Psychoslaps for psychobilly- (Psycho Slaps) Medium-Low Tension Strings

Innovation Double Bass Strings have a unique, non-metallic core which provide a gut-like tone without the cost or maintenance of gut upright bass strings. They hold their pitch well in climate and temperature changes, and most of their strings are equally suited for pizzicato (plucking) and arco (bowing).

Innovation Psychobilly Double Bass Strings are designed specifically for Psychobilly players; they're basically similar to the popular SilverSlaps and GoldenSlaps. However, they have a bigger diameter and a little more tension, which is better suited to someone actually playing the psychobilly style; with the higher speed and aggressiveness, a bit more tension is needed. (For "straight rockabilly," the slap is more of a passing accent - and the GoldenSlaps or SilverSlaps might be a better choice.) For a "stiffer" feel -- with a thinner diameter -- at a similar tension, the Rockabilly strings might be a good option.

The Psychobillies are thicker-gauged strings with low tension and a clear outer winding, and they have a big fat sound with good sustain. The tone, when used for Psycho-slap, is very aggressive. These are strings that want to be heard! They play similar to the other Innovation (and most other nylon/synthetic wrapped) strings. The outer winding is softer than metal, so they shouldn't be too abrasive on your fingers, and they're easy enough to get a grip on - even with sweaty fingers. They're actually quite useful for "straight pizz" tones as well. Some players have even suggested that - with their easy pizz play and bigger sound - these strings would be nicely suited for jump swing and blues, where getting a decent volume is an issue.

Note: All of the Innovation strings do not contain any ferrous materials; they are not suitable for use with a magnetic pickup, like the Schaller we carry. They will work with all typical piezo-based pickups (like the Realist, Full Circle, and all the K&K pickups and systems).

Innovation designs these 3/4 size bass strings to fit on a standard 3/4 size bass. They may very well fit your bass if it is larger than 3/4. For your reference, the lengths of the string, as measured against the bass tailpiece to the nut is 51.5 inches, plus an additional 17 inches to handle stringing in the headstock.

For a comparison chart of the differences between the different Innovation String models, check out the "comparison" tab.

String Lengths

• Ball end to nut (Afterlength + Playing Length): 51.5 inches/136cm
• Afterlength (Ball end to bridge): 5.5 inches/14cm
• Wound top of string (pegbox): 17 inches/43cm

String Gauges:

Important note about the gauges listed above: the measurements were done here at the shop with a (cheap) digital caliper, so they may not be spot on – they’re not intended to be critically accurate, as they are here for basic guidance to give you a rough idea of what to expect. Additionally, variances in raw material supplies (at the manufacturer) can result in strings that may be slightly different from batch to batch. GHS makes the strings to meet a certain tension spec and mass, but (for instance) if there are variances in the gauge of the nylon wire or nylon tape used for the outer winding, it can make for a difference in the strings' overall diameter. All that to say, don't get too caught up in the numbers! Where the rubber hits the road is how the strings feel under the fingers.