Long scale strings required for Starfire 1 bass?

[hamsong]

Hello-

I'm new to this forum and new to Guild. I've had basses from everyone, including Rickenbacker, G&L, Fender, MusicMan, Kramer, Carvin, Squier, etc. I just got a Guild Starfire 1 bass and absolutely love it, but prefer flat wound strings. I did a lot of online review watching and was left without a definitive choice. It seemed like they require medium scale like the through-body Fender Mustang, which is also technically "short scale." My local dealer had the Dunlop flats 45/105 and the Daddario XL Chrome flats 45/100. From what I had read, medium scale required because of the long distance to the bridge. Long story short, the medium scale strings are slightly too long.

Looks like either I need long scale or I can figure out a way to remove the silk on the E and A strings?

Thanks in advance,
Brad

 

[lungimsam]

Welcome to the forum!!
Congrats on the bass!!
Just use a razor to cut back the silks. As long any string winding taper is on the headstock side of the nut, all is good!!!!

 

[hamsong]

Welcome to the forum!!
Congrats on the bass!!
Just use a razor to cut back the silks. As long any string winding taper is on the headstock side of the nut, all is good!!!!

Thanks. But for the future, are long scale strings recommended, or do some medium scale fit? I measured the scale at about 31" nut to bridge, but the A string is 39" from tuning peg to tailpiece ball end, not counting the winds on the tuner...

 

[lungimsam]

1. There's been talk in other thread. Limited info. May be correct or not. https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/guild-starfire-1-bass-tailpiece-change.216044/
2. You can measure from where the ball ends sit in your tailpiece to the nut and then look at manufacturers listed dimensions. Some list it, like DR strings, and I think rotosound and maybe LaBella "ball ends to silks" measurement to see if they will fit. The challenge with the SF1 is the anglesd tailpiece which makes some lengths needed longer than others.

 

[hamsong]

1. There's been talk in other thread. Limited info. May be correct or not. https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/guild-starfire-1-bass-tailpiece-change.216044/
2. You can measure from where the ball ends sit in your tailpiece to the nut and then look at manufacturers listed dimensions. Some list it, like DR strings, and I think rotosound and maybe LaBella "ball ends to silks" measurement to see if they will fit. The challenge with the SF1 is the anglesd tailpiece which makes some lengths needed longer than others.

Thank you kindly. Yes, I've noticed that it's the angled tailpiece. My Mustang bass was the exact same scale, but medium scale strings worked because the strings went through the body rather than angled tailpiece. The Dunlop strings were really expensive as far as strings go, so I don't want to wreck them if possible. When you say razor, do you think I could just shave them down the 1cm required, or should I use an exacto, etc?

 

[hamsong]

1. There's been talk in other thread. Limited info. May be correct or not. https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/guild-starfire-1-bass-tailpiece-change.216044/
2. You can measure from where the ball ends sit in your tailpiece to the nut and then look at manufacturers listed dimensions. Some list it, like DR strings, and I think rotosound and maybe LaBella "ball ends to silks" measurement to see if they will fit. The challenge with the SF1 is the anglesd tailpiece which makes some lengths needed longer than others.

The tailpiece puts them in no mans land except for, apparently, the TI flats which are 35.5" despite being called "short scale." Longs will work but with extra wrap on the shorter strings. For the record, I did this with Fender long flats on my Mustang and they actually ship the Fender JMJ Mustang with Fender 9050 long scale flats wrapped like the attached photo. I didn't have any issues with the extra wrap, though the E and A string are very close together above the nut because of the 2 + 2 tuner configuration. Seems like no perfect solution although if I can successfully shave the Jim Dunlop mediums a few mm that I might be ok.

 

[lungimsam]

Yes just use a razor blade or exacto and cut the silks off that are laying on the nut. Only the silks on the nut. It won’t hurt the strings any. Then post a pic so we can be sure there is no winding taper section over the nut. Looks like there will not be.
BTW, if you ever had string silks lay under that Fender string tree like in your Mustang pic, you will know that stripping the silks off won’t hurt anything. My Pbass string tree would rip off the silks if I loosened the strings and then retuned. Strings were fine though. Just the silks got stripped off.

 

[hamsong]

Yes just use a razor blade or exacto and cut the silks off that are laying on the nut. Only the silks on the nut. It won’t hurt the strings any. Then post a pic so we can be sure there is no winding taper section over the nut. Looks like there will not be.
BTW, if you ever had string silks lay under that Fender string tree like in your Mustang pic, you will know that stripping the silks off won’t hurt anything. My Pbass string tree would rip off the silks if I loosened the strings and then retuned. Strings were fine though. Just the silks got stripped off.

I believe the operation was successful and that the patient will live. I did a little too much on the E string, but I shaved a bit off the E and A string, cut the extra and gave it a quick touch with a match to prevent fraying. If I ever replace these Dunlops, I'll switch the the long scale D'Addario Chromes.

 

[lungimsam]

Glad it worked out! Enjoy!

 

[hamsong]

Glad it worked out! Enjoy!

Thanks for the guidance. Love the feel and sound of the Dunlop flats. I probably wouldn't have attempted the "shaving" otherwise...

 

[lungimsam]

Do the Dunlops sound bright and clear or mellow and warm? I’ve never tried them before.

 

[hamsong]

Do the Dunlops sound bright and clear or mellow and warm? I’ve never tried them before.

I love them. The bass feels exactly like I wanted it to feel as I sometimes play chords and slide and with rounds, there is too much finger noise. Other than many years ago, my flatwound experience is mostly with LaBella flats and Fender 9050 light and medium lights, and with those, only on the Mustang. I'd say the Dunlops are my favorite so far, sounding more like the Fender strings but with less tension. The LaBellas were the thumpiest, but prone to sounding a little muddy to my ear. I got them first for the Mustang because they were recommended to me. I found the Fender 9050 flats to be more to my liking than the LaBellas, with slightly less tension and a little more of that round wound bite. I'd say that so far, the Dunlops are a tad more present and warm than the Fenders, but my only experience with flats is all on short scale basses (Mustang and Starfire 1), so the Guild is definitely much warmer and midrange-y than the Fender, which is a huge reason I switched to it, in addition to falling in love with how it looks in Pelham Blue with the rosewood neck and white binding on body and neck for only $660. The Dunlop flats are the identical gauge to the stock D'Addario rounds that Guild ships with (45/65/85/105), so I figured it was also a perfect fit for the way the nut is cut. If these ever need replacing, I was thinking about the D'Addario Chrome XL flats, but those are 45/100...