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dnburgess
Intermediate Member
Username: dnburgess

Post Number: 112
Registered: 1-2003
Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 1:37 am:   Edit Post

I wish to retune my short scale S1 to piccolo tuning. Can anyone suggest string gauges or recommend brands?

Mica or Val (or anybody): What does Stanley put on his?
malthumb
Intermediate Member
Username: malthumb

Post Number: 108
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 10:03 am:   Edit Post

Don't know what Stanley uses, but when I had a short scale tuned piccolo, I used D'Addario. They worked out fine (my piccolo bass playing didn't).

Peace,

James
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil

Post Number: 202
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 5:27 pm:   Edit Post

I believe Mica once told me Stanley uses 30 to 90 sets, but that was many years ago, so I'd want her to confirm it.

Valentino
dnburgess
Intermediate Member
Username: dnburgess

Post Number: 113
Registered: 1-2003
Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 10:01 pm:   Edit Post

Val, thanks but those look very heavy for piccolo. The regular Alembic CX-3 short scale set is .045 to .105. By comparison the octave strings in an 8 string set are .020 to .045.

A bit more research (i.e. visit to JustStrings) reveals four piccolo sets:

D'Addario XL .020-.052
GHS Boomers .018-.050
Ken Smith Burners .018-.045 & .020-.050
La Bella Hard Rockin Steel .012-.030 & .030-.080

Does anyone have experience / recommendations regarding these brand / types?

These appear to be 34" scale sets. Are there any issues using them on a short scale?

Are there any issues regarding neck tension in using a heavy gauge set - e.g. 30 to 80?
xlrogue6
Junior
Username: xlrogue6

Post Number: 31
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Monday, October 13, 2003 - 8:45 am:   Edit Post

Depends on your choice of piccolo tuning. It sounds like you're going for the "octave up" tuning. Stanley's first piccolo stuff was done in what is sometimes referred to as "tenor" tuning, A-D-G-C. Later on, I believe he also had some tuned D-G-C-F, but I'm not a Stanley authority.

The D'Addario, LaBella 12-30, and GHS sets will all work for octave up tuning. You can get away with using long scale strings on your short scale-avoid twisting them-wind them slowly and carefully when you're installing them.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 1147
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Monday, October 13, 2003 - 6:39 pm:   Edit Post

I looked up the file for the last Vermilion Series I bass we made for Stanley. The guages of strings were .030 - .040 - .065 -.080 but the tuning wasn't recorded. I think I remember this being tuned DGCF.

I sent a message to Stanley to find our exactly what he's using and how he's tuning these days, so i'll pass the details along when I find out more.

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