snipedoguk

Ernie Ball 2837 strings are described as Slinky Bass strings, not Baritone strings?

On 05/11/2020 at 15:07, Baloney Balderdash said:

Well, I have to break to you that you are wrong, in fact the Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Baritone string set is made specifically with Bass Vi type instruments in mind, despite having Baritone in their name, though a bit too short for the specific Fender model (because of the bridge positioning/how the strings are attached needing a bit longer string length), I think in specific these Ernie Ball strings are made for the Gretsch Jet one.

And as I mentioned the set that D'Addario make specifically to fit Fender Bass VI got a low E string that is just gauge .084, though I agree that would be way too thin and floppy for a low E, so not sure what the reasoning behind such a thin gauge for the low E is.

Most Bass VI string sets will feature a gauge .090 or .095 low E string (the Schecter Hellcat Bass VI in question is fitted with a gauge .090 low E string from factory), and in my opinion that is quite fitting for a low E on a 30" scale instrument.

Personally I have always used a set with a gauge .095 low E string for 30" scale short scale basses, and to me they always felt just right and never too floppy.

What most people doesn't realize is that even though the tension of the strings will be lower on a shorter scale instrument they will actually feel much stiffer, contrary to common believes, just think of guitars which usually will have much lower string tension than basses typically would, or how a wooden stick laid out between two points, kind of like a bridge, gets more flexible and will require less force to bend the further the two points are apart.

A gauge .105 for the low E string on a 30" scale instrument in my opinion would feel way too stiff (and be way too thick with the tight string spacing of a Bass VI type instrument), despite having lower tension than it would on a 34" scale bass.

On top of that comes that the way you would typically play a Bass VI type instrument compared to how you would typically play a bass doesn't require for the strings to be quite as rigid and stiff, in that a Bass VI type instrument in many ways, beside the lower tuning, and in in some cases a bit longer scale length (some baritone guitars will have a 30" scale length as well), actually have more in common with a baritone guitar than an actual bass in terms of how they are typically used and played.