When Did Fender Go String-Thru-Body?

[cytania]

Didn't Fender's always used to be strings through bent tin bridge? When did the USA Fenders come to have through body stringing?

[TRBboy]

My '97 US Jazz is through-body.

[chris_b]

The original Fender bass had through body stringing.

[Hobbayne]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1305956' date='Jul 16 2011, 04:28 PM']The original Fender bass had through body stringing.[/quote]


Yes, the original 1951 P bass came with through body stringing, but not until about 1995 did I see a USA P bass that had them again, that was the 50th anniversary model IIRC

Edited July 16, 2011 by Hobbayne

[Telebass]

1995, when the American Standard series was introduced.

Edited July 16, 2011 by Telebass

[hen barn]

Just got new deluxe jazz with the option??? What's best??

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Telebass' post='1305972' date='Jul 16 2011, 04:39 PM']1995, when the American Standard series was introduced.[/quote]

Interesting isn`t it, us Fender fans [u]must[/u] have thru-body stringing, to get sounds like JJ Burnell & Bruce Foxton. Who used Fenders without thru-body stringing.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Lozz196

[chris_b]

[quote name='hen barn' post='1342192' date='Aug 16 2011, 06:02 PM']....Just got new deluxe jazz with the option??? What's best??....[/quote]
Try both and tell us!

[TRBboy]

[quote name='hen barn' post='1342192' date='Aug 16 2011, 06:02 PM']Just got new deluxe jazz with the option??? What's best??[/quote]


Manufacturers generally say that string-through will give you more sustain, and top loaded will give more attack........ there can't be THAT much in it though, although I have always found top loaded basses to have a little more bite and attack. It's a little bit like bolt-on vs thru-neck.

[Pete Academy]

I think it's bollocks, just like a Badass bridge, and adds nothing to the sound, except maybe 1 millisecond more sustain.

Same with 'bolt on' vs 'thru neck'.

Edited August 16, 2011 by Pete Academy

[Mr Fudge]

The tension on my string through is far better than my top loaded Jazz. Same strings, gauge, set ups etc...
Infact my string through has a Badass III on and when first fitted I tried top loaded and it was a different bass in a bad way. So I went string through again after a few minutes and normal service was resumed.

I know there is no science to this, but I know how I like my bass to feel and I get that string through. Don't know if I would risk a future bass that wasn't string through.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1342396' date='Aug 16 2011, 08:47 PM']....I think it's bollocks, just like a Badass bridge, and adds nothing to the sound, except maybe 1 millisecond more sustain. Same with 'bolt on' vs 'thru neck'....[/quote]
Good grief!!

[Killerfridge]

There will be no perceivable difference between string-through body and top-loading, other than the placebo effect.

There will certainly be no difference in string tension, as the string tension is not affected by where the string goes after it has gone past the saddles.

[noelk27]

[quote name='Killerfridge' post='1342595' date='Aug 16 2011, 11:07 PM']There will be no perceivable difference between string-through body and top-loading, other than the placebo effect.

There will certainly be no difference in string tension, as the string tension is not affected by where the string goes after it has gone past the saddles.[/quote]
You're right, in that the amount of tension required to bring a given mass of string up to a given pitch is a known quantity and is not altered by the method of string anchoring, but there are other perceptible/measurable qualities, one of which is influenced by the break angle at the witness points, another of which is influenced by the total contact area - string to saddle/nut - at the witness point.

[chrismuzz]

With stringing through the body the string is less likely to be lengthened when playing, especially bending the string, which pulls excess string from past the bridge saddles. Because of this you are less likely to get floppy string syndrome, and of course you're less likely to experience fret buzz because of this. This would definately contribute to the sustain. There may be other differences too, but most would be subjective. That's the only difference I have really noticed from having a bass with both options and trying them both

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1342201' date='Aug 16 2011, 06:08 PM']Interesting isn`t it, us Fender fans [u]must[/u] have thru-body stringing, to get sounds like JJ Burnell & Bruce Foxton. Who used Fenders without thru-body stringing.[/quote]
Yeah. I've recently noticed that his famous "green" bass was not string thru.

I like string thru though, all of my Jazz and Precision basses have string thru. I think they have a stronger sound - or maybe its a psychological thing.

[Killerfridge]

[quote name='noelk27' post='1342605' date='Aug 17 2011, 12:29 AM']You're right, in that the amount of tension required to bring a given mass of string up to a given pitch is a known quantity and is not altered by the method of string anchoring, but there are other perceptible/measurable qualities, one of which is influenced by the break angle at the witness points, another of which is influenced by the total contact area - string to saddle/nut - at the witness point.[/quote]

Assuming your bridge is working correctly, the break angle would not be a problem, nor the total contact area be significantly changed.

[quote name='"chrismuzz"']With stringing through the body the string is less likely to be lengthened when playing, especially bending the string, which pulls excess string from past the bridge saddles. Because of this you are less likely to get floppy string syndrome, and of course you're less likely to experience fret buzz because of this. This would definately contribute to the sustain.[/quote]

Wha?

[Low End Bee]

I only go string through so the ferrules don't fall out. I've tried it both ways and it makes no difference I can hear. Looks cool from the back though.

I agree with Pete about the badass bridge (and I've got one on the spare Precision too). Again they look good though.

BBOT rules.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='Killerfridge' post='1342720' date='Aug 17 2011, 08:50 AM']Wha?[/quote]

Basidcally, while the break angle does not affect the tension, it does mean that it's much harder to pull the excess string from beyond the bridge saddles slightly while playing (which effectively increases the string length temporarily, causing the string to feel floppy)

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1342530' date='Aug 16 2011, 10:55 PM']Good grief!![/quote]

Sorry, but it's true. Does anyone really notice the difference, and does anyone care?

[Doddy]

[quote name='chrismuzz' post='1343624' date='Aug 17 2011, 08:22 PM']Basidcally, while the break angle does not affect the tension, it does mean that it's much harder to pull the excess string from beyond the bridge saddles slightly while playing (which effectively increases the string length temporarily, causing the string to feel floppy)[/quote]

Wha?

[chrismuzz]

I give up

I should stop trying to process information while I'm on nights!

[deepbass5]

In Reply to Pete, I put a Badass on my 77 P bass and it made a noticeable difference to the tone in a good way, and I would buy again. I am sure this effect varies greatly from bass to bass, but I think they would be out of business by now if customers thought they were a waste of time. Fender put them on the Highway more recently!! I’m sure string through may have the same effect by creating down force similar to the mass of a good heavy bridge.

I put string through ferrules on my Schacks to give me more string buying options, I also wanted to see if it made a difference in sound of my B & E string and can't say that it has, but they had good solid bridges anyway.

[Rick's Fine '52]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1342396' date='Aug 16 2011, 08:47 PM']I think it's bollocks, just like a Badass bridge, and adds nothing to the sound, except maybe 1 millisecond more sustain.

Same with 'bolt on' vs 'thru neck'.[/quote]

Absolutely, couldnt agree more.

Leo started with a string through, and changed to a top loading simple top bridge in 1957 (I've read that this was more to do with the cost of producing the ferrules, and routing, and the fact that a threaded 4 saddle bridge offered more precise intonation, and had nothing to do with sustain), Fender still sell most basses with an identical bridge, i guess if fender have sold the same bridge (Virtually), for 55 years, it must be pretty decent!

Badass bridges look horrible in my opinion, i certainly wouldnt even show a bass one of those, let alone actually fit it. I've played identical basses with and without them, and heard no difference.

Regarding someones comment on string-thru offering more sustain, this is true, my pre-57 basses have more sustain than my '58 & '59, as do my Tele basses, its marginal though, and nothing to analyse too much. Age of strings in my opinion influences sustain far more than anything else.

From my experience, most players i know have their basses poorly set up, people often dont tamper with bridges because they dont know what they are doing, if you take time to properly set up any bridge arrangement, it will make an improvement.

As for the comment about string angle etc, etc, i fell asleep halfway through that particular explanation. I think, from only a few months on this forum, that either i'm not geeky enough, or some people have too much time on their hands. Don't get me wrong, i love my basses, but plug a well set up Precision into a bassman amp, and thats all you need, it sounds like a bass should.

But then this Forum would be pretty sh*te if we all had the same opinion!!

[Killerfridge]

[quote name='deepbass5' post='1343792' date='Aug 17 2011, 10:47 PM']... but I think they would be out of business by now if customers thought they were a waste of time.[/quote]

No-one ever said that the customers thought they were a waste of time. Homeopathy has been proven to do nothing, yet it is still a multi-million pound industry.