Installing flats on a sterling

[thindave]

Hey all, I'm sure I read this somewhere before, but I can't seem to find it anywhere... I'm installing some eb flats on my sterling - is it ok to trim the ends of the strings down or are you just supposed to leave them as is and wrap em around?

I thought I remember that the strings can unravel if you cut the ends (by the ends, I mean the thin, blue wrap at the end, not the actual string...).

Thanks,

Dave

 

[Psychicpet]

restring with flats the same way you'd string your bass with rounds. it's all gooood



but I'd be interested in a tone report!

 

[fidooda]

if you mean remove the excess uneccessary string length, sure. i do it all the time with mine, flats or rounds.

 

[AnthonyD]

I cut my flats to length, but have found that they are more prone to slipping than rounds. I generally leave them longer than I would rounds.

Some guys won't cut flats at all, preferring to wind-up all the excess.

I have experience issues, especially with the 'G' string, whereby the core seems to be slipping apart from the wrap at the peg.

 

[73jbass]

Put a 90 degree bend in last 1/2" of the string before cutting it to length. Then trim the excess length and insert the bent section into the center of the machine head. Works great.

 

[tkarter]

A C string flat I will never cut again. The rest I do just like i would rounds. FWIW.


tk

 

[thindave]

Well, I strung it up but had an issue where the G string slipped - couldn't get it to grab. I've emailed customer service, since this happened on my last string change on the E string as well (with rounds) so maybe something's up.

73jbass, I'm not quite following you - can you elaborate?

Dave

 

[tkarter]

I will tell you how I fixed the slipping C string on the bongo 6. I had cut it longer than I needed to for 3 wraps and when it slipped the second time. I quit sticking it in and stringing it like I did the others. I laid it flat hand wound around once reverse of what would be normal and then laid it in the slot so it would hold for normal rotation. Wound it up and brought it up to tune.


Sorta the country boy survival technique.

tk

 

[thindave]

TK, I'll have to give that a try - thanks!

So, being relatively new to the bass side of things (I got this sterling a year and a half ago - been playing guitar for 25...) do the tuners lose their grip with time and use? Not trying to start anything, just curious...

 

[tkarter]

There is never anything the matter with an EBMM tuner. It is they are big on a bass and the strings are small and well flats just don't hang on like rounds do when smaller in diameter.


Flats are slick too.

And BP will probably beat me up for talking about flats on a bongo LOL.


tk

 

[jasper383]

I had issues with D'Addario Chromes slipping on the G string tuner. I have since started running that string (and the D string, just in case) through the slot on top of the tuner an extra time. No more slipping.

I know, don't buy off-brand strings.

 

[MingusBASS]

Nothing makes me more mad than when I cut a string too short. It's only happened a few times in the last 15 years but *&%$.

 

[thindave]

I had issues with D'Addario Chromes slipping on the G string tuner. I have since started running that string (and the D string, just in case) through the slot on top of the tuner an extra time. No more slipping.

I know, don't buy off-brand strings.

Ok, Jasper, just so I have it straight:

1. Put it down the hole
2. Bend it down in the slot and wrap around halfway
3. Back in the slot and then wrap as normal?

 

[Oldtoe]

You flatwound users would put bias-ply tires on a Z06 Corvette.

 

[bovinehost]

The issue at hand has nothing to do with tuners, whether they be EBMMs or Fenders or whatever. The issue is - with flatwounds, the core CAN (but won't always) separate from the outer part of the string if it's cut.

There are a number of ways to minimize the chances of this happening. The most secure way is to not cut the excess off the string until you have it firmly wrapped around the post.

I have a method I use, but it's not as simple as the above, which works perfectly well.

Jack

PS to Ben-Tor: Go put some Rush on, will you?

 

[Oldtoe]

Touché, amigo.

I need some scream parlour time soon. *sigh*

 

[jasper383]

Ok, Jasper, just so I have it straight:

1. Put it down the hole
2. Bend it down in the slot and wrap around halfway
3. Back in the slot and then wrap as normal?

Yes. Exactly.

This way, the string lies across the top slot 1 1/2 times, instead of the usual 1/2 time. More friction to keep it there. Someone on Talkbass had this problem, too, and even took a picture of this solution.

I have only ever had this problem with Chromes. Upsetting to tune the string up to G then have it slip on down by itself to F#, F, on down...

 

[T-bone]

1. Put it down the hole
2. Bend it down in the slot and wrap around halfway
3. Back in the slot and then wrap as normal?

There's just too many responses for this one.

tbone (the perv)

 

[thindave]

I was actually going to use my hot dog and donuts analogy...