Hagstrom bass

[Dem Jolie-blues]

So,  in an attempt to  fit flatwounds on a HB-8, I'm sort of thwarted  by the fact that the original  string set appears to be four bass strings, 34" scale, and four guitar strings,  really long ones !   All the flatwounds  I have purchased are bass strings and the ball ends won't sit in the guitar  sized  'ferrule's'.   Is this the correct  term for this item ?, and any pointers as to a place to  purchase  from ? In theory I could fit the larger size in an enlarged  orifice ( steady now !)

[BigRedX]

Talk to Newtone Strings about a suitable custom set.

[Dem Jolie-blues]

thanks BigRedX, already bought the strings, they weren't cheap as they were all singles, looking for ways and means now

[EliasMooseblaster]

I have run into a similar problem, despite being content to use rounds similar to the ones the bass came with. It seems the only way to get strings with suitable size ball-ends, in a single set, is to badger your local guitar shop to order some from Hagstrom directly. The shop I bought my HB-8 from didn't have much luck getting through to them, so in the end I bit the bullet and bought a D'Addario 8-string set (or they might have been Rotosound...it's been a while).

The ball-ends on the octave strings don't fit the ferrules, as you already know. I've just put up with them sitting proud. But in the long run, it probably wouldn't be a bad investment to widen the holes and fit some larger ferrules. Whatever that adjustment costs, I'm sure you'll make it back from the savings on buying pre-packed sets instead of custom combinations.