string question

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

If I get La Bella Beatle bass strings that are made for the hofner which is 30" would they be able to be long enough on my 31" Rogue Violin Bass?

[An Apple Beatle]

Never heard of them before in honesty but I would presume they would have plenty of wind on them to carry an extra inch. Is there anyway of contacting the manufacturer?

Most strings should be fine. A nice trick for that 'Beatle' sound is to get a bit of sponge/foam to act as a dampner near the bridge. Might save you paying extra for the 'beatle' tag. Out of interest how much they selling for?.

Gotta think of it like this. What was available when macca was stringing his bass up?.....piano strings by some accounts. Make your own conclusion.

[An Apple Beatle]

Also if you live anywhere near the Isle of Wight your more than welcome to come round and have a pop on mine.

[Bobber]

If I get La Bella Beatle bass strings that are made for the hofner which is 30" would they be able to be long enough on my 31" Rogue Violin Bass?

Are these official strings? Or did La Belle mention them this way themselves?

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

Im not sure, they are $40 dollar flatwounds, I know La Bella is a good brand. In the early 60's I think all bassists practically used flatwounds.

The 1970's brought about many significant changes that contributed to the growth of the electric bass changes in technology, changes in attitude, and changes in the music itself.

        There were three significant technological improvements that helped to bring the electric bass into the forefront of music. They include: 1) roundwound strings; 2) active electronics (pickups, circuitry); and 3) better amplification. Roundwound strings had been around since 1963, but their acceptance into the bass community was slow going. Then in 1972, the group Yes (with bassist Chris Squier) had a hit song with "Roundabout,

[An Apple Beatle]

Get what you can afford. Flat, round etc. It still comes down to how you play it. Tone, fingerstyle, amp etc etc.

Personally I wouldn't be so quick to get the Labella's. Surely there are cheaper 'flatwounds.'

All I know about the flatwounds from firsthand experience is from playing a friends fretless fender Precision. Jaco and Stanley were well into their fretless sounds. Jaco has been credited for inventing the fretless sound with a little help from a nice chorus pedal.

You seem to know what you want anyway......DO IT!!!! lol

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

Many people seem to think McCartney used LaBellas but I dont think he has ever said what type of string he used. I want to give my bass the early beatles tone of course since McCartney's bass playing is what I have grown up listening to and what made me what to play Bass in the first place. I think I will do it. I just got to call Labella and see what they say.

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

got this from bassplayer.com

It

[An Apple Beatle]

A cheaper set of strings for you and some history. I never noticed an endorsement by Macca though.

http://www.proaudiomusic.com/accessories/bass_guitar_strings.htm#La%20Bella%20super%20steps

Our History
   The Family Behind the Strings

The Mari family began making violin strings in the town of Salle, Italy, in the 14th century. It was in 1640 that the Mari family came to prominence. For centuries their factory supplied the finest strings to violin makers including Amati and Stradivari. By the 20th century, the House of Mari was one of the largest manufacturers of musical instrument strings in Italy. It was during that time period the Mari family began to sell their best strings under the brand name "La Bella."

New York City became the new home to brothers Emilio and Olinto Mari in 1916 when they opened a factory near Union Square, producing both gut and steel strings. Eleven years later, Italy awarded E. & O. Mari with its Gold Medal Diploma, an award and an honor to the Mari brothers for excellence in manufacturing.

At the start of World War II, E. & O. Mari closed their Italian factory. Later, shortly after the war ended, the brothers moved their factory to Long Island City, New York. E. & O. Mari remained on Long Island for nearly 40 years after which the company moved to its present location in Newburgh, New York.

E. & O. Mari is still family owned and operated, continuing over three centuries of quality and innovation. The current Chairperson is the daughter of Olinto Mari, Elisabetta Mari Cocco, and the President is her son, Richard Cocco, Jr.

E. & O. Mari is a proud supporter of the arts and music education worldwide, sponsoring artist appearances, clinics, and an annual Bass Summit concert. A special highlight is awarding the La Bella Grand Prize to the winner of the Guitar Foundation of America's prestigious solo guitar competition.

Where it All Began

The origin of the use of catgut for the strings of violins and kindred instruments has, from time to time, been explained in various ways. The most interesting, and probably the most authoritative explanation seems to be the one known among violin makers in Italy for centuries, but little known outside the country.

The story is related by Joseph Primavera, who gathered his material in the little town of Salle, Pescara, Italy, a town that has had for almost six centuries the making of catgut strings as its chief industry, and from which some of the finest strings in the musical world have come.

It all goes back to around 1300 AD, it seems, when Salle was already famous for its saddles. Not the least important feature of these leather products was the fact that a thread made from the intestines of a mountain sheep was used in sewing them. This thread was found to be far stronger than that made from more domesticated and better cared for sheep of the valleys.

Tradition at Salle says that at the dawn of the fourteenth century one Erasmo was employed in the chief industry of the town, the making of saddles. As this man was drying some sheep intestines in order to make his thread, some were carried away by the wind, and became lodged in a thorn bush.

Erasmo noticed that sweet musical sounds were emitted as the material was vibrated by the wind blowing through the bush. Being an observant man, and an ingenious one, the thought came to him that the threads used in sewing saddles might also be used as strings in the primitive instruments that were ancestors of the violin. Thus the business of making violins strings from "catgut" (more will be said later regarding the origin of the word itself) began, and so important did the industry become to the small town that eventually Erasmo was sainted, and St. Erasmo is not only the patron saint of the town, but also the profession of string making.

When asked regarding their strings, the people of Salle, so the tradition states, said that they were made of the intestines of cats, "catgut". There was good reason for this. The cat was viewed with superstition in Italy, and the slaying of a cat was supposed to be followed by a period of bad luck. The fiddle string makers of Salle reasoned that few indeed would attempt to copy their trade, if it involved slaying cats.

Mr. Primavera, by searching church records, found that from the beginning of the industry in the time of St. Erasmo, until about 1700, four centuries, the families of Berti, Dorazio, Mari, and Ruffini were famous for making violin strings. These families furnished the strings for products of Stradivarius and other master makers of violins during this period.

About 1640, Mari Brothers became the leaders in the manufacture of "catgut" strings. This tradition is followed today by the same family, now located in Newburgh, New York, USA under the company name of E. & O. Mari. Many of their products are marketed under the world-famous name "La Bella" and are recognized as the finest strings available.  

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

Those look like Roundwounds I want flats

If you can find me some cheap medium scale flatwounds cheaper then the $40 ones though.

[An Apple Beatle]

Soz....must admit I never fully checked...that's your job! I best get some kip....good luck dude.

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

Haha no problem, Ill let you know how they sound when I get some, thanks for trying to help and answering my questions.

[McCartney]

I've tried D'Addario's flatwounds. great sound i thought. 20 bucks

[Mean_Mr_Mustard]

Ive never changed strings before so I dont want to buy long scale strings and cut them since I dont really know what I am doing. Does D'Addario have medium scale strings?

[An Apple Beatle]

You need to just type some of your queries in a google search. e.g. D'addario medium scale strings.

If nothing comes up then they probably don't.

Regards stringing up a bass. It only takes a pair of plyers to cut your strings down. You should really be learning to change strings almost before you start playing really. Stringing bass is easier than guitar. Have you not got any music friends to help you through your first time?

Try 'stringing up a bass' in google aswell.