The Fender Mustang P/J I bought, and it seems many others that have shipped, have full scale strings on them. It sounds fine, they play fine, is there any reason I need to buy shortscale strings when I replace them?
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Is there any reason why you shouldn't use standard scale strings with a shortscale bass?
- Thread starter BusyFingers
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- scale shortscale standard strings
- Jul 28, 2006
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Majority of strings will break when the full size section wraps around the tuning post.
If they don't for you, great!
Usually the ones that don't are a very light gauge and round wound.
If they don't for you, great!
Usually the ones that don't are a very light gauge and round wound.
These are roundwound and they're 45-105, but it seems they didn't give the full wrap as mine have like 1 and a half wraps around.
I've seen others who have proper wraps, though, people shared pics in the Mustang P/J thread.
I suppose Fender ran out of, or had too much stock of standard strings and didn't bother with short scale strings on this run of basses.
- Jul 28, 2006
- 9,020
- 4,895
- 4,901
- Disclosures
- The Brains: FretNation.com
Stiffer flat wounds present the biggest risk of breaking an E string especially on a small diameter post. Round wounds on what appears to be sort of a medium diameter post shouldn't be any problem at all. Fender doesn't seem to think so either. From their website:
Being able to use 34" scale strings is a very good thing as it increases your options many times over. Only short scale basses I've ever had real issues with are Jerry Jones with those teeny guitar tuners and it can be a total pain in the butt. Fortunately GHS and D'addario make pretty usable non body-through 30" scale sets both round and flat.
Being able to use 34" scale strings is a very good thing as it increases your options many times over. Only short scale basses I've ever had real issues with are Jerry Jones with those teeny guitar tuners and it can be a total pain in the butt. Fortunately GHS and D'addario make pretty usable non body-through 30" scale sets both round and flat.
wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
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Ive had GHS Flat wounds on my MIM Jazz for over a year and the silk is wrapped around the E post so that there is bare metal of the string around to 7 o'clock as you look at it ....there is a bit of spread of the flat ribbon, but it works fine
And I dare say, good sir, it is you wearing the mask. Bandito!
Talk to me about that. This Mustang P/J plays great and sounds solid. How would lowering the tension or raising the tension on a shortscale affect tone and playability?
@BusyFingers I think it's still playable, it's only a few lbs. of tension. I don't have enough experience to comment on any tone difference, though. I imagine it would affect sustain a tiny bit
Um, @BusyFingers, @AngelCrusher has been here a tad longer than you. You have purloined his longtime avatar.
Go get your own!
AngelCrusher:
View attachment 1015672
Yours (BusyFingers):
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Ah, an unfortunate turn of events... My apologies to the offended parties. I merely did a google image search for bass picture and found this suitably-sized graphic.
Ok, you can now see the reflection of Talkbass.com off my pickguard. I tried to get my fingers to come across blurry, but it didn't quite come out. I assure you that I am keeping my fingers busy in bass practice.
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wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
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- 6,141
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- Endorsing Artist: Langstrom Carrot Farms
captain obvious swoops in to say: don't cut tapewounds short below their silks!
(it seemed like a good idea at the time...)
(it seemed like a good idea at the time...)
The tension should only depend on the string gauge/mass, vibrating length, and frequency. The string mass or length outside the vibrating part, behind the nut and bridge, doesn't change the tension.