String type & gauge question for Pre 73 bass owners

[johna]

D'Addario XL rounds .040/.060/.075/.095 on my 64 RM1999, just to be on the safe side.

I don't know about the cap - have never looked inside, but could be time...

[xsubs]

IMO I don't think it's too hot at all... should sound great. There's a lot of variation in those early pickups.

[teeder]

I'd leave it as is. Should sound great.

[cassius987]

Circle K rounds .098, .073, .055, .039. ... The average tension of each string is 37 lbs.

If that spec is based on 34'' scale (I believe it is), then you're looking at near-identical tension to TI flats. (Not the same feel, mind, but the same tension.)

I had these values written down for some of my basses...

'64 4001 - 7.20KΩ
'69 4001 - 7.41KΩ
'72 4001 - 7.46KΩ

Thanks Sean. My neck pup is a staggered long pole and weighs in at 8.10k. Too hot?? Wort unwinding or leave it??

Sepp

I agree with the others, leave it alone. Also worth considering: multimeters vary in calibration and temperature can change the reading.

[cjj]

Yeah, don't get too picky with values seen on your ohm meter. Most of the ones people have will not be terribly close to "real" values. I've got a couple of recently calibrated Agilent 34401A multimeters (which cost around $1000) and they don't agree very closely with my Fluke 298 meter (costs about $650).

Now, the Fluke is rated for 0.05% accuracy in the 5k to 50k ohm range, which seems pretty good, but the Agilent meter is rated for 0.0020% in that range. Plus, the Agilent meter can do 4-wire resistance measurements to null out any effects of the test leads.

And then, DC resistance isn't really a good measurement to do on pickups for anything more than a general idea of the pickup winding value. You really want to measure the inductance...

[aceonbass]

Sepp....I've been using Circle K balanced strings with a .106 E at right about 40lbs per string. I don't think that would be too much at all, and would fit the nut on your '65 too. Hey, if ya don't like 'em there, ya can always put 'em on one of your other RIC's. By the way, the mailman has come and gone, and your harness isn't here yet.

[Kopfjaeger]

Dane,

My harness isn't at your house because it's in freakin LA!!! I really don't know where it is!! I'm not too worried, yet. If it does not arrive by tomorrow, I'll be concerned.

About string diameters. i want to be careful with this. It's a real thin neck, I mean a real thin neck, and the consensus is that under .100 for the E is the norm. I do use the Circle K .106 set on all my basses including the "under water 4002". I sent Larry the strings for the set up and he commented that I like thick strings. i never thought those were thick. Maybe because of my big ham hands!!

Sepp

[chefothefuture]

I suppose I might be the one guy in favor of the TI JF344s.- .043, .056, .070, .100.
I like the feel, and I don't get the marks in the finger board as from rounds.
Low tension; none exceeds 37.47# which is the D.

Another thing I do is to calibrate my tuner to A432 instead of A440.

[Kopfjaeger]

When I bought Snow White from Paul Boyer, it had TI Jazz Flats on it. I tried to like them but just couldn't. I ended up swapping them out and sending them back to him. I mean if I had to I'd use them. They are just not my cup of tea.

Wow, 37.47 on a ,056 D? That is less than the 37.7 on the .055 Circle K D.

Sepp

[chefothefuture]

When I bought Snow White from Paul Boyer, it had TI Jazz Flats on it. I tried to like them but just couldn't. I ended up swapping them out and sending them back to him. I mean if I had to I'd use them. They are just not my cup of tea.

Wow, 37.47 on a ,056 D? That is less than the 37.7 on the .055 Circle K D.

Sepp

Yeah, It took me several tries to get used to them. The first set I tried went on a late 50s 4000 and I just couldn't "get them".
Then I put a set on a 73 4001 and was hooked…..

If you could find original Maxima's they'd be a treat, but they are a little higher tension.
I wouldn't recommend the Optima's as they are extremely dark.

[jps]

Wow, 37.47 on a ,056 D? That is less than the 37.7 on the .055 Circle K D.

Sepp

String gauge does not define tension, in and of itself.

[jayfbv]

I'm happy with DR HiBeams:
.040, .060, .075, .095

They don't seem to be eating the frets and they're pretty lively for popping, major thud if rolled off.

[chefothefuture]

Wow, 37.47 on a ,056 D? That is less than the 37.7 on the .055 Circle K D.

Sepp

String gauge does not define tension, in and of itself.

True- It's all about metallurgy and construction as well as gauge. The TI's just seemed to get the low tension thing nailed.
It is interesting to me that the first set I ever got seemed quiet dark and thuddy, but all sets since seem pretty ringy….

[cjj]

Specifically, string tension can be calculated by the following formula:

T = (UW x (2 x L x F)^2) / 386.4

Where:
T is tension in pounds
UW is the Unit Weight of the string in pounds per inch (this takes into account the metallurgy, diameter, construction, etc.)
L is the scale length - the vibrating length of the string in inches
F is the frequency or pitch that the string is tuned to in Hertz
^2 means "squared"

OK, I'm a nerd...

[sys700]

TI Jazz flats on my '72. I love these strings!
An ancient pair of D'Addario Slowound rounds on my '73. Love the feel and tone of these.