mcgraham Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Does anyone have any recommendations of companies who are happy to do custom orders? They'd need to be a company that can make tapewound strings. Any feedback on companies to use or avoid are welcome! I ask because I'll likely need a custom set for the upcoming ACG build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I'd start by asking [url="http://www.newtonestrings.com/"]Newtone[/url]. All the strings I've had from them have been excellent. Reasonably local too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Cheers bud! They look like a good start. I don't see tapewound on offer on their website, but then I could/may try standard roundwounds on the new instrument to start, so they would be an ideal choice then. Keep the suggestions coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Just because they don't offer tape-wound strings on the web site doesn't mean that they can't do them. I've been using then since the days before on-line selling when ordering strings meant phoning them up to discuss your string requirements and then sending a cheque in the post... Admittedly apart from the non-standard scale lengths there wasn't unusual about the strings I wanted, but they were always able to deliver. Even if they can't sort you out they may well know someone who can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Sure. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 [quote name='mcgraham' post='1284113' date='Jun 27 2011, 02:08 PM']Does anyone have any recommendations of companies who are happy to do custom orders? They'd need to be a company that can make tapewound strings. Any feedback on companies to use or avoid are welcome! I ask because I'll likely need a custom set for the upcoming ACG build.[/quote] I did indeed ask Newtone and they they would do it for me... so I am taking their Diamond series and gauges. I haven't ordered yet as I thought I would want more than one set..to not be a hassle to them..but I'd put in part order with you if it helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 JTUK, I don't think an order will be on the cards for close to a year. I just won't need them til the instrument is ready y'see. If you are cool to wait that long and there's any benefit to a group order then sure, but otherwise I wouldn't hold out for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 [quote name='mcgraham' post='1284993' date='Jun 28 2011, 09:51 AM']JTUK, I don't think an order will be on the cards for close to a year. I just won't need them til the instrument is ready y'see. If you are cool to wait that long and there's any benefit to a group order then sure, but otherwise I wouldn't hold out for me.[/quote] No problems..I will deffo try them as I like their ethos that comes across. The e-mail I got implied that no minimum order was required..and the cost for a 5 set was less than £30...so I was very impressed they'd do that for a custom tapered set. I will give them that order now and will post back here with how I get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jondeeman Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Strings And Things will do custom sets of Picato strings. They've done extra long sets in preferred gauges for me before. PM me if you want the contact details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I've got some newtones for drop C tuning on the way. Going on an ACG too! So I'll post here once I'm all hooked up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Cheers guys. Much obliged. Jondeeman, that sounds great and I may look into that for my normal basses in future... unfortunately for this project I need [i]totally [/i]custom strings: 8 strings, fanned fret from 28.5" scale bass strings fanning through incrementally to 25.5" scale guitar strings, tuned EAD on the bass with tapewound, and ADGBE on the guitar side with nickel plated steel roundwounds... Can't quite pop into my local music store to ask them to make up a suitable set let alone buy them as a pre-made set... 'oh you're after strings for a fanned fret 8 string bass and guitar hybrid? tapewound bass y'say? let's have a look see... ah yes here we go, would you prefer the light gauge or medium gauge? d'addario have got a 3 sets for the price of 2 offer on if you're interested?' Somehow... I can't [i]quite [/i]see that happening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Sounds monstrous. Gonna wana hear some clips of that. Do you have seperate outputs? Sorry for the derail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 No worries. Yes - it will have two separate pickup systems, two separate electronics systems and two separate outputs. However I'm going to have a stereo-to-mono switch put in so that, should I desire, both pickup/electronic sides can be sent to the same jack. I'm thinking it would be cool to have a 3 position switch: centre is standard stereo to have that bass/guitar separation; left position is both pickup systems through the bass output (and the P-retro so as to effect all the strings) to make it an ERB; and right position is both pickup systems (and P-retro for the bass side only) through the guitar output to make it an ERG. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=142430"]Build thread here...[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 [quote name='mcgraham' post='1285119' date='Jun 28 2011, 11:41 AM']Unfortunately for this project I need [i]totally [/i]custom strings: 8 strings, fanned fret from 28.5" scale bass strings fanning through incrementally to 25.5" scale guitar strings, tuned EAD on the bass with tapewound, and ADGBE on the guitar side with nickel plated steel roundwounds...[/quote] Just out of interest, what sort of gauge are you looking at for the bass side of things? At that scale length, they'll have to be pretty heavy to come to pitch without flapping about like noodles, surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 What's wrong with noodles? Are you a noodlist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 [quote name='charic' post='1285145' date='Jun 28 2011, 12:02 PM']What's wrong with noodles? Are you a noodlist?[/quote] I'm allergic to wheat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Probably 0.105? There's a number of factors going into play here. If you downtune a standard 34" scale to C#, the third fret would be about 28.5" scale and so the tension along the length of the string would be the same as what you'd expect on the 28.5" scale length. Now, although that string could seem quite floppy when plugging away on the open C# at 34", imagine that the string was securely clamped at the 3rd fret, i.e. put a nut at the third fret. The amount of absolute 'side-to-side' give of the string will therefore be reduced (relative to the full length of the string) in response to a pluck of a given energy. So actually its not going to [i]feel [/i]as bad as it might initially seem. Also, an easy way to increase the absolute tension is to increase the string gauge. Obviously its not going to sound exactly the same as a standard bass, but Hunter's bass sound on the Novax guitars is stupendous, so I have no worries about it sounding good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 [quote name='mcgraham' post='1285150' date='Jun 28 2011, 12:05 PM']Probably 0.105? There's a number of factors going into play here. If you downtune a standard 34" scale to C#, the third fret would be about 28.5" scale and so the tension along the length of the string would be the same as what you'd expect on the 28.5" scale length. Now, although that string could seem quite floppy when plugging away on the open C# at 34", imagine that the string was securely clamped at the 3rd fret, i.e. put a nut at the third fret. The amount of absolute 'side-to-side' give of the string will therefore be reduced (relative to the full length of the string) in response to a pluck of a given energy. So actually its not going to [i]feel [/i]as bad as it might initially seem. Also, an easy way to increase the absolute tension is to increase the string gauge. Obviously its not going to sound exactly the same as a standard bass, but Hunter's bass sound on the Novax guitars is stupendous, so I have no worries about it sounding good.[/quote] Ah, good man; you remind me of me. I have spreadsheets full of tension calculations for various scale lengths, gauges and tunings. I'm [b]really[/b] looking forward to hearing this beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='1285162' date='Jun 28 2011, 12:21 PM']Ah, good man; you remind me of me. I have spreadsheets full of tension calculations for various scale lengths, gauges and tunings.[/quote]I'm not [i]that[/i] OCD *flicks light switch on and off 5 times* [quote]I'm [b]really[/b] looking forward to hearing this beast.[/quote]Glad I'm not the only one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizbat Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I can thoroughly recommend newtone strings, since I've had my shukers, I've tried a whole bunch of ideas with strings and they've been fantastic, now that I,m pretty settled on my guages and construction they have my specs on file and all I have to do is call up and say how many sets and they take care of the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 Just spoke with Newtone strings today. Very helpful! They suggested increasing the core diameter on the bass strings to allow the string to remain roughly the same diameter as the sets I'd use on a 34" scale bass AND have more or less the same tension. Probably going for something like E - 0.100 A - 0.080 D - 0.060 a - 0.038 d - 0.028 g - 0.017 b - 0.013 e - 0.010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1309180561' post='1284124'] I'd start by asking [url="http://www.newtonestrings.com/"]Newtone[/url]. All the strings I've had from them have been excellent. Reasonably local too. [/quote] Agree..whole-heartedly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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