Cutting/shortening flatwounds: yay/nay?

Lefty52 · #1 10-16-2011, 07:06 PM

I have a set of long scale Thomastic Infeld Jazz Flats that I'd like to cut down in length so I can fit them to a short (30") scale bass. I'm wondering if cutting them off and then winding the steel around the post will cause structural and/or tonal deficiencies.

The reason I ask is that I came across a post by Talkbasser bobyoung53 who reckons: "Just a FYI, The TI's short scale flats are not short scale, they're medium scale, 32". I've never seen a short scale by them, the wound portion will wind around the peg making them go dead in a very short time."

Anyone tried this and have any comments/cautionary tales? Thanks.

Pilgrim · #2 10-16-2011, 07:39 PM

Yes, you can cut strings down. The portion wound around the tuner isn't part of the vibrating body. The diameter of the strings may be rather large in the tuner, but it does work.

duncmill · #3 10-16-2011, 07:52 PM

I put a set of TI 32inch Jazz flats on a 30 inch scale, two on a side Gretsch about six months ago. I did not have to cut any of the strings past the taper, however the E and G are both wound on the tuning machines past the silk. The E string is the only one that seems a little iffy. So far no problems and I do like the strings. They do seem to be a little stiffer than the TI Flats I have on my 34 inch scale basses.

SLaPiNFuNK · #4 10-17-2011, 04:06 AM

The problem you will run into is the string unraveling if you cut too much that you are cutting into outer windings...

With the T-I strings however, they are so flexible like duncmill mentioned, depending on the diameter of your tuning posts you may be able to just wind them on there.

PaulNYC · #5 10-17-2011, 05:19 AM

I have cut down ti jf 324 to got my 28.5" scale mikro and I don't notice any issues.

Jay2U · #6 10-17-2011, 12:45 PM

The scale is four inches shorter. For the same tuning the tension will be almost 25% less, which is quite a lot!

PaulNYC · #7 10-17-2011, 01:22 PM

it is low tension but I have gotten used to it.

Lefty52 · #8 10-17-2011, 04:55 PM

Paul, did you cut the strings before you installed them, or after? The reason I ask is, I contacted Thomastik Infeld directly about cutting and shortening Jazz Flats, and they advised against cutting before installation.

Here is the reply from TI:

"Don't cut the string before you install the strings. If you do this before the strings go dead .than the winding material get of from the core wire."

I'm not sure how to read this. Is he saying it's OK to cut them AFTER install, or not to cut them at all?

PaulNYC · #9 10-17-2011, 05:31 PM

I cut before. I am not sure how one could install them correctly without cutting first? I usually leave the strings at least 3" longer than the tuning posts.

here is a picture showing that I only cut at the silks.

Lefty52 · #10 10-17-2011, 05:45 PM

Yeah, I can't see how they could be cut after, unless if I wrap the strings around the post without poking the string through the hole in the post. Not even sure that would work.

PaulNYC · #11 10-17-2011, 05:47 PM

I don't like the idea of bending the string way lower than the silks just to keep all sorts of length on them. I cut the TI JF344 strings, in the silk part, on my long scale, and they have been fine for a couple of years.