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Permalink Reply by Milt Haselmire on April 13, 2017 at 7:30am

Short scale basses are around 30". Standard scale is 34". String length might be an issue. You will also be an octave higher than a bass with bass strings.

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Permalink Reply by john mackay on April 13, 2017 at 8:04am

I've made a 30" scale using 2 bass strings .gave that to my son.

so I know about that just want to know if the E strings etc have difference thickness on a 6 stringer.

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 13, 2017 at 10:34am

to answer  your  specific question .   yes  ,  6  string  packs come in a broad range  from  ultra light  to super heavy  .  it is best  to  look at the gauge  on the   pack  . most only go up to 0.42  ish 

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Hunter on April 13, 2017 at 9:46pm

thats not quite correct. a set of 10's goes to 42 ish but if you get the heaver sets then they will go up to 56's on a set of 13's

or you could try a place like this and get short scale individual bass strings . just get the thinner strings say the D and G strings then using a shorter scale tune them to G and D?? not done it but it could work.

http://www.bassstringsonline.com/DAddario_c_167.html

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 14, 2017 at 1:02am

Uummm. So what is 'not' correct in how i said it?

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 13, 2017 at 8:11am

you can do a sort of  "hybrid"  .  a short scale bass that is actually 25.5  like a normal guitar . but with special  "drop D " strings   this will avoid string length  issues and   tension  issues .   and will still fit regular guitar tuners also . and  you  can easily revert it back to a regular cbg , by  just swaping out the strings . and as you can see  . it sounds   just like a bass ." these are 2 and 3 string examples" 

(note description for string make etc ..)

 

-25 inch scale uses number .60 and.52 strings from a special set of " ghs boomers " guitar strings . and they still fit regular guitar tuner holes .

- uses top 3 drop down tuning strings from a DR DDT guitar pack 42 , 56 , 65.

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Permalink Reply by Milt Haselmire on April 13, 2017 at 9:37am

The 2 stringer sounds great. Who'da thunk?

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Permalink Reply by john mackay on April 14, 2017 at 12:42am

is this the one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GHS-GBZW-Guitar-Boomers-Electric-strings-...

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on April 14, 2017 at 1:26am

yup , that  will make  your   last  3 strings  .36 .52  and .60.   great for a 2 or  3 string bass .

thats the set i used on the horse 2 stringer . using the . 60 and. 52  

here is the other  slightly heavier pack i used 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DR-Strings-Drop-Down-Tuning-Mega-Heavy-Guit...

that will give you 42 , 56 , 65.

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Permalink Reply by JL on April 14, 2017 at 4:56am

Using just the low guitar strings at near a guitar scale gives you what might be called a 'tenor bass', or Arkansas Tuning if you use all 4 low git strings.  proper bass strings are another octave down from that.

but if you are using just the low E and A from a pack of bass strings, that's a little less tension than a 4 string git with medium strings, and you can short scale it down to 32 or 30 " for even less string tension worries.

I have a 4 string 30in short scale bass (commercialy produced)  that feels fine with standard scale strings.

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Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on April 16, 2017 at 6:16pm

Bass uke strings are real fat silicone things for a 20 inch scale length. Being nonferrous you need to use a piezo pickup with a cheap preamp. They have the full EADG octave below guitar tuning.
Here is the one I made.
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/chanenbacker-bass
The guy I made this for is stoked The things I am doing different with my nexy build are an in body amp rather than a side slot in amp unit and open rather than sealed tuners. The E string is 5mm in diameter and the solid shaft on the open thuners gives plenty og grind out room.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on April 19, 2017 at 8:26am

Back in the 60's, Fender made a Bass VI. Basically it was a Fender Jaguar converted to 28" Baritone scale and use heavy gauge baritone guitar strings.

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