cutting the excess string when changing them

[1dgbass]

Hey,

I was wondering when you change your strings, how much excess do you leave when cutting? Does that affect tone? I feel I cut off to much on my e string and now I think I'm hearing fret buzz. A bass player's worst nightmare. But I'm thinking that could be because the strings are new. Is it all in my head? How many wrap arounds do you make around the tuning post?

I think I'm being paranoid, but I just want my bass in great playing condition.

Douglas.

[purpletornado]

As far as I know, three, maybe four, wraps are about all you want on the post. At least that's how much I leave when I change them.

Are you winding from the top down?

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by 1dgbass

Hey,

I was wondering when you change your strings, how much excess do you leave when cutting? Does that affect tone? I feel I cut off to much on my e string and now I think I'm hearing fret buzz. A bass player's worst nightmare. But I'm thinking that could be because the strings are new. Is it all in my head? How many wrap arounds do you make around the tuning post?

I think I'm being paranoid, but I just want my bass in great playing condition.

Douglas.

It doesn't affect tone or string height. If you changed to lighter gauge strings, that could cause them to buzz on the frets. As to wraps, the lowest strings can only go around the peg a couple of times; you don't want them to overlap.

[JTE]

You need enough to have St least two complete wraps around the tuning machine barrel, and to wrap the string so it breaks over the nut at the right angle. Fret buzz (BTW, that's not everyone's worst nightmare) will NOT be caused by the way you wrap the string. It's more likely to be caused by the new strings putting less tension on the neck, or the saddles' height screws rattling loose and lowering the saddles, or the strings being more flexible than the old ones. I'd suggest reading the setup stickies, and getting a firm grounding in the basics of setup and maintenance.

A big recommendation for Dan Erlewine's "Complete Guitar Repair". It covers everything you need to understand how your bass works and the trade-offs involved in setup ( something missed in a lot of internet discussions).

John

[John Wentzien]

Make sure you wrap it down ...(close to the peg-head) so there is enough downward pressure on the nut.

[1dgbass]

I am wrapping from the top-down. That is the most annoying part of changing strings.

[JEDI BASS]

Leave about 4" past the post on old Fender style tuners, less on the skinny post modern style tuners.

[darkstorm]

Minimum of 2 for E & A, minimum of 3 for D & G. As my guidelinme for bass strings.

[CrimsonGhost]

on a fender, I cut E at where it meets G, and measure off E by eye to match lengths, it gives you a good 3 wraps,

and please please dont forget Stick the end of the string into the hole in the tuner, bent it down, and winder er up. I cant believe I still see basses out there with needles stinking about like a guitard did the install.

[blr2]

I cut them so I have two complete wraps around the post on the thicker strings and three on the thinner ones. If you always use the same strings , you can do a little trick to have the same length. When you cut your strings, save the "tails" Next time you change just place the remaining tail from the old string over the end of the new one and cut to length.

[number six]

Gary Willis' book "101 Bass Tips" covers this.
2-3" for newer Gotoh tuners.
Older Fender tuners he says you can leave intact as extra wraps around the post help keep the string secure. I leave 3" on my Fender which stays in tune pretty well.

[onosson]

I'm going to go against received wisdom on this... I've been playing bass for over 20 years, most of that time as my occupation, and have changed hundreds of strings, at least. I used to wrap as many windings as would fit comfortably without overlapping, and did it that way for many many years.

Lately, I've gone down to one single winding, sometimes not even a full wrap around the post - and have had no problems whatsoever. I'd say, try it a few different ways, see what works for you and your bass. The most you have to lose are some strings and a few bucks.

[touji]

I cut my TI Flats a little too short by accident and it affected my A string the most on a MIM Jazz. The break angle at the nut was too small and it gave me noticeable buzz. I have to take a cloth string and wrap the string down to try to get some more break and it has gotten rid of the buzz a bit. In the OPs case, that's where the buzz should be coming from.

[rust_preacher]

Sometimes the silk at the end of the wrap is so slippery that I cannot get friction on the post. That's when (invariably I have cut the length down to where I like it) I need to start scatterwinding and winding across the end of the string instead of slotting the string into the hole in the tuning peg. That is annoying especially on the D and G strings and with slinky flatwounds... I don't know what would be the best strategy here.

[251]

Originally Posted by 1dgbass

Hey,

I was wondering when you change your strings, how much excess do you leave when cutting? Does that affect tone? I feel I cut off to much on my e string and now I think I'm hearing fret buzz. A bass player's worst nightmare. But I'm thinking that could be because the strings are new. Is it all in my head? How many wrap arounds do you make around the tuning post?

I think I'm being paranoid, but I just want my bass in great playing condition.

Douglas.

I leave 9 or 10 times the diameter of the tuning peg, about 3 1/2 inches. That is enough to wrap the post about 3 times. Wrapping from top of post to bass head adds angle to the bend at the nut which is good for tone. Wrap using the tuning post, instead of turning the string around the peg. It avoids twisting the core wire, which can sound weird.

I don't think you're acting paranoid. You just noticed that you don't know & asked. 8-)

[KingRazor]

Would be easier if you were able to wrap the string around the peg first and then cut, like with some guitars. The whole cutting before hand thing takes getting used to.

[onosson]

Originally Posted by 1dgbass

I think I'm hearing fret buzz. A bass player's worst nightmare.

I'd like to add that this is *not* necessarily a bad thing! Listening to a bass on its own, we as players tend to want to minimize the amount of "noise" and achieve a clean tone (unless you're using effects to add distortion of some type...) However, in context with the rest of a band, some "noise" including fret buzz can add to the overall sound in a musical way.

[MonetBass]

I see you have a Fender Jazz. When in doubt, go to the source:
http://www.fender.com/support/bass_g...etup_guide.php

Look under "Strings" and "Tuning Keys".

[HolmeBass]

DR recommends crimping the string right below where you cut it, to preserve the integrity of the overwrap wire on the core. I now do that with all strings out of habit. I think a little extra is better than too little, I like to make sure I get the string wound tightly down to the bottom of the tuning peg, especially on the A string on a Fender Jazz, to maximize the break angle over the nut.

[Invisible_Sun]

I usually cut it to 2.5 inches past the post. That should give you 3-4 wraps around the post, depending to width of the post and thickness of the given string.

Hope this helps.



Cheers!