Members 1x2zee Posted October 11, 2010 Members Share Posted October 11, 2010 Hello everybody, I am new to this forum. I am not a bass player (I play guitar), I'm just helping my wife, who learns to play bass. We just got her Epiphone Viola Bass -- seems like it suits her size/weight-wise and also the stile of music we try to play. Also it looks great. My questions: Does anybody have any experience with this particular bass? I've been reading through reviews and forums, and many suggest to change the stock string to flat wound ones. We got a set of D'Addario ECB81 XL Chromes Flatwound - .045, .065, .080, .100 - at the time of purchase, I just wanted to be sure if those would be the right strings before messing them up. I've read about some incompatibilities with some strings on this bass. Also -- how important is it to have medium or short scale strings as oppose to full scale? If anybody has an experience with this -- any suggestions would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members misterhinkydink Posted October 11, 2010 Members Share Posted October 11, 2010 Even though it's a short scale bass they usually need medium scale strings because of the trapeze tailpiece. I have a similar violin bass and use medium-scale Rotosound RS-77 Jazz flats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassandgolf Posted October 11, 2010 Members Share Posted October 11, 2010 you might want to try LaBella nylon tape wound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cpt. Spliff Posted October 11, 2010 Members Share Posted October 11, 2010 You use flatwounds on a viola to get the retro (Beatles) sound. If that suites the music, your d'Addarios are perfectly all right. For a beginner, they will also help to eliminate the noise, when you move your fretting fingers. Welcome to the low end, wifey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1x2zee Posted October 11, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 11, 2010 Thank you everyone for your replies! It's hard to describe what kind of music we play - I guess it would be more towards retro. So we will stick with d'Addarios for now and see how it works all together. Thanks again for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassman1956 Posted October 12, 2010 Members Share Posted October 12, 2010 Even though it's a short scale bass they usually need medium scale strings because of the trapeze tailpiece. I have a similar violin bass and use medium-scale Rotosound RS-77 Jazz flats. Use the same on my Epi EA-260's. Same reason, it needs the medium-scale in spite of the short 30.5" scale, due to the bridge and tail piece set-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators isaac42 Posted October 12, 2010 Moderators Share Posted October 12, 2010 Personally, I'd go with the nylon-wrapped strings, to maximize the woody, acoustic character of the bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1x2zee Posted October 12, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2010 Personally, I'd go with the nylon-wrapped strings, to maximize the woody, acoustic character of the bass. I'd like that -- "woody, acoustic character"... Do they ware out faster? Such a bummer -- I was ready and excited to install the D'Addario Flatwounds. But turned out it's a full scale set (actually recommended for this particular bass by a GC sales person ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassandgolf Posted October 12, 2010 Members Share Posted October 12, 2010 I'd like that -- "woody, acoustic character"... Do they ware out faster? Such a bummer -- I was ready and excited to install the D'Addario Flatwounds. But turned out it's a full scale set (actually recommended for this particular bass by a GC sales person ). I'd recommend once a year, depending on how often you play & how clean you keep your instrument, but they can last much longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jasper383 Posted October 12, 2010 Members Share Posted October 12, 2010 Nylon tapewound strings last nearly forever in my experience. You will need "medium scale strings. 32", even though it's a 30" scale bass. La Bella makes a set of flats just for that bass-- 760FHBB I suggest those, or the medium scale Rotosound tapewounds--RS88M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1x2zee Posted October 13, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2010 Thank you for your help everyone! I would like to try those Nylon tapewound strings in the future. Too bad they didn't have those at our GC, so I just ordered from them (in exchange) a set of D'Addarios -- just to get feeling of flatwounds, and will go from there. This Epi Viola sounds great even with the stock strings. Our Fender BXR100 suddenly became "alive" and musical, well..., within its abilities. Somebody is selling early 1960's VOX ESSEX on Craig's. That would be a good compliment to this bass, I think. But $600 is too steep for us now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted October 14, 2010 Members Share Posted October 14, 2010 Personally, I'd go with the nylon-wrapped strings, to maximize the woody, acoustic character of the bass. Welcome To The Forum and I agree with the above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1x2zee Posted October 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 14, 2010 Welcome To The Forum and I agree with the above Thank you, glad to be here, I agree too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassballs_dk Posted October 14, 2010 Members Share Posted October 14, 2010 I would recommend Pyramid Gold Short Scale Flatwounds, The same strings that H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1x2zee Posted October 14, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 14, 2010 I would recommend Pyramid Gold Short Scale Flatwounds, The same strings that H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1x2zee Posted October 19, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 19, 2010 What a bummer... I got a set of D'Addario Flatwound - .045, .065, .080, .100 set and the E string wouldn't fit, because that blue thread wrapping at the ball is too thick. With lots of difficulties and force I managed it though, but the ball wouldn't fit the hole and it's kind of sticking out. The A and D strings were fine, but the G string's ball wouldn't fit the hole neither. Was this Epi Viola bass made for a particular brand of strings in mind? I checked the Epiphone website and couldn't find any information on this. And when you buy strings there is also no information on the size of balls and thread wrapping and stuff, there is no way to find out before you actually buy them. Confused and disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jasper383 Posted October 19, 2010 Members Share Posted October 19, 2010 Can you shave off the blue silk? Take a razor blade, and cut that silk right off of there. La Bella Hofner Bass strings should go right on there. 760FHBB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1x2zee Posted October 19, 2010 Author Members Share Posted October 19, 2010 Can you shave off the blue silk? Take a razor blade, and cut that silk right off of there. La Bella Hofner Bass strings should go right on there. 760FHBB. Thanks, jasper383. Great Idea!!! Removing the silk stuff actually worked! Now even the ball/cylinder-ends fit into the holes. Thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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