New to shortscales and have 3 questions about string tensions to use. Please help.

[Lungimsam]

1. Will the tension of a given stringset's guage (say - 50-105) used on a 34" scale bass feel the same on a shortscale, or will the tension feel higher because of the shortscale's 30" scale length?

 

2. Do I have to use shortscale strings, or can I just cut down my longscale strings and it'll be the same?

 

3. Can I go to an even higher tension set, or is there an established limit that is wise not to exceed on a shortscale for the sake of the neck?

 

Sorry for my newbie questions. Thanks for any advice you can give!

 

 

[Golem]

1. Will the tension of a given stringset's guage (say - 50-105) used on a 34" scale bass feel the same on a shortscale, or will the tension feel higher because of the shortscale's 30" scale length?

 

2. Do I have to use shortscale strings, or can I just cut down my longscale strings and it'll be the same?

 

3. Can I go to an even higher tension set, or is there an established limit that is wise not to exceed on a shortscale for the sake of the neck?

 

Sorry for my newbie questions. Thanks for any advice you can give!

 

1. The tension will generally feel LOWER for a given guage.

 

2. Although some players get away with it, cutting down a

long scale string to short scale is risky to the string

and invites other problems even if the string stays intact.

 

3. No problem. 30" necks have similar profiles to 34" necks

and thus they are more stout, less "willowy". You're main

challenge would be FINDING such a high tension set. String

choices are waaaaaay more limited in the 30" marketplace.

 

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1B. Guage [diameter] is not in itself a determinent of

tension. The illusionj that guage determines tension is

creatd when you experiment WITHIN a single style/model

of string. In such a narrow context, guage and tension

tend to increase together, offering 2 or 3 versions of

the same string design, for all us tweakers. However,

guage mainly influences MASS, and core strength mainly

influences tension, but of course they interact. So ...

a specifically designed 30" 105 E-string can have the

same tension as the "same model" of 34" 105 E-string,

if the maker uses a slightly stronger core wire. If the

core wire is the same as the long scale version, then

your 30" bass is bassically detuning the string by at

least two 1/2tones, thus the lower tension. It's like

went to your 34" bass and capo it at F#BEA, then detune

until that capoed bass is back to EADG [still capoed].

The F#BEA fret is a scale of about 30.7". Tune that

fret [with capo] to EADG and you're playing a shortie.

 

2B. Hopeful that string makers will make specific 30"

strings and not just shoter windings of 34" designs, I

do NOT cut down 34" strings. Other reasons not to cut

incluse possibly loosening the windings, and having

no skinny leader on the E-string so the main winding

wraps onto the peg, making tuning less stable and yet

further risking damage/loosening of the windings.

 

3B. There are some rare low-B 5-string 30" sets. If

you acquire one, and can accomodate CFBbEb tuning,

then you can enjoy some extra tension. If you have

a BEADG long scale 5-string, crank it up a 1/2tone

and you'll get an idea of the feel of that tension.

All my own 5-strings [34"/35"] are CFBbEbAb, but all

my 4-strings are DGCF .... including my shorties, so

I find the typical tension of a 30" bass is adequate.

 

 

 

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[Lungimsam]

Wow, thanks for all the awesome info! I guess I will see how the 45-105 set that the SG comes with feels. If I need higher tension, Juststrings.com has a LaBella FM-S 49-109 set. I like flats, so I'll definitely switch to that. But, being a differnet brand (as well as flats) with a different core, as you say, might take some trials to get what I am looking for.

[Golem]

`

 

Wow, thanks for all the awesome info! I guess I will see how the 45-105 set that the SG comes with feels. If I need higher tension, Juststrings.com has a LaBella FM-S 49-109 set. I like flats, so I'll definitely switch to that. But, being a differnet brand (as well as flats) with a different core, as you say, might take some trials to get what I am looking for.

 

I prefer flats. If I had just 2 or 3 basses, I'd have at

least 2, or maybe all 3, strung with flats. But I have

numerous basses [don't ask] with a variety of flats

and a few RW and 1/2RW strung up as well. Most

folk's string comparison experience is sequential

but mine is simultaneous, with all that variety all

strung up at once. So, even tho I have no scientific

measurements, I can say that in use, in an overall

broad seat-of-pants impresssion, I'd say that flats

seem to be a bit higher tension that RWs.

 

It's true that flats often have that few thousandths

of extra diameter, like the LaBellas you mention

with the 109 E-string instead of 105. But seat-of-

pants can't sense tiny dimensional differences,

but it does sense FEEL. Flats just seem stiffer.

Maybe thaz what they really ARE ? .... stiffer, but

not really higher tension .... just less flexible ?

 

Anywho, whether it's tension OR stiffness, or if

it's actually both combined .... flats feel like they

offer more resistance to my hands, and for my

habits [good or bad] that means they're easier

to play. I also prefer the tone of flats, plus they

have one more audible benefit that isn't actually

about tone: If you allow a little buzz, cuz you dig

low action or cuz you tune way down, FW "buzz"

is less "buzzy" than RW buzz, less intrusive and

less out-of-character to the voice of the bass. I

admit thaz a subjective take, but I'm still in the

seat-of-pants mode .... plenty of impressions

and casual observations but no real science.

 

 

 

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[MrNylon]

Hey Golem; Good job man. You covered that well. Better reading than on the D'Addario site.