set with individual strings, but that can get pretty expensive very quickly.
Thanks for watching and sharing!
Thank you for making this incredible video! I wish I had seen it three years ago before all my re- stringing false starts.
I have owned ten short-scale basses, including pretty much every 28.6 on the market. I prefer flatwounds and put flatwounds on every single one, though recently I did put a set of D'Addario short-scale nylon tape wounds on my Jackson Minion and it sounds incredible (so Motown). So here's the skinny on flatwounds because I have used four different kinds.
First of all, DR short-scales do not work on a 28.6 because DRs are 33.5 inches from the bridge end to the silk, which is too long. For a 28.6, length to silk cannot exceed 32 inches. The DRs will probably work on a 30 inch, however. Sadly, Ibanez does not make a set of miKro flats.
Here are the short-scale flats that I have used, all of which fit a 28.6 perfectly:
GHS
D'Addario
LaBella
Dunlop
My favorite are the Dunlops because of how they feel, though I would characterize the D'Addarios as the brightest. LaBellas I found to be too dull, with GHS somewhere in the middle. If you have a five-string 28.6, such as in the Ibanez GSRM with five strings, I found the best five-string set to be the Dunlops. I found that LaBella five set B string to be so floppy that I could not even get a sound out of it. The same discussion may not hold for a 30-inch short scale.
My favorite place to read about strings is on the Fret Nation website.
That’s awesome and helpful info! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!
Just found your channel, Jonathan. I am a new subscriber. All of my basses are short scale except one, which is the 32 scale Ibanez Mezzo. I have flats and tapes on all of my basses. RotoSound tru bass RS88M are medium scale tape wounds that will fit the Hofner Beatle bass and the Club bass. RotoSound jazz bass 77 RS77S are flat wound strings that will fit the Ibanez Mikro and the Squier Mini basses.
My next short scale bass will be the Ibanez EHB1000S, which is headless. Apparently it doesn't matter what scale of strings that you put on it, because you will be cutting them off after you put them in the "Ibanez custom head piece".
Thanks so much for watching, subscribing and sharing your experiences! Much appreciated! I have been wanting to try that Ibanez in a 5 string. None available locally, unfortunately.
Great detailed video!! Thanks
Thanks so much for watching and for the encouragement!
Boy did i need this video. so professionally presented. I'm a jazz guitar player that just got into bass guitar. I'm also intrigued with lead bass. I just got great deals on a Jackson minion bass and a Gretsch g2220. I have Labella Jazz tapes (Guitar strings) on order for the Jackson. That will become my lead bass experiment. I'm shopping for flatwound strings for the Gretsch. I like D'Adario Chromes on my guitars so I'm leaning in that direction. Any recommendations? Thanks again for a great video. I learned a lot.
Thanks so much! For the Gretsch, here are two links that may be helpful:
th-cam.com/video/yZibmu9dCE4/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/uCqfC09W0XY/w-d-xo.html
I have found the D'addario chromes for bass to be a bit on the tight/higher tension side and they seem to always have a brighter clank to them, even if you let them settle and deaden out. Which can be great if you want a newer school flat sound. They don't sound vintage Jamerson, though.
TI are really expensive and I've been using them for a long time. I am experimenting with GHS precision light flats too. Maybe a video to follow in a month or two.
Thanks for watching!
Great research Jonathan, thanks for the info! A bit off topic but you said you modified a fretted bass into a fretless. There are differing opinions on which method to use, which one did YOU use?
Thanks for watching!
Re defretting. I've defretted 2 different necks and used different methods. The first, I filled the slots with wood filler. Sanded smooth. Finished with polyurethane. The problem with that one, was that the wood filler shrunk a little and left little depressions in the fret slots. Not ideal.
The second time around, I used thin maple strips and put them in the slots. Sanded smooth. Polyurethane finish. This time, the rosewood fretboard shrunk ever so slightly more than the maple strips and left the maple strips higher than the fretboard. Even worse.
So I had a local luthier do it again but he lacquered it with a different technique (I didn't quite understand it...language barrier!) and it was significantly better. That was the Fender neck in this particular video.
Now I'm playing an unlined ebony board and that ended the process!
Harsh winters here with wide humidity and temperature swings, so other people's experiences will likely vary.
@@jonathanwong458music thanks for that. I live in the Okanagan and I can’t imagine what the dryer climate would do to a homemade job. The more I think about it, the mess and after-effects, the more I think that I’ll just buy a factory-built fretless lol.
Right on! Best of luck finding a great fretless you like!
Hi Dr. Wong, I'd like to know what your thoughts are on installing a string thru body bridge on a Squier Mini P. Would you go with a 30" scale string or something else ?
If you drilled through the body, you would need to add the thickness of the body to the string wound length. So the closest would be a ‘short scale’ set.
I have always preferred top load bridges in terms of feel. Some flatwounds also state that they shouldn’t be used on a string through (some Labellas come to mind).
But a string through on a 28.6” mini would potentially give you way more string options!
Thanks for watching!
I've just bought 2nd hand CV Mustang Bass, so I've found so much useful information on your channel, Jonathan. Appreciate it! And I've ordered Chromes 45-100, Dunlop 40-100, Dunlop 45-105 (all are flatwounds). Which of these strings do you prefer? Sometimes, for several songs I will drop the 4th string in D.
In the first sign, in compare with my Coolz Japan Jazz Bass, CVMB is lacking fullness, width of tone (however , I got CVMB with absolutely dead roundwound strings). I hope new strings will do it's job!
Thank you very much! Best regards.
Thanks for watching! the D'addario chromes are a pretty bright sounding flatwound, it's not really a thumpy/vintage tone to my ear. It's more of a smooth sound and there's still quite a lot of sustain. I haven't tried the Dunlop flats myself, but I love their super bright nickels. Those feel great!
If you're dropping the low string to D, you may benefit from the heavier set (the 105). It'll keep the E string from being too flabby and loose.
Good luck in the string hunt!
@@jonathanwong458music Thank you, Jonathan! +1 subscriber.
Did you try 32' scale basses?
Yes I have. I just uploaded a video on the Ibanez mezzo!
As a bass beginner, already decided on a Short Scale Bass, this is a very informative, well explained video on the 'reality' of short scale/medium scale string lengths that need to be considered in any restringing effort. On 2 of your videos directed at Gretsch Jet Junior Bass 'stringing' examples, it seemed the Thomastik Jazz Flat Wounds (JF344) had packaging labeled- Long Scale, how did you get them to work on your Gretsch? Sorry, keyed this mid-video, you answered later- I like them so much, I didn't care about 'the rules'. ;)
I use the long TI flats on several of my short scales. I didn’t like the short scale set as the gauges are different - 106 E string). If you top load them, which is my preference (vs. string through the body), I still had flat wraps around the tuning post, so there was really no real advantage to the short set for me. I’m sure the folks at thomastik are cursing me, but to date, I have not had any issues with stringing this way. And they sound and feel awesome. But $$$. No string or artist deals here!
Thanks for watching!!
TI JF324s work perfectly on my 30” Sandberg Lionel.
For short scale strings, I really like Stringjoy.
I've yet to give those a try. Thanks for the tip and for watching and commenting!
Nicely put together video! Back in the 60s my dad put together a kit bass (kinda a Hofner knockoff) which is *super* super short scale - I measured it at about 25"! Needless to say, finding strings for it is an endless struggle (I believe Fernandes used to make a set for their travel basses, but they're no longer in production). Do you have any ideas or suggestions as to what might fit?
Oh man! 25" is going to be a tough one to find off the shelf. I can see how this bass would have sentimental value, though. As finding strings for 28.6" is already difficult, my best suggestion would be to contact a company such as Labella (as they do and can make custom strings) and see whether they are able to make or modify an existing model for you. The bigger companies are likely so automated and economized that custom strings may not be possible.
Best of luck to you! And thanks for watching!
Hey really interesting video, I appreciate your effort! I was wondering at the end if the special light gauge laBella strings for the Club and Beatle Bass were less floppy than the TI strings? The gauge of the laBella strings seems pretty light to me and thus should be more lose right?
What experience did you have in the past with different string gauges on your SC-Basses? From my experience the low E usually misses some clarity and definition due to the shorter scale length and I've heard that you could compensate that with a heavier gauge. Would be interesting to hear your opinion on this :)
Keep up the good work!
Thanks so much for watching!
Re strings for Hofner. The gauges for the Labella for Hofner are numerically weird/different (96-77-56-39). But put head to head with the TI flats I had on my Club bass, they actually feel quite a bit stiffer. I think it's in the construction. I have never got on with the Deep Talkin flats on other basses but this set fit on my Club bass without me wrestling it through the tuner hole, so they get to stay. It did, however, bring out a dead spot, which was annoying. I have a separate video on how I mitigated that!
Re low E. To be honest, I haven't really struggled with weak E strings on my basses. I'm not sure why, otherwise I could provide suggestions. I think the setup has a lot to do with it. I did try the TI flat short scale set which had the 106 E string and I gotta say, I actually prefer the feel of the 100 E. I think it would be perfect with a 102 or 103, but I'm not a Thomastik artist!
I have a bunch of play-through type videos earlier on when I first started this TH-cam journey if you want to hear how the basses I typically use sound!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@jonathanwong458music Thanks for your detailed answer! Seems to be worth it keeping the LaBella strings in mind even if they brought out a dead spot on your bass.
I was also thinking about changing my setup to deal with the E string. But good to hear that you didn't have any issues on your basses!
The Labellas on the Hofner sounds more Hofner-esque, especially when played with a pick. It has a deeper, thumpier tone than the TIs. I have a recent video on a danelectro where I play the Hofner with Labella's as a comparison. Here's a link: th-cam.com/video/Osc6YMe48WY/w-d-xo.html
Hi Jonathan, I need your expert advice on strings for a Squire CV Mustang. I replaced the pickups with Nordstrand Mustang pickups. I also replaced the electronics with CTS pots and it’s fully shielded so nearly 100% silent. However, I’m not happy with the tone from my E string. I replaced the original strings with Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 45-105 strings. I’m trying to get as close to a P-Bass as possible. I’m very happy with the tone from the lighter A, D, G strings. The E string sounds muddy and less clear. Is there a string brand, series, and gauge that you know of that you have found to have pleasant tones across the range? I’m not interested in the “Thump” sound so not looking for flats. Thanks in advance
That's a great question! And one that I have struggled with myself! Here are my thoughts:
i) The usual teaching is that heavier gauge strings give you more bass and lows and less of a 'wirey' type tone. On the other end, light gauge strings give you more 'zing' and 'wirey-ness' and less pronounced bass response. What I've found in short scale basses, however, is that the heavier gauges (at standard pitch) can often mess with the overtones produced.
ii) Specific to the Squier CV Mustang, the example I had in the studio (that I used to film a few videos) had a very 'chorus-y' and phasey sounding E string. This was even more apparent when you fret an A and compare it with the open A string next door. Sounded like a different instrument. I have also found this to be true of other short scale basses (not all).
iii) My hypothesis - E strings heavier than 100 tend to produce this overwhelming low end that conflicts with the overtone structure of the instrument and you end up getting this chorus-like effect. Worse the higher up the neck you go. It also makes it more difficult to intonate accurately.
So in addition to not liking the feel, I've found that these basses seem to be happier with E strings of 100 or lighter.
I had a similar experience on my Fender Junior Jazz, stock with 105-45. I went down to Fender nickels 100-45 and it's much better. Feels better too.
*So before switching brands and materials (that's a whole other rabbit hole!), the first thing I'd try is to get a lighter gauge E string. If clarity in the E is what you're after, go lighter in gauge!
Please let me know how you make out with the experiment!
Having said all of that, the Mustang Bass design and dimensions, often gives a weaker sounding E string. I've played a few higher end, Japanese and US-made models where this was also true. Some examples are worse than others. So it seems to be a thing inherent in the design and dimensions.
@@jonathanwong458musicThanks Jonathan. Super Thanks sent just now
Ah ! Thanks man! I hope it works out for you!
Great all around productions, thank you! What size bass strings for 32 scale Squire jag?
Thanks for watching! If I’m not mistaken, those jaguars were top load only and not string through right? If so, you want ‘medium’ scale strings. (32” scale). The short scale sets will be too short.
@@jonathanwong458music Thanks, for your axe wisdom, grateful appreciation!
Right on! Good luck finding strings you like and enjoy!
love your content, thank you.
Thanks for watching and for the encouragement!
Darnit .. i was hoping youd tell me the exact string to use on my 24" scale martin 000cjr-10e to stop the crazy roll that these strings are having. Why isn't everything always perfect???
Hey, good video though thanks. Watched the whole vid.
Sorry, wish i could help out! But the really short acoustic style basses I have very little experience with.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Great info! 🌞
Thanks for watching!
Thanks, interesting video
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Good Info!
Hi! Thanks for watching!
So can I put Ernie Ball Short Scale Flatwounds on my Hofner Club Bass? They use the 32" scale, and you said that the Hofner is a 30", but really a 32" because of the tail piece. Thanks.
If they are marketed as a 32” scale, the length should be fine, however, the bigger concern is whether the string end will fit into the tuner hole. On my club bass, the tuner string hole is so small that most flatwounds won’t fit (too thick on the silk end) . That’s why I switched over to beatle bass specific labellas. I would check with Ernie ball before you buy!
@@jonathanwong458music Right, okay. Another question, I know that Hofners can only take so much pressure from the strings. What do you think is the max string gauge for a Hofner, specifically a Hofner Club Bass? I'm thinking of getting .050 .070 .085 .105. Thanks.
@@topps4213 Interesting, I have never heard of a legitimate case of the top of a Hofner bass caving in under string pressure (or the neck joint coming apart). That being said, I might shy away from heavy strings on a Hofner not so much because of the tension, but rather, the string spacing is rather narrow on the typical Hofner bass (~14mm spacing) so heavier strings may feel really close together. Might feel weird.
I'm thinking of getting a 5 string 27" scale bass (Valiant Mini Bass 5) but I'm afraid I won't be able to get any new strings for it 🤔
Yeah, you likely won't find 27" off the shelf, unfortunately. However....here's a link for a Form Factor Wombik 27" bass and the page states that it uses custom Labella strings. My best suggestion would be to contact Labella and maybe they can sell you, make or modify an existing model to suit your needs. I would be interested to hear that low B in such a short scale!
Thanks for watching!
www.ampshopbassexchange.com/product/woodcraft-wombik-4-special-edition-mini-scale-27-4-string-electric-bass-guitar/
Custom length strings:
Newtone (UK) strings for rounds.
Pyramid (Germany) for flats & tapes
@@1966Graham thanks for the info! I'll look into this :)
what is the difference between a round round and a flat round string?
Thanks for watching! Here is a link to a page that describes the difference:
www.sweetwater.com/insync/flatwound-vs-roundwound-bass-strings/
@@jonathanwong458music thx so much, ... just got my red one, too. Ur videos are good.
Just red the side. VERY good explained with audio examples. Fantastic.
Thanks!!
Gad, I hate dead spots on basses. I don't keep / buy a bass if it is inflicted. My Squier Bronco and Korean Rogue Violin basses are completely devoid of this scourge as is my all carbon Steinberger XL-2A. My Hofner has a few minor spots, but it's so thuddy, you don't really notice them a whole bunch. My 77 B.C. Rich Mockingbird has one, but it just sits in it's case waiting to be sold someday. I like GHS Pressurewounds for the 30" and 32" (Hofner and Rogue).
Yeah man, dead spots drive me nuts too. I made a video on reducing dead spots on my Hofner Club. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video man 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thanks for watching! Hope it was useful!
I'm about to buy my first short scale bass (Harley Benton PB-Shorty for lefty), but there aren't short scale strings available in my country so I'm a little scared in the long term that I can't find strings that fit, would it be too bad if I just use a regular "mainstream" string type? like for example an Ernie Ball or Daddario Regular (50-105) or Hybrid (45-100)?
You can try long scales, as I described at towards the end of this video, that’s what I do. The risk you run is that you snap the core or the windings. The stock strings on the Harley Bentons are passable. Where are you located? Does Amazon deliver to your country? Thomann should be able to deliver you some strings?
@@jonathanwong458music I noticed you did, so I guess I should take the risk when the bass arrives, who knows I guess it works fine, I decided to switch to short scale basses due shoulder pain mostly
I'm from Chile and Amazon does deliver to my country but it is too expensive and not every item can be sent so what I can buy there is more limited (I think in 2024 they will establish a center here so I guess that is a future possibility) and no chance from Thomann, it is way too far and it would be way too expensive between shipping and taxes as there are no branches of Thomann in latin america (AFAIK)
I forgot to mention that I only use roundwound strings, I like flats but they don't cut well in a mix for the music that I play (alternative, punk, metal, shoegaze, grunge, etc)
Thanks for watching all the way from Chile! I have used the D’addario XL long scale 100-45 for sure on a short scale and they seemed ok. Hopefully they will work for you too! Good luck!
Pour le trou de mécanique de mi, sur la hofner, il vaut mieux aller voir un luthier et le faire agrandir.
Oui, you could ream out the hole slightly. Might get into metal fatigue issues as the post around it is also small in a diameter. But it might work!
Thanks for watching!
My martin 000cjr-10e short scale bass is trash cause the nylon strings roll terribly and they say dont use steel strings .
Oh man! Sorry to hear about that….the Martin is a 24” scale? Super short. I can see how steel strings could tear it apart if it’s not braced for that kind of tension. I haven’t tried those yet. Are the strings like those on the Goldtone uke style basses? Fat rubber bands on those.
Thanks for watching. Unfortunately my video was more geared towards solid body short scales.
#92_helpFullAndFun_thanks🇺🇸🇮🇱✝️
Thanks for watching!
I put flats on most of my basses and for me the Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats are the best. On my standard scale basses, JF344s are fantastic. I have two Sandberg shortscales, both are 30” scale. I put JF324s on both and they also work great, even tho they are technically 32” strings.
Yeah! I love TI flats! I have them on several of my short scales too. Last a long time and feel great! Thanks for watching!
@@jonathanwong458music Totally! For those reading the comments, don’t be dissuaded by the cost of the strings. They literally last forever!
The set on my red Mustang have been on for almost 8 years!
@@pumpichank
Wiithout a doubt! Been on my Rickenbacker 4003 for ten years!