Suitable for short-scale?

[biffhardon]

Hi, everyone. Just scored myself an old Guild Bluesbird bass (30 3/4" scale) on the cheap and I'm wondering if the spare set of Hybrid Slinkys (45-105) I had for my old P-Bass copy will be suitable. They don't state a scale on the packaging and I don't know what the difference is between short and long scale strings (other than the length, obviously). Any help would be much appreciated, thanks.

[dlloyd]

Originally Posted by biffhardon

I don't know what the difference is between short and long scale strings (other than the length, obviously).

That's pretty much it. Cut them to length... around 4-5" past the tuner post (some use more) and you'll be laughing.

[biffhardon]

Thanks, that's all I needed to know. I'm curious though, why are there short and long scale-strings of the same gauge? Wouldn't it make sense to make them all long-scale? Or are the short-scale sets cheaper? Doesn't really matter, I'm just curious.

[dlloyd]

Originally Posted by biffhardon

Thanks, that's all I needed to know. I'm curious though, why are there short and long scale-strings of the same gauge? Wouldn't it make sense to make them all long-scale? Or are the short-scale sets cheaper? Doesn't really matter, I'm just curious.

Don't know.

A lot of bass strings are tapered past the nut. This, I guess, allows for more windings around the tuner capstan, but I don't think it would give any particular advantage until you start getting to really heavy strings, say 0.130" and heavier. Compare rotosound strings with Ernie Balls. Rotos have an exposed core past the nut, EBs have a gentler taper. I tend to use more windings on rotos than I do on EBs, just to get a decent break angle over the nut.

Taper and exposed cores are the only reason I can think a company would produce a specifically short scale string.

The main reason strings are sold at the length they are is that it's enough for most guitars. The shorter they are, the cheaper they are to manufacture.