Chromes: Cloth winding contacting saddles

[stevorc321]

Hey all

I've been lurking for a while but I don't think I've posted before. Anyway, I have just started gigging bass again after being waylayed by the guitar for 10 or so years .

This may be an idiotic question but...I have just aquired a killer p-bass from a forum member here and have just put some chromes on her. Sounds great - but the strings are contacting the saddles at the ball-end cloth windings - not the actual string itself. No string metal is touching the saddles. There is even some of the winding extending past the saddles on some strings.

This has the effect of raising the action some due to the thickness of the windings (the saddles are already down very low). Is this normal or do I need to remove some of the winding somehow?

I can't remember if the Rotos I used years ago did this.

Steve

[ljazz]

Just take a hobby knife to the silk, and cut it back a bit. 2 minute job. I had to do the same with the chromes on my P bass.

[stevorc321]

Thanks man will do!! Anyone know what the purpose of the silk windings is for anyway? Do they hold the outer wrap together or are they just for show??

[rumblethump]

I think the silk has a dual purpose. One is to shield your hand from the end of the string wind at the ball end. I also think it is there to prevent it coming unwound at the end although I have never had that problem with strings I've either cut back or completely removed the silk wrap from. I too just had to cut back about 1/4" on the 2 chrome sets I've just installed. I just had to cut the silk completely off some Sound City flats because the wrap wouldn't go through my BA I bridge on my eb3. I've had no problems so far.

[G00D+~VIBES]

I have some roto flats that I've had on for 2+ years now that I had to cut the silk back on, and they still haven't given me any problems yet...

[R. Laevinus]

I used to cut the silk back on my Chromes, until I A/B'd cut-back strings with untrimmed strings, and heard no difference in tone at all.

So I'd suggest leaving it, unless the added height is really bothering you.

[stevorc321]

Thanks guys - well I cut them back yesterday as per Ijazz's advice and the action is much better now as the saddles were down almost as low as they could go (I may have to shim the neck). It did 'seem' a tad brighter after I cut back the silk?, but these were 1 day-old chromes. They have settled down a lot now and are a joy to play!

[oldscarrow]

G'day Steve,
No,.... not an idiotic question !
You will need to take a bit of the silk off if it is running onto the saddles, the metal part of the strings should run across the saddles, (nothing else) otherwise it has to have an effect on the tone...!
When you cut the silks back, you can put a little bit of clear nail polish on the silk to stop it unravelling and looking messy. ( if you are pedantic like me)
This is common with D'Addario Chromes, I have 3 basses strung with Chromes 50/105 and had to cut them all. The other bass, a Tune Bass Maniac (also Chromes) 45/105, never had that problem but the bridge (Gotoh) is a different configuration to the others.
Merry Christmas....

[eyecandy]

had the same thing a while ago when i changed to chromes... well a knife should do the trick