short-scale strings ???

Started by Tony Raven, February 07, 2016, 09:22:09 AM

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Tony Raven

Not yet a "project," but possible. ;)

I've been offered a cheeep Squier mini-Strat, 22.75" scale. I'm not a super-fast player (never aspired to such), & am thinking this could be a decent "kick around" platform for some upcoming (non-paying :() gigs.

But my experience with short-scale guitars is that the strings are the common downfall, needing to put up with excess rubberiness &/or up-tuning. I worry that either factor will exacerbate glitchiness with the VG-88.

I have a sweet old Vox Panther bass, 30" scale, & have had no trouble since 1979 finding proper strings for it. Yet with the six-stringers MUCH more common, there's nobody hawking string sets... ???

And because G*d is a jokester, now someone offers me a nice Tacoma Papoose, which (last I tried one) is a short-scale acoustic that suffers from the same lack of purpose-made strings.

>:(

Any assistance appreciated!!

admin

#1
I own an excellent Lotus short scale Strat.


Looks very much like this one
http://www.zzounds.com/item--SQU310100


If you want it unplayable - string it with extra super slinkys  .008-.038

QuoteBut my experience with short-scale guitars is that the strings are the common downfall, needing to put up with excess rubberiness &/or up-tuning.
To make it playable, I just string it with a normal medium gauge set .010-.52" skinny top  / heavy bottom
QuoteYet with the six-stringers MUCH more common, there's nobody hawking string sets... ???
Due to basic laws of physics, you need thicker gauge strings on a short scale instrument. Just string it up with normal medium gauge  strings normal and cut the excess length.

Tony Raven

I know exactly what you mean about super-light strings on a shortscale. ::) Over the years, I've owned a couple of very sweet "beginner" acoustics with froghair strings, apparently so the poor delicate kiddies find the experience effortless... with the result that the guitar (almost never being set up at all!) has all sorts of nasty buzzes, & the kid sanely puts it in the closet.
Quote from: admsustainiac on February 07, 2016, 09:49:23 AMDue to basic laws of physics
With that, I have to disagree. Simple reductio: put a regular set of strings on a guitar with a 12" scale, & tune it to standard pitch (low E = 82.41 Hz). Or, more readily, tune any guitar down an octave, or even a mere half. How well does it play?

IME, even super-heavy strings (much easier to locate now than decades back) won't be tensioned at all properly.