String type & gauge question for Pre 73 bass owners

[Kopfjaeger]

OK, what type or strings are you guys using on your pre three piece neck vintage basses? Flats or rounds?? What gauges are you using E,A,D, & G? Bonus question, how many of you have bypassed the .0047 cap.

The prior owner of the 65 4001 had round rounds on it, unknown type. Gauges .096, .075, .055, .035. The bass sat in a closet for 20 years accorxding to the seller so these strings are old. Brought up to tune, the neck was as straight as an arrow. I use a bit heavier strings on my other basses but for less wear and tear, I'll go lighter on this bass. On my 73 4001 I have the .0047 cap in place. On my 2011 4003, I never use the vintage tone option. I'm debating whether or not to have that cap put in on the harness I'm getting rebuilt.

Sepp

[badeggs]

My '71 4001 (and any other bass I've ever owned) wears Ernie Ball Super Slinkies (45-65-80-100), every single time. No flats or low-tension strings for me...

Cap is still present, but bypassed.

[jps]

Given your goal to put this back to (sort of) original WRT pieces/parts I would think the .0047µF cap would be in place on the harness, then if you wanted to bypass it a piece of wire shunting the cap would be the minimally invasive way to do so.

[Kopfjaeger]

Jeff,

That is exactly what I'm leaning towards. It's nice to have the option, although not as handy as a push pull pot.

Sepp

[jps]

They sound better with the cap in line, anyway!

[FretlessOnly]

My Dec '72 4001 is currently strung with Fender 7150Ls - 0.040/0.060/0.080/0.100. Before that it had D'A ECB81s - 0.045/0.065/0.080/0.100. No problems with either. But '72 and '65 ain't necessarily the same egg.

[jps]

But '72 and '65 ain't necessarily the same egg.

+1, very (most) likely the '65 has a thinner neck.

[leftybass]

My '69 has GHS Boomers , .040-.095. Roundwound, of course.

[xsubs]

They sound better with the cap in line, anyway!

+1

On my '64 I use Rotosound 66LC sets. Sound very close to the LDs I have on all my other Ricks, but much lower tension.

[teeder]

I've had great luck with light GHS Boomers, TI Rounds and currently on my '67 RM/4001S, DR Sunbeams. For me, the classic Rick sound is both pu's combined with the cap on the bridge pu. I've tried un-capping the bridge pu's, but haven't been happy with the result. Now, on the other hand, the reissue HS in my V63 with no cap is a force to be reckoned with!

[Kopfjaeger]

OK, so far the majority of respondents are using rounds on their vintage one piece necks with no issues. So far no string diameter is over .100. I'm seriously thinking of trying a set of balanced tension Circle K rounds .098, .073, .055, .039. Very comparable to the gauge that was on the instrument. The average tension of each string is 37 lbs. OK, cap in place and I'll experiment with jumping it out.

While on topic, does everyone know what their neck pup values are?? I'm curious to see what is being used and what the average value is.

Sepp

[xsubs]

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

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

[woodyng]

Joseph,I think you will be happy with the Circle K's. i have a set on my Laredo,and they feel and sound great.

[Kopfjaeger]

Joseph,I think you will be happy with the Circle K's. i have a set on my Laredo,and they feel and sound great.

Thanks Woody, I use Circle K's on everything except my walnut 4002. it came set up with Curt Mangan strings and sounds killer so I'm not willing to screw with it. I use a heavier gauge on them all .106, .079, .059. 043 but I want minimal stress on the neck of the 65 since it's so thin.

Sepp

[Kopfjaeger]

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