#1940331 - 05/10/08 03:46 PM
String through body of bass or bridge?
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jeeps
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Whats the reason for string through body option on some basses?
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#1940342 - 05/10/08 04:33 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: jeeps]
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Davo-London
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Some folk consider this gives more sustain than fixing the string ball at the bridge end. Others may consider that more of the string energy passes into the body of the bass.
However, there are also a number of folk who don't need more sustain and who would not consider stringing through the body.
Frankly, IMHO it is not something that I would bother about and it is more likely to put me off a bass than attract me.
Davo
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#1940351 - 05/10/08 04:48 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Davo-London]
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jeremy c
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If your bass gives the option of stringing it either way you can find out for yourself.
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#1940355 - 05/10/08 04:59 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: jeremy c]
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DavidMPires
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If not don't bother to buy a bass with that feature just sounds the same.
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#1940385 - 05/10/08 07:06 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: DavidMPires]
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jeeps
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Couldnt hear the difference having not tried body through and recorded it,then immediately tried through bridge only and compared , Thats where the "pro" advice from the forum comes in to advise me. I dont even know if I need the sustain(if it effects it),I dont have a specific need for it in my music. thanks!
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#1940508 - 05/11/08 05:45 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: jeeps]
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Rocky MacDougall
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The main advantage of a string-thru is: if you get drunk and overtighten the strings, a string will break before it pullls the screws out of the body at the bridge. This is assuming the neck does not break first.
Rocky
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#1940535 - 05/11/08 07:10 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Rocky MacDougall]
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Chad
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The main advantage of a string-thru is: if you get drunk and overtighten the strings, a string will break before it pullls the screws out of the body at the bridge. This is assuming the neck does not break first.
Rocky
Ah, the "real world" response...
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#1940605 - 05/11/08 09:00 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Chad]
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Big Daddy from Motown
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OK this just applies to Fender basses but I find I can better intonate the low E string when stringing through the bridge. When you string through the body the angle of the string breaking across the bridge piece is to extreme on the low E.
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#1940608 - 05/11/08 09:04 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Rocky MacDougall]
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Frank M
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The main advantage of a string-thru is: if you get drunk and overtighten the strings, a string will break before it pullls the screws out of the body at the bridge. This is assuming the neck does not break first.
Rocky
We said you sounded sharp, but did you listen to us? Noooooo, you had to do it your own way.
The vast majority of us probably wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference listening to the same bass bridge or thru-body (except Jeremy, who could tell you how string, make model, year and if the player was any good or not). It's more of a personal preference. My Peavey is strung thru-body and I BELIEVE it gives me more sustain and a warmer tone, therefore it does.
I also believe in the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and that I am the reincarnation of Jaco, but I have pills and a therapist for that.
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#1940613 - 05/11/08 09:10 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Frank M]
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WCriley
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Wow! Has the old myth about through-body stringing adding "tension" to the strings finally died? Hurray!
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#1940665 - 05/11/08 11:47 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Frank M]
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kenfxj
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...I BELIEVE it gives me more sustain and a warmer tone, therefore it does...
This is the firm scientific basis behind almost all of my modifications.
However, just because I believe it to be true does not automatically render it false (Jansson's corollary).
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#1940869 - 05/11/08 10:01 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: kenfxj]
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Nicklab
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I've got a couple of basses that have through body string anchoring. They both have a good level of sustain and I'm quite happy with the performance of both instruments. I have not actually tried stringing either one by anchoring the strings at the bridge. But then why mess with a good thing?
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#1940964 - 05/12/08 07:03 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Nicklab]
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Rocky MacDougall
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I know we have covered this before, but for those new to the Forum, this is the short version. Standard bridges are held down by screws. The screws keep the bridge in place and they transfer the vibration from the string to the body. A string-thru allows the string ball to pull againt the body directly, internally, and the break angle of the string going over the saddle is such that it puts much more downward pressure on the saddles and the vibration is transferred thru the height screws into the bridge. Most of us cannot really hear a difference but some of us are convinced that we can. Personnally I like the string-thru, I like the little ferrals on the back of the body, I think they look neat.
Rocky
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#1940981 - 05/12/08 07:38 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Rocky MacDougall]
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jeremy c
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The strings need to be longer if you string a bass through the body, which means that not all brands of strings will work.
I've never owned a string-through bass, so what do I know?
I do know that sustain has never been a problem on my basses.
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#1941060 - 05/12/08 09:41 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: jeremy c]
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yourlord
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I think the sustain issue is a red herring.. there are too many variables involved to say that it universally increases sustain. Honestly I own both types of basses, and while the string through body bass has great sustain, my best sustaining bass is a bridge anchored bass (the Smith).. Mind you my string through body bass is a bolt-on, and my Smith is neck-thru so that may account for some of that result (but even that feature doesn't guarantee better sustain).
My personal issue with the string through body design is I don't like the angles the strings wind up bent to. It's screaming broken strings to me, though I have yet to break one due to it. In the end, my personal preference would likely be neutral.. I would neither elevate or diminish the status of a bass based on how the strings are anchored.
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#1941104 - 05/12/08 10:51 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: natobasso]
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Rocky MacDougall
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One of my Frankin basses has a BadAss bridge. The body is routed out so that the bridge sits down into the body about 1/16". The bridge is set in fiberglass resin for a perfect contact from bridge to body wood, which is solid Mahogony. Sustain and warm tone is abundant.
Rocky
Edited by Rocky MacDougall (05/12/08 11:12 AM)
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#1941252 - 05/12/08 04:18 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: jeremy c]
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Nicklab
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The strings need to be longer if you string a bass through the body, which means that not all brands of strings will work.
I've never owned a string-through bass, so what do I know?
I do know that sustain has never been a problem on my basses.
Actually, this hasn't been an issue for me. I've only had standard length (34" scale) Dean Markley Blue Steels on both my Fender Roscoe Beck V and Fender Precision Bass Deluxe 5. The transition point from silks to bear string are all on the headstock, above the nut. And the string only seems to be spanning an additional half inch by anchoring through the body...albeit on my basses. YMMV.
The only issue that I've ever run across on a string through body instument is with a heavy gauge B string. A .135 gauge B string might be a tight fit for the string ferrules. In one instance I found that the pass through holes on the bridge weren't totally lining up with the string ferrules. That made for a tight fit for a B string, but once I lined up the bridge with the string ferrules it worked perfectly.
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#1941741 - 05/13/08 04:55 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Nicklab]
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Tom Capasso
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My Kinal has a Hipshot A with the holes in place for through-body stringing. It has a 34.5 scale and the headstock is 2+3. If the strings are long enough, I go through the body (DRs have always been long enough). If not, I go from the bridge. I've never tried the same strings with different mountings, and I haven't been able to tell much difference between different types of strings.
Tom
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#1941748 - 05/13/08 05:03 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Tom Capasso]
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jeremy c
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I think I'll string my bass in a manly way.
The strings will go right through my own body from back to front and then through the bass. I'm betting on getting some serious sustain that way (and sustaining some serious injuries as well.)
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#1942002 - 05/14/08 06:31 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: 5 string Mike]
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SteveC
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I've had a couple through body basses and never really noticed any difference. My current bass is a through bridge and it has "sustain for days" with the stock Yamaha bridge.
I'm not to sure why "sustain for days" is a benchmark for a good bass. I have never needed such amounts of sustain.
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#1942006 - 05/14/08 06:37 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: SteveC]
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rizzo9247
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 aaaaaaahh...
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#1942075 - 05/14/08 08:03 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: SteveC]
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saxofunk
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I have a bass that goes both ways; I made it that way when I replaced the cheap stock bridge with a Hipshot B. I have tried it both through bridge and through body and I don't notice a difference. However - when I change stringing method I am also changing strings - it's not very scientific.
The strings I use now will only string through the bridge unless some silk is removed. That's how I roll.
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#1942146 - 05/14/08 01:02 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: saxofunk]
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RalphM
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Whats the reason for string through body option on some basses?
It's supposed to sound better or sound different - but I have to say ( like many others ) that I've owned both kinds and I really can't tell any difference, nor is it a factor when I purchase.
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#1942169 - 05/14/08 01:45 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: RalphM]
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rizzo9247
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Being that the manufacturers are removing more wood from the bass to make it string-through, I expect to pay less 
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#1942231 - 05/14/08 04:48 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: rizzo9247]
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Bumpcity
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For some time now Mike Lull has been doing through body on the low B string only of his 5 string basses. I've yet to ask him why he does this now as I always thought the low B on my M5 sounded great and it wasn't through body.
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#1942253 - 05/14/08 05:16 PM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: jeremy c]
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Chewbubba
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I think I'll string my bass in a manly way.
The strings will go right through my own body from back to front and then through the bass. I'm betting on getting some serious sustain that way (and sustaining some serious injuries as well.)
LOL 
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#1942394 - 05/15/08 04:32 AM
Re: String through body of bass or bridge?
[Re: Chewbubba]
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cloclo
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i have both (and tried both) and cannot hear a real difference...
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Moderator: Bob Gollihur (bob@gollihur.com), Tom Capasso, _Sweet Willie_
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There's the old 2TEK bridge that is a metal piece that you rout out the bass to fit (not recommended if you want your bass to retain its value) and that thing was AMAZING for sustain.
