Flatwounds & Thru-body stringing

[Legion]

What are peoples thoughts and experiences of putting flatwounds on a bass thats string through body design?

I've got some meaty ones ( personally I just can't get on with TI's ) so I like cables, but I don't know if it will cause damage to the strings to tension them up with that massive angle where they exit the body to the saddle.

J

[Soulfinger]

Considering that the original 1951 P-Bass was designed for through-body-stringing and only flats were available at the time, I´d say go for it.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I use TI flats and have no trouble with thru stringing even on the low "B" of a 5 string, however LaBella recommend not to with their strings.

here: [url="http://www.juststrings.com/lab-0760m.html"]http://www.juststrings.com/lab-0760m.html[/url]

However, despite that I have used a medium guage short scale set of LaBella Deep Talkin' flats on a thru-strung with no problems.

[Legion]

That same thought was in my mind - I decided to go for it and fitted the strings to see how they coped. All seems OK for now, the ribbon on the E string looks a little stressed out where it runs over the saddle but hasnt actually split or anything so I'll see how they stand up to some extended use.

Unfortunately with them being monster strings it pulled the neck a bit and put the action rather high, so I tried to correct it but seem to have been left with a buzz on only the open E string. Was going to drop it off with a local guitar chap to fit the new pot so I get a V/T & V/T instead of the V/T & Pan that I have now so I think I'll get him to take a look while I'm on holiday.

Will update this if the string starts to fall apart.

J

[quote name='Soulfinger' post='59120' date='Sep 12 2007, 10:00 AM']Considering that the original 1951 P-Bass was designed for through-body-stringing and only flats were available at the time, I´d say go for it.[/quote]

[Legion]

Interesting link thanks. Pretty much the same gauge as I have fitted so maybe this will wreck the strings in time - only one way to find out

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='59135' date='Sep 12 2007, 10:40 AM']I use TI flats and have no trouble with thru stringing even on the low "B" of a 5 string, however LaBella recommend not to with their strings.

here: [url="http://www.juststrings.com/lab-0760m.html"]http://www.juststrings.com/lab-0760m.html[/url]

However, despite that I have used a medium guage short scale set of LaBella Deep Talkin' flats on a thru-strung with no problems.[/quote]

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='Legion' post='59156' date='Sep 12 2007, 11:17 AM']Unfortunately with them being monster strings it pulled the neck a bit and put the action rather high, so I tried to correct it but seem to have been left with a buzz on only the open E string.J[/quote]
Did you just adjust the action at the bridge?
The reason the action went higher is because there was more tension pulling on the neck, so you should have tighened the truss rod first to set the relief correctly, then made any nesessary height adjustments at the bridge and nut if necessary.

[Legion]

Yes I tightened the truss rod, although it felt rather resistant to being tightened even with the strings loose which was a little worrying.

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='59172' date='Sep 12 2007, 11:38 AM']Did you just adjust the action at the bridge?
The reason the action went higher is because there was more tension pulling on the neck, so you should have tighened the truss rod first to set the relief correctly, then made any nesessary height adjustments at the bridge and nut if necessary.[/quote]

[Legion]

Just dropped it off at the shop and having had another listen in the peace and quiet there I suddenly realised that maybe I've done exactly what I was expecting - maybe the core to the E string has broken having been strung thru-body. Will have to see what he finds when I pick up in a week or two.

[quote name='Legion' post='59194' date='Sep 12 2007, 12:09 PM']Yes I tightened the truss rod, although it felt rather resistant to being tightened even with the strings loose which was a little worrying.[/quote]

[Legion]

[quote name='Legion' post='59269' date='Sep 12 2007, 01:56 PM']Just dropped it off at the shop and having had another listen in the peace and quiet there I suddenly realised that maybe I've done exactly what I was expecting - maybe the core to the E string has broken having been strung thru-body. Will have to see what he finds when I pick up in a week or two.[/quote]

Forgot to follow up on this one. The result was an interesting find, strings survived no problem but as they were heavy gauge the E string in particular was fairly inflexible. Because of the through body stringing the E string was actually creating its own little radius over the saddle ( as it could not be forced to a bend of that small a radius ) and therefore not making full contact with the saddle as it should. I didnt notice this as it was only just resting above the groove in the saddle, and not sitting in it tightly. This was causing the horrible vibration noise I was hearing...

Seems a lot was to do with the strings because I put the old Precision string-through bridge back on instead of the badass and put my TI flats on through-body and its working lovely.

Phew that seems a complicated explanation...sorry

J

[Beedster]

[quote name='Legion' post='72801' date='Oct 11 2007, 01:32 PM']Forgot to follow up on this one. The result was an interesting find, strings survived no problem but as they were heavy gauge the E string in particular was fairly inflexible. Because of the through body stringing the E string was actually creating its own little radius over the saddle ( as it could not be forced to a bend of that small a radius ) and therefore not making full contact with the saddle as it should. I didnt notice this as it was only just resting above the groove in the saddle, and not sitting in it tightly. This was causing the horrible vibration noise I was hearing...

Seems a lot was to do with the strings because I put the old Precision string-through bridge back on instead of the badass and put my TI flats on through-body and its working lovely.

Phew that seems a complicated explanation...sorry

J[/quote]

Mate, I thought I told you all of the above when you bought that lovely Precision from me Don't you trust me! Over and above the points above; one thing to remember with through body stringing is that you can't subsequently use those strings in any other way. If you fork out £35 on a set of LaBella's, you're going to be mighty p*ss*d when you realise either that you preferred the sound and playability when they were strung from the bridge as opposed to through body (as I do), or if you want to use them on another bass.
Chris

[Legion]

[quote name='Beedster' post='72814' date='Oct 11 2007, 01:44 PM']Mate, I thought I told you all of the above when you bought that lovely Precision from me Don't you trust me! Over and above the points above; one thing to remember with through body stringing is that you can't subsequently use those strings in any other way. If you fork out £35 on a set of LaBella's, you're going to be mighty p*ss*d when you realise either that you preferred the sound and playability when they were strung from the bridge as opposed to through body (as I do), or if you want to use them on another bass.
Chris[/quote]

Chris, that was a long old day mate... a holiday on the Isle of Wight with a 4 year old takes its toll on my endurance:) I do remember you saying that and just posted here to get other peoples experiences of the same thing. It's actually working great with the TI's, just not the giant Roto's I tried. I would have considered stringing it bridge only but of course the original P bridge doesnt have any holes at the back, only for thru-body. So had to try that with the badass, but even more sustain wasnt really what I was after.

Have to say I can't put this bass down anymore, just keeps calling me back!

[Beedster]

[quote name='Legion' post='72866' date='Oct 11 2007, 02:39 PM']I would have considered stringing it bridge only but of course the original P bridge doesnt have any holes at the back, only for thru-body.[/quote]

Are you sure? Unless I'm mad, it does...
Chris

[Legion]

[quote name='Beedster' post='72960' date='Oct 11 2007, 05:19 PM']Are you sure? Unless I'm mad, it does...
Chris[/quote]

Very sure Chris - I'm looking at it right now and it will only take thru body stringing, the back plate is solid with only the intonation adjustment screws there. Thats sort of what confused me in the first place as you had said something along the lines of " if you want that old skool thump, put the original bridge back on and use flats" which contradicted the other statement of "I wouldnt advise using flats thru-body" seeing as I realised with the old bridge I HAD to string thru-body. I may have misunderstood somewhere along the lines, like I say it had been a long tiring week followed by a day of roasting in the sun - all leaving me feeling rather frazzled

I have thought about getting a replacement bridge where I dont need to go thru body, although I'll need to make sure it's the right one of course.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Legion' post='73183' date='Oct 12 2007, 09:25 AM']Very sure Chris - I'm looking at it right now and it will only take thru body stringing, the back plate is solid with only the intonation adjustment screws there. Thats sort of what confused me in the first place as you had said something along the lines of " if you want that old skool thump, put the original bridge back on and use flats" which contradicted the other statement of "I wouldnt advise using flats thru-body" seeing as I realised with the old bridge I HAD to string thru-body. I may have misunderstood somewhere along the lines, like I say it had been a long tiring week followed by a day of roasting in the sun - all leaving me feeling rather frazzled

I have thought about getting a replacement bridge where I dont need to go thru body, although I'll need to make sure it's the right one of course.[/quote]

Apologies Jas, although I'm very confused as I always played it strubf from the bridge. I must have another Fender 3 hold bridge at home with back stringing?
Chris