JS Strings

[fronobulax]

I know this has been touched on but I seem to have used my search fu on other topics.

What are you stringing your JS with? Why? How long between changes? Part of the reason for asking the question is that not all sets of bass strings advertised as short scale actually will fit the JS (or any other Guild bass with a 2x2 headstock and the "harp" bridge).

My JS has a set of Rotosounds on it that spent 30+ years on the Starfire. I moved them over when Happy Face gave me a set of D'Addario's he didn't need and are now on the Starfire. I like the edge that even 30 year old rounds gives the Guild humbuckers. Previously the JS had a set of Guild flats that were also 30+ years old and probably contributed to the nondescript sound. I think I can grab specifics off the label later.

 

[Happy Face]

I've been using TI Jazz Flats 324s on my Darkstared JS. I like the sound of new strings but I limit myself to two sets a year.

Tried Jazz Rounds once and they sounded fine, but mainly use a Ricky when I want "that roundwound sound."

 

[jthrel]

I've been using TI Jazz Flats 324s on my Darkstared JS. I like the sound of new strings but I limit myself to two sets a year.

Jamie (Fronobulax): Thanks for starting this thread!

Although I have 40+ years of experience messing with 6/12 string guitars, I am in the process of acquiring my FIRST bass - a bee-you-tee-ful '73 JSBII (PICTURES TO COME) with guild humbuckers. I am pursuing Darkstar replacements PUs but that ain't happened yet. I appreciate in advance your collective wisdom regarding the best string choices for an optomized setup.

Happy Face: I am guessing that "TI" refers to Thomastik-Infeld strings.

I am partial to flat wounds on the few basses I have picked up over the years. The definition of string length for a "short scale" bass has extreme varition. What other brand/length/gauge combinations match well with the JSBII geography? Does the stock Guild humbucker -or- darkstar pickup make a difference in string choice?


I'm frankly surprised about the low frequency of string changes for bass guitars. Other than playing with clean hands and the odd string wipedown, what suggestions have you for maintaining bass strings over the millenia?

 

[Happy Face]

That's good news on the new bass jthrel! if that's the one that just sold on Ebay, it was a very nice deal. The strings you show are what I referred to. They fit well. A standard 30" short-scale string set will not fit. It's hit or miss with 34' strings. You end up trying to wind the fat part onto the E key and such.

To the others - what rounds have any of you tried? Those TI Jazz Rounds are hard to find and expensive if you do. Are there others that do not put a whole lot of tension on the old neck?

Thanks.

 

[gilded]

Gents,

My 'fave bass string ever' for the Guild Short scale is the Thomastik jazz flat 324 set. To me, they sound good for about a year.

I've had D'Addario round wounds and flats on short scale basses like the JS, Starfire Bass and even a Fender Mustang Bass (Rotosound, too, but that was a long time ago, I don't remember much about them except that they ate the heck out of the frets..). The TI Jazz flats sound great in comparison to the D'Addarios. I especially don't like the D'Addario flats for bass. Having said that, a lot of people do like them and not everybody likes the same strings.

I would always buy a medium (32" scale) set of strings for a JS or a Starfire Bass. Believe me on that one, frono-mon'

HH

 

[mikko]

I agree. Medium scale (32”) strings are of perfect length for a Starfire. I have tried D´Addario, Optima, TI and I´m currently using Pyramids (custom length). All flatwound strings.

 

[mgod]

TI Jazz rounds, short. Change never.

 

[dlenaghan]

DR Sunbeams, regular scale length, standard gauge. The warmth of rounds, the bite of flats, and the low tension that only a round core can bring. No intonation problems either, despite the rumors of the whole 'short scale bass, regular scale strings' thing that floats around the forums from time to time.

 

[fronobulax]

No intonation problems either, despite the rumors of the whole 'short scale bass, regular scale strings' thing that floats around the forums from time to time.

You must hang out in different places than I do. Since the pitch is based upon the distance from the nut to the bridge I don't see how the designed string length (outside of those points) should effect intonation at all unless the strings are not uniform for their entire length. What is the rumor and how do people who believe it explain it? Thanks.

P.S.

I saw the D'Addario package in passing last night and the strings I am happy with actually say Medium scale. I suppose I should just find the sleeve and quote it here...

 

[dlenaghan]

I've heard the whole 'don't use regular length strings on SS basses' thing on TalkBass.. but lots of people there (and pretty much everywhere else on the internets, and pretty much everywhere else in the world..) talk beyond their experience and would piss Wittgenstein right the hell off. (Whereof one does not know, thereof one cannot speak. Thanks, philosophy degree!)

But I know nothing of string manufacturing, though the 'thinking', as it were, goes like this: different scale lengths support varying string tensions and thus strings designed for one scale length might not suit a bass of a different scale length. People claim to have had issues; I have no way of knowing if their set up was properly done, or if there was another issue, or perhaps.. perhaps, perhaps, as the song goes.

All I know is such sayings did make me paranoid I'd wasted my money when I got my string package (several sets off eBay for a very good price and low shipping cost), but I string them up and have not had a single issue, making me think the point is moot.

Live and learn, I suppose. And don't believe everything you read in an online forum! ;-)

Oh, I'm on without a VPN right now - actually the first time I've been able to access LTG without one. I have no screenshots of my earlier difficulties, so I don't know what was preventing me, but I thought it might be a purposeful block because I know the BassesByLeo site that Ken Baker runs explicitly targets at least part of Asia, apparently because of spam or some such thing.

Fun fact: South Korea is one of the leading global producers of internet spam! Hooray for Internet Explorer 6 and blocking updates in order to perpetuate stolen Windows OS licenses! /rant

 

[fronobulax]

I understand enough physics to believe "medium scale strings are a problem on short scale basses" is BS unless there is difference in the manufacturing process, which I doubt. Thanks for reporting what is behind the rumors and I remain informed but unconvinced.

As for blocking - LTG only blocks sites associated with high SPAM output. So the first thing to do if you feel LTG is blocking you is to figure out what LTG thinks is your IP address and pass it on so Don can check it against the list. If your IP is not on the list then it is almost certainly true that problems connecting to LTG are not due to LTG.

 

[planetguy]

well, i'm not gonna say this will work for everyone but i have a a set of D'Addario XL220 long scale strings on my Starfire. they've worked out fine. i've been using these strings on my other 34" basses for yrs and LOVE 'em. nice and warm roundwound nickel w round core. nice and supple, great tone and being nickel they're kind on the the ol' fretwire. they're 40-95.

i haven't tried them on my SF yet but i'm also a huge fan of D'Addario Flat wounds Chromes. If and when i try a set of flats on the SF...that'll be what i go with.