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Viola bass


caskman

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HI just fitted D'Addario nylon flatwound short scale strings to my Viola bass, delighted with the sound but fitting required me to remove 2.5cm of the cotton wrapping at the nut end in order to fit the strings.

This was not ideal as it exposes the nylon wrapping around the strings.

The problem is the trapeze that holds the strings is too far back from the bridge meaning more of the string length is "lost" between the bridge and the trapeze.

I've been looking for a new trapeze with side arms 2.5cm longer than the Epiphone one, anyone else had this problem? and how did you go about fixing it?

By the way the nylon tapewound strings cant be bettered they are great on this bass.

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HI just fitted D'Addario nylon flatwound short scale strings to my Viola bass, delighted with the sound but fitting required me to remove 2.5cm of the cotton wrapping at the nut end in order to fit the strings.

This was not ideal as it exposes the nylon wrapping around the strings.

The problem is the trapeze that holds the strings is too far back from the bridge meaning more of the string length is "lost" between the bridge and the trapeze.

I've been looking for a new trapeze with side arms 2.5cm longer than the Epiphone one, anyone else had this problem? and how did you go about fixing it?

By the way the nylon tapewound strings cant be bettered they are great on this bass.

 

i think your problem is that you used short scale strings. easy fix. next time get long scale (or maybe medium scale). i'm not sure which would fit better but it will solve the issue.

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i think your problem is that you used short scale strings. easy fix. next time get long scale (or maybe medium scale). i'm not sure which would fit better but it will solve the issue.

 

 

 

Thanks for the reply LPS1976 but the Viola bass is a short scale bass (30.5" scale length), I did buy the correct strings as I have used them on my Ibanez 2354B (30") bass. The real problem is the trapeze fitting is a "small" trapeze and so far away from the bridge that some of the string length is "wasted".

My opinion on using 34" strings is no the string tensions would be all wrong on a short scale bass. I will modify the trapeze extending the arms moving the string retainer 2.5cm closer to the bridge then all will work as it should.

In truth I think Epiphone should look into this as all thats needed is a longer trapeze.

I do like Epiphone instruments and own a few.

 

EB0

EB3

EMB5

Viola

Strat all Epi.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I would definitely use the ETB92M (medium scale) on your Epi Viola. I use the La Bella 760NHBB (Beatle Bass) Nylons on the Hofner, because of the tuning pegs are designed for regular guitar size wrapping ends. If it weren't for that ETB92S, or ETB92M would be strung on the Hofner. I use ETB92 Nylons on whatever I can string them on. I like the tones, and playability of them.

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  • 2 months later...

Although the scale of the neck is "short scale"... due to the configuration of the trapeze tail end it is actually a "medium scale"... I purchased a set of Fender flats Medium Scale strings (by accident) & they fit fine... unlike the La Bella shortscale tape wounds I did purchase intentionally, which fit as you described.

(the Fenders sound pretty pretty good, too.

just FYI...

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  • 11 months later...

I'm back to playing SG Std. Basses with the Babicz Bridge. The ETB92M medium scale Nylons are a good fit on the 30.5" Gibson. I would venture a guess that the ETB92M Nylons may fit your Viola.

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  • 8 months later...

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