Ed_S Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Hi all, Not sure if this would be more at home in the 'repairs and technical' - mods please move if you feel it is - but I'm having an issue with finding the right strings for my Fender USA Standard Precision V and wondered if anyone can offer some advice? I want to be able to string through the body, but am finding that: a] this limits the brands I'm able to select from as some aren't long enough to get over the nut at full width when bought as a long scale set, but are still at full width beyond the peg when bought as extra long and b] the B string (.130) is bent at pretty much a right-angle over the saddle, and the saddle itself is at quite an unnatural angle: Excuse the dust! The setup pictured was done by Jon Shuker when I took the bass to have the nut replaced and whilst it played fine for a while, the B string is now sounding dead long before its expected expiry date (less than 10 hours of playing at home) and even if that's got nothing at all to do with the setup and it's just a duff string, if I'm going to buy it a new set I'd prefer to sort this out at the same time. So, I'm looking for a set of (or the ability to buy 4 plus the single 5th string to construct a set of) NPS round-wound strings in 45,65,80,100,130 gauges with a taper-wound B string which from the front face of the ball-end (not counting the ball end itself) to the start of the taper is at least 5.5cm to get over the saddle, and then carries on at full thickness for about another 88cm to get over the nut before starting to reduce back down to get round the peg. I know it's a long shot, but does anyone know of anything that fits the description? I've sent a couple of emails out to manufacturers but so far nobody's replied. Many thanks in advance, Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Can't name many from the top of my head but there are plenty of sets out there with a taperwound B - check out the Fender 82505M (although these have a tapered E as well): http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/p/912338/fender-super-bass-82505m-nickel-plated-steel-bass-guitar-strings-45-130-long-scale-5-string/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 And these Dunlop's could fit the bill, only a .125 B here but they do a .130 in their other sets so they might make them tapered in that size too: http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/p/919536/jim-dunlop-5-string-nickel-plated-45-125-medium-tapered-b-string-long-scale-bass-guitar-strings/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 La Bella Steels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1391256783' post='2355007'] Can't name many from the top of my head but there are plenty of sets out there with a taperwound B - check out the Fender 82505M (although these have a tapered E as well): http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/p/912338/fender-super-bass-82505m-nickel-plated-steel-bass-guitar-strings-45-130-long-scale-5-string/ [/quote] These are the strings that come on the P5 stock by the way, as seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THITANX322E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 Cheers for the suggestions, guys. I'd not actually considered Fender strings given that they're the first thing I've taken off every Fender I've ever bought. That said, chances are that what rolls out of the factory might not be the same as what arrives in the packet. Steels I love, but I'm trying to limit the number of basses I chew the frets up on. I can see both my workhorse P's (4 string) needing a re-fret before long, which for the one with the lacquered maple board, probably won't be much fun. I'll be honest, I'm stuck between spending the cash on new strings and maybe more work to get this how I want it, or just saying sod it and trading it in against the Markbass combo I'm fancying. I've recently acquired a Ray35 which sits nicely alongside my MIM Jazz V and together they're making the P seem less and less comfortable. Dunno yet.. need to have a good think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam87 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Warwick strings have a tapered B on the yellow, black and emp series. [IMG]http://i815.photobucket.com/albums/zz77/showroomfinish/Mobile%20Uploads/20140202_203101.jpg[/IMG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam87 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 The narrowest part of the string is about 5.7cm inc the ball. And about 5.2cm without. Including the step it is about 6.4cm in total. Give or take a mm or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 [quote name='adam87' timestamp='1391373321' post='2356468'] Warwick strings have a tapered B on the yellow, black and emp series. [/quote] Supposedly on the Red Label Series too, but apparently you have to order a tapered B separately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Give Newtone a call or e-mail. If you pick standard gauges then they may be able to wind the taper to your requirements and measurements. They custom wind my sets based on the platinum gauges to taper every string... Great to deal with, IME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Thanks for the suggestions everyone. In the end, I decided that the strings were just the last point on a list of reasons I didn't get on with that bass, so I swapped it for the Markbass combo I wanted, and having spent some time playing my MIM Jazz V and Ray35 through it, am confident I made the right call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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