very irritating/expensive problem

[bovinehost]

will that grind up the finish on it?

If you take a file to that tuner post, I will hunt you down and make you play a Wish bass for the rest of your natural life.

 

[kevins]

LOL what is a wish bass?

 

[bovinehost]

Google it because I'm not posting that shinola HERE.

 

[maddog]

To the original poster, have you taken it to a lukather, er, luthier?

 

[Powman]

Surely there is someone who plays flats that can shed some light on this?

Doesn't Adouglas use flats? What does he say about this problem?

 

[kevins]

im gonna try not cutting it, earlier i had 2 wraps around it but i guess ill go for 3, maybe it needs more space not to break or something. im gonna have a luthier put the strings on it this time around. im googling a wish bass...

DEAR GOD NO!!!!!!!!!!!!


THEYRE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE.


the worst part is i think i played one at a music go round once thinking "hey some kid tried to make a bass and failed miserably but maybe made a profit selling it to music go round...good for him." it too was fretless had that horrid bridge and played worse than anything in the known universe.

 

[kylierider]

I have been using flats consistantly for the past 4 or 5 years. EB Group III's on both my Stingrays (one fretted and one fretless) and DR flatwounds on my 78 P bass.

I have always cut my strings. But I alway bend the string at a 90 before cutting them and leave 3/4 to an inch to stick in the tuner post. I also like the windings to cover the whole post. I've never had any slipping problems ever.

So I think cutting them would be OK as long as you bend the string beforehand and as long as you have enough wraps around the tuning post the string should not slip.

I had the same problem with an upright bass string once. I was in a bind for a D string. I had to take one off of another upright with a 4" shorter scale. By the next day the string had slipped totally off of the post.

IMHO 2 wraps is not enough. I like at least 4.

 

[maddog]

Surely there is someone who plays flats that can shed some light on this?

Plenty of guys can do setups 'round here but I've seen many a post stumping the panel. Holding the bass closer to the monitor will only get you so much.

Until someone gets real eyeballs on the problem, it is all speculation.

I've strung flats a few times. Was just like roundwounds for me. So no idea what the problem is. It maybe something particular to the bass, it may be something particular to what Kevins is doing. Until someone physically checks the bass and watches what Kevins is doing, 'tis shooting in the dark.

 

[mrpackerguy]

it happened again...they're mailing me another new string but this is mighty annoying. i only cut 2 inches off the thing too...does it really need THAT much wrap around to avoid unwinding?

unfortunately, I believe so. Have trouble all the time buying used TI flats that are cut shorter than that.

 

[kylierider]

Not to try and diagnose your problem but I re-read your innitial post and I think it could be a bad string. I thought your strings were just slipping off the peg, but you said they were breaking. Amazing what happens when you read things carefully and pay attn.

I had that exact problem happen before. I bought a set of flats from an outside source. The E A and D were fine, installed as I usually do. When tuning the G up to pitch the string broke right were yours did. So I put a another 90 in the string and tried again..Same thing. Called the guy I bought them from and he sent me another one. Same thing happened. So I finally call the manufacturer and explained the problem. They told me it could be a bad string. They said every great once in a while this happens. Could have been a bad batch of G Stings. They sent me another which worked fine. First time in 20 years installing strings that this has happened.

 

[kevins]

Not to try and diagnose your problem but I re-read your innitial post and I think it could be a bad string. I thought your strings were just slipping off the peg, but you said they were breaking. Amazing what happens when you read things carefully and pay attn.

I had that exact problem happen before. I bought a set of flats from an outside source. The E A and D were fine, installed as I usually do. When tuning the G up to pitch the string broke right were yours did. So I put a another 90 in the string and tried again..Same thing. Called the guy I bought them from and he sent me another one. Same thing happened. So I finally call the manufacturer and explained the problem. They told me it could be a bad string. They said every great once in a while this happens. Could have been a bad batch of G Stings. They sent me another which worked fine. First time in 20 years installing strings that this has happened.

yeah the guy on the phone said they shouldnt break on that bass or with that string like that and to send the old one in so they can inspect it. i do hope i get my string soon. is it possible its gonna get to a point where the working strings sound different than the brand new d string that im gonna throw on in a week? or is that goofyness and the d will catch up to the e a and g just fine?

 

[five7]

Kylierider makes a good point. And maddog does too. I have never had a bass string break when putting it on. I have only had a few break at the bridge. I have taken used G strings off a stingray and put them on fender basses where you get less than a full wrap and they would stay in tune and not slip. But then I put a double bend on the end so I get enough to fill up the hole. That really seems to help to keep from having a slipping problem.

 

[maddog]

is it possible its gonna get to a point where the working strings sound different than the brand new d string that im gonna throw on in a week? or is that goofyness and the d will catch up to the e a and g just fine?

flats age nicely.

fret more, worry less.

 

[kevins]

flats age nicely.

fret more, worry less.

thanks much! that was all i was really worried about

 

[Aussie Mark]

Surely there is someone who plays flats that can shed some light on this?

Doesn't Adouglas use flats? What does he say about this problem?

There's been 4 or 5 flats users already posted here with the answer. Jack in particular posted a very detailed solution.

 

[kevins]

WOW! I'm gonna say! I am thoroughly impressed with EB's customer service here! So much I used proper punctuation!

I called in about the breaking D string and they sent not only a new D string but an entire new set of Group III flats. I strung them up with not a single problem and they play, feel and sound spectacular. This is BEYOND great customer service! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

 

[Aussie Mark]

WOW! I'm gonna say! I am thoroughly impressed with EB's customer service here! So much I used proper punctuation!

I called in about the breaking D string and they sent not only a new D string but an entire new set of Group III flats.

Hush money?

 

[Greg75]

Had the same problem with a bass once. After several broken strings, I changed the tuner, which fixed it. Careful examination of the old tuner revealed that the slot edges were a touch jagged and almost sharp--sharp enough to dig through the silk to the string, allowing the string to slip and creating enough metal-to-metal contact that, when combined with the slipping, sawed through the thin wire. Can't be sure you're having the same problem. Definitely be careful with the new string. Also, don't file anything to rough up any surface. In my case, patiently smoothing a couple edges with some very fine sandpaper might've worked but new rough spots would've made things worse.

 

[shakinbacon]

I have have flatwound (G strings only) slip on me several times. The key is to increase the friction. This can be done by

1) roughing up the string where it contacts the post with some sandpaper
2) roughing up the post where it contacts the string with some sandpaper
3) (my favorite) doing a half moon through the post

Number 3 is hard to explain. Imagine wrapping the string around only half of the post to make a "C" shape when looking down on it for one revolution. Then wrap around the whole post for the rest for the normal "O" shape. This gives two high friction contact points instead of one.

I've had this technique work on a string that was cut too short to even allow a full wrap "O" around the post

 

[kevins]

it may just have been a couple of defective strings. my luthier cut the strings and the d wrapped not thrice but twice with not a single problem. and EB took care of the problem amazingly well!