Bronco bass

[jimbaby]

Hi
I have a Bronco bass with what I suspect is the original strings, quite light gauge. What I need to know is, do I need to buy short scale strings?.
I also have a fretless jazz with flatwounds which I love the feel of, what effect would re-stringing with flatwounds have on the Bronco?
Also I can remember a modified Bronco for sale a while back on here, would like to find out what bridge, pickups etc. were used.
I really like this bass, the short scale suits me perfectly, I have full size basses as well but it always feels like home when I return to the Bronco, much more comfortable to me.
Regards
Jim

[Metal-Mariachi]

Labella, D’Adderio, RotoSound, Pyramid and TI make short scale flats.
Just Strings stocks most of them.
[url="http://search.store.yahoo.net/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=juststrings&query=short+scale+bass&.autodone=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.juststrings.com%2Fnsearch.html"]http://search.store.yahoo.net/cgi-bin/nsea...%2Fnsearch.html[/url]

They will give you a nice deep mellow sound.

The stock pickup is a guitar pickup, like the originals used.
There are a couple of people making 4 pole replacements. Some folks like the sound of rails.

MM

[jimbaby]

Hi
MM, thanks for the reply, just to clarify slightly, when I phoned my local music shop to ask for prices I was told I should use standard size strings, I knew short scale strings existed, hence my confusion.
Regards
Jim

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='jimbaby' post='686601' date='Dec 16 2009, 05:54 PM']Hi
MM, thanks for the reply, just to clarify slightly, when I phoned my local music shop to ask for prices I was told I should use standard size strings, I knew short scale strings existed, hence my confusion.
Regards
Jim[/quote]
Don't listen to them, you spoke to someone who makes things up if they don't know the answer. Flatwounds (Particularly the E string) [s]will[/s] are likely to snap at the tuner if you put 34" scale ones on. You are more likely to get away with it using roundwounds though.

The shortest TI Flats are 32". They work on a mustang because of the string-thru bridge, but as the bronco is toploading, TI JF 324s are too short.
LaBella short scale deep talkin flats should fit, but phone stringbusters (or whoever you buy from) first & check the length of the G - I've had some that weren't long enough & had to use a G from a long scale set.
Rotosound short scale jazz bass flats are likely to be the perfect length as long as you get a good set - however I haven't bought any rotos for years after getting consistently bad sets last time I wasted my money on them.

[Paul_C]

I've got a std. (not short scale) set of TI flats (used, so it didn't matter quite so much if they broke) on my Bronco and has been suggested, the E especially looks a little creaky where it wraps around the tuner, but it has held so far and they sound great

[WarPig]

After a few sets of Rotos, i found these Fender ones. Havnt changed brand since!
[url="http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0735250002"]http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0735250002[/url]

[Audiokostas]

In my short scales (a Landing L2 -although wears medium since it's string through - & a Dean XM) I 've been through Thomastik JF324, Daddario Chromes and GHS 3020. With that order of preference. None of them was bad or below par though.
I was thinking for Rotosound. But I am having a break from flats at the moment.

As for the issue of regular strings in short basses, JLP is absolutely right.

[jimbaby]

Hi
Thanks again to all for the replies, short scales it is, good to be able to get proper advice.
Regards
Jim

[firmo]

I've just bought sets of Thomastik JF324 and Daddario Chromes for my Epiphone Rivoli and Fender Musicmaster repectively. Got loads on this week/weekend but really looking forward to trying them out. I've never changed the strings on my Riv since I got it!