Short scale string advice

[Swills]

Chatters! 
 

I’ve just picked up a lovely Sandberg Florence short scale bass. I have a question about string gauge. They come with 40-100 which for me is too light for a standard scale bass. 
 

Can anyone advise what string gauge I should go up to? I’m looking at flats if that makes a difference. 
 

TYIA

Matt

[three]

Personally, I'd go for TI Jazz Flats (JF324) - gauges are: 43, 56, 70 and 106.  Many find the string to have low tension/high compliance - this is something that I find attractive, though others may not.   

[fretmeister]

I like TI Flats on my Sandberg Lionel (Same scale and hardware as the Florence) but it is light. If 40-100 rounds are too light then I fear the ti flats would be too. They are slightly bigger gauges but they are also a lot more flexible.

 

I have 2 other shorties.

 

On one I have La Bella Deep Talking Flats at 45-105 and they suit it - they are quite stiff - by way of comparison, I would have the 39-96 on a long scale, so I have the 45-105 on a short. If you would have 45-105 La Bella flats on a long scale then you might need the 49-109

 

The other has 50-110 Dunlop roundwounds.

 

If you want some flexibility then La Bella do their own Low Tension flats. There's only one choice of gauge. They are quite a bit higher in tension than the TI Flats but not like the DTF ones. They sound quite similar to the DTF though - so a trad flat rather than the mid pushed ti flat sound.

 

La Bellas are a lot cheaper than Thomastik or Dunlop flats too - might find a used set to try in the classifieds.

 

Also - the Florence has big tuners so you don't have to use specific short scale strings even for flats, so pick whatever you can find cheapest. Bass Direct is often cheapest for La Bella, Amazon for Ti Flats, and Dunlops are just mad everywhere.