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gtrguy
Junior
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 20
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 11:03 am:   Edit Post

I bought a 6 string Elan last year and want to replace the strings on it with ones the same size it has. The ones on it are not original and are ultra light. They seem to be a set and have brass ends and red fuzz where they go into the tuners. My micrometer shows them to be: .023 .036 .053 .069 .088 .106

My problem is that I can not find a set like this anywhere. Any ideas?

Fender has a set for their old six string bass that has ones similar to the two little ones, but are way too small for the rest, but that is the the best I have come up with.

Thanks,
Dave
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 2592
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 5:57 am:   Edit Post

My first suggestion, if you haven't already, is to go through all the sets at Juststrings. If you can't find them, then my second suggestion is that perhaps they were not a complete set. It could be a 5 string high C set with a single F string added from the same manufacturer and string type; or a 4 string set with the C and F added.
gtrguy
Junior
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 21
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 11:43 am:   Edit Post

You may well be right. I went through all the Musicians Friends strings online without a match.
keith_h
Advanced Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 255
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 12:15 pm:   Edit Post

Juststrings also sells singles. To get the gauges and tension right on my 5 string I need to buy singles. I've found the cost isn't that much different than buying a set (in my case at least).

Keith
beelee
Intermediate Member
Username: beelee

Post Number: 130
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 3:39 pm:   Edit Post

Red Fuzz by tuners and brass ends.......they could be a custom gauge set from GHS strings, I use to get custom gauges for a Yamaha 5 string bass I use to have from a Luthier that use to do setups and such for me, he got them from GHS.

Bruce
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 1267
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 4:01 pm:   Edit Post

David,

Try my Luthier:

Steven Hayes over at

Steve's Studio
91 Jordan Rd.
Colonia
NJ
07067
908-382-3557

He has custom sets for guitars and I think he may have custom sets for bass. They are also GHS or equivalent specs (he is very anal about everything, LOL!). Even if he doesn't have 'em, he can probably point you to a source.

Cheers,

Kevin
edwin
Intermediate Member
Username: edwin

Post Number: 104
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 4:42 pm:   Edit Post

I am a DR endorser and in my experience, they seem to have pretty much every gauge of string you could imagine. I bet if you contacted them through their website, they could work something out through a local dealer.

How are you tuning this bass?

Let us know what happens!
Edwin
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 2597
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 5:31 pm:   Edit Post

Looks to me like he's going low E to high F.
gtrguy
Junior
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 22
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 10:35 am:   Edit Post

Actually, no. It's low B on up like many six stringers (the second big string is tuned at E). The Elan has such clear paino-like tone and my SWR setup with the Alembic preamp in the stack can pull such lows that it works for me. These are the string that were on it when I bought it and I love the size of them. But they are pretty old and dead now. I also have a concern about how much tension I can put on the new strings, if I find them. Can I tune them higher then they are designed for and break them?

Thanks for all the help!
Dave
gtrguy
Junior
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 23
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 10:39 am:   Edit Post

Jeez, I really can't spell. Or again, maybe I just don't like keys!
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 2602
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Friday, November 18, 2005 - 12:24 pm:   Edit Post

I just looked again and in every six string set with a .106, the .106 was the E. Are you tuned down to a low B or up to a high B. If you are tuned like most six string basses, then you are tuned down, and the .106 should feel like it has very little tension. Just to see what it was like, I just tuned my E down to a B and was surprised to find that it works quite well.
gtrguy
Junior
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 25
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 8:50 am:   Edit Post

The Alembic came this way when I bought it used and it feels good to me. Also, I am a guitar player from way back, so that also factors into the feel for me on the six string. My four stringers have normal size strings and so does my Yamaha TRB-6P fretless.
Thanks for the help and good advice.

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