1960s Short Scale Bass Strings

[BetaFunk]

I have a few 1960s Short Scale British Basses. A couple have really skinny necks and i was wondering what gauge strings these would have had on them in the 60s and what would be the equivalent today?

I realise that a lot of this depended on what was available and what was the fashion at the time but (i presume) a lot of the basses of that era were made for guitarists who converted to bass playing were the strings lighter gauge than most players prefer nowadays?

Edited May 25, 2013 by BetaFunk

[Musky]

In the early sixties guitarists were using strings with wound 3rds - seriously heavy! Some started using banjo strings for the top E, until you could finally buy sets that you could bend the top strings. After struggling with the strings available I would have thought playing bass might have come as a relief!

I think bass strings have remained the same guage really. Rotosounds were 105 standard guage from the off, and the La Bellas Jamerson used are still available (though some prefer a lighter guage - I don't know if they were available lighter in the sixties, or whether he just liked the heavier guage).

[TomRichards]

Actually Danelectro basses ad their own guage running 44-79. You can still get them from LaBella (flat wound set I believe 760 FD) or you can order D'Addario XL 155 (Jerry Jones set) for six string bass and only use the bottom 4. D'Addario six string bass sets for vintage run about $10 USD so not using high b and high e doesn't matter.

I am not sure what vintage British basses used but that is what you got in the US.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='TomRichards' timestamp='1369569522' post='2090473']
Actually Danelectro basses ad their own guage running 44-79. You can still get them from LaBella (flat wound set I believe 760 FD) or you can order D'Addario XL 155 (Jerry Jones set) for six string bass and only use the bottom 4. D'Addario six string bass sets for vintage run about $10 USD so not using high b and high e doesn't matter.

I am not sure what vintage British basses used but that is what you got in the US.
[/quote]
Thanks Musky & TomRichards for the info. I've just measured my VOX Bassmaster neck at the nut and it's 34mm and is really skinny. Great idea about the Jerry Jones set Tom and i think i'll check out the LaBellas first.

[molan]

Pretty sure Thomastik have some classic short scale strings as well.

I was helping sort strings at BassGear the other day and I remember seeing some 'specialist' short scale ones buried away in the new stock items

May have had some of the La Bellas as well but can't remember off the top of my head

[iiipopes]

Because most long-scale strings go "clunk" when on a short scale bass, something like the Fender 40-95 sets, which are similar to OEM on '60's Mustang basses, are a good set.

[casapete]

I've been using D'Addario EXL170S nickel sets on my Danelectro basses for years now with no problems.
They are gauges 45-65-85-100 which may seem a tad heavy but they work well with a good bright-ish tone, and the tension is ideal. Suitable for up to 32" scale instruments, so should be okay for you?

[pete.young]

Those horrible Rotosound black nylon tapewound things were quite popular as I recall.

[BetaFunk]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I have various strings now ordered so will report back on how my little strings experiment goes.