Stringing thru the body

[peteb]

I have a new bass that needs its first change of strings and has the option of stringing thru the body, but I never strung a bass in this way before. It has a low action and I prefer a tight feel to the strings. The bass is a Xotic XJ-1T 4 with a Hipshot A style bridge.

I'm sure that this has probably been discussed here before but can anyone tell me what are the pros and cons of stringing a bass in this way??

[Les]

Is there going to be a difference ?

[BigRedX]

It changes the compliance of the string because the break angle is different. TBH you need to try both ways and see which one you prefer.

[peteb]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1389049413' post='2329437']
Is there going to be a difference ?
[/quote]
Dunno - that's why I'm asking...
[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1389049634' post='2329442']
It changes the compliance of the string because the break angle is different. TBH you need to try both ways and see which one you prefer.
[/quote]
I'm minded to try it out to see what difference it makes but wonder how it it is likely to affect the compliance i.e. will it increase the tautness / 'perceived tension' of the string (I know that it won't change the actual tension by the scientific definition)?

[xilddx]

All you can do is try it. This subject has never really been resolved to my knowledge. Can you afford to f*** up a set of strings trying it is the only useful question

[Gazza 2905]

I tried thro' body stringing on one of my basses, a Lakland DJ4; and compared to my other, conventionally strung basses, I didn't notice much, if any difference.
Not saying there isn't any, it's just not very significant IMHO.

Like BigRedX says, give it a try, - see if you prefer it.

You might well need a longer set of strings too, by the way.

[ambient]

Don't think it makes any difference, I used to on a fender 5 string jazz that I owned, but that was only because the little metal cups on the back of the bass weren't fixed in properly and used to fall out if it wasn't strung through 😃

[BigRedX]

For me the main attraction with through body stringing (or at least a more acute string break angle than the standard bridge) is that it allows taper wound B and E strings which along with the sharper break angle feel better.

[Hutton]

Remember that if you're using flatwounds they don't like thru-body stringing.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Hutton

[KevB]

I have 3 thru-body strung Fenders and with at least one of them I did try conventional set up once when I changed strings but it didn't seem to make much of a difference to either feel or sound. I re-string them all thru-body now just out of habit, don't really think about it.

[xilddx]

If Fender told me that the through body stringing option was only added so you could replace a broken string very quickly without the need to cut it to length, I'd probably believe em.

[Lozz196]

I use the thru-body option purely so that the little thingys in the back don`t fall out, as they could if I strung through the bridge. They`re not likely to, but it`s possible, so thru stops it happening.

[chris_b]

I always thought Leo Fender had a solid reason for every design decision, especially when it came to the unit cost of each instrument.

He went to the trouble of putting through body stringing on his Fenders, Musicman and G and L basses, so he must have thought there was a difference that was worth the additional cost.

I've done both on my Lakland and I haven't noticed much of a difference.

[KevB]

It's sometimes nice when other musos see you putting your Fender back in the case and you flip it over and they see the ferruled holes in the back and give you that 'Ooh its a US model' look. Pure snobbery I know...

[Grangur]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1389095791' post='2329760']
Remember that if you're using flatwounds they don't like thru-body stringing.
[/quote]
I've always thought thru-body looks cool. Don't ask me why, I know it makes no sense. I bought a fretless that was strung through the body with flats. The sustain was pretty useless. I re-strung it with the same strings, using the bridge and the sustain is miles better.

[Grangur]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1389106932' post='2330047']
It's sometimes nice when other musos see you putting your Fender back in the case and you flip it over and they see the ferruled holes in the back and give you that 'Ooh its a US model' look. Pure snobbery I know...
[/quote].... or you've bought the ferrules and done a neat job.

[Geek99]

I don't think it makes a great deal of difference

The string only vibrates between nut and saddle but I suppose with the extra string length you're making the bass marginally heavier so there might be a tiny advantage there but who regularly plays notes that are long enough for this to matter ?

[dannybuoy]

Here's what a bunch of top luthiers think on the subject: http://btpub.boyd-printing.com/publication/?i=143796&p=97

[artisan]

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1389095791' post='2329760']
Remember that if you're using flatwounds they don't like thru-body stringing.
[/quote]
must say i have never had a problem with Ernie Ball flats strung through the body but Labella's certainly don't like it.

[BigRedX]

I think the problem with flats is more to do with the break angle than the fact it's through body. I'm sure if you could string through body at a shallow angle there wouldn't be any problem with them.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1389107834' post='2330071']
....but who regularly plays notes that are long enough for this to matter ?....
[/quote]

Me.

I don't think that through body stringing is going to aid sustain too much, but in some situations I need to play long notes, and hold them for 2-4 bars or more.

I need those notes to sound as good as they can be for a long as I need them.

[White Cloud]

This subject is contentious..I'm afraid it all depends on who you ask. For example top luthier Roger Sadowsky argues vociferously that through body stringing makes no difference whatsoever. Others disagree.

Suck it and see. I tried both, and although I actually liked thru body stringing I cant honestly tell you that it was better as such...or why I even liked it.

[Pinball]

Personally I have found that thru body stringing and thru neck construction makes little difference on basses. If there is a difference it is very marginal. I have noticed a marked difference in lead guitars though in terms of sustain-especially with thru neck. No idea why that should be but that is my experience.

[peteb]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1389106932' post='2330047']
It's sometimes nice when other musos see you putting your Fender back in the case and you flip it over and they see the ferruled holes in the back and give you that 'Ooh its a US model' look. Pure snobbery I know...
[/quote]
I've had four US Fenders in total over gawd knows how many years and only one could be strung thru the body. Except that I couldn't as I had put a decent bridge on it that removed that option...

[chrismuzz]

I've got 3 basses where you can string wither through the body or bridge only, it definitely makes a difference to the compliance of the strings, so they 'feel' tighter. I can't say for certain if it affects tone or sustain, bit I imagine it would have a positive (if negligible) effect since the string doesn't rattle around as much. You could probably get away with a lighter gauge and/or lower action this way with less fret Buzz.