D'addario open E problem.

bigbass94 · #1 01-01-2008, 11:36 AM

Hi, when I got my new bass I bought some D'addario flatwounds. Everything sounds oK when fretting a note, but note when playing an open E. It makes it sound synthy and fake. Anyone else have this problem?

GeoffByrne · #2 01-01-2008, 11:56 AM

If it sounds a bit 'Flangey' then there's probably a twist in the string.

Take it off & restring, making sure it doesn't get a twist in it.

bigbass94 · #3 01-01-2008, 04:19 PM

It sounds more like the string is hollow.

markjazzbassist · #4 01-01-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbass94

It sounds more like the string is hollow.

get a good setup and check your pickup height. if your pickups are too close (or too far) it will sound wierd.

Also, break those babies in. Chromes sound really different after you break them in after a week or two. really mellow and nice. i love my chromes

tindrum · #5 01-01-2008, 08:49 PM

I'd check your setup as well. If the Chromes are a smaller guage than what you had on before, or are looser than interaction with being too close to a pickup magnet can do what you're describing.

You may also have a string with a bad wind under the outer wrap. This happened to me once, actually with D'addario's (XL's). Simply a bad string in a batch that time. Also had a DR nickel lo-rider refuse to tune to pitch, and it just "thudded" when plucked. Oddly, both of those were E strings as well. Being the largest string out of 4 means more wrap wire, so I suppose more room for error.

One note...when I emailed DR about my faulty string they overnighted a new pack. That impressed me to no end!

Rumblin' Man · #6 01-02-2008, 12:46 PM

Here's something easy to try...Make sure there's a good witness point at the nut, press down with your thumb as hard as you can while you move your thumb from the first fret back to the nut. Alternatavely press down near the edge of the nut with a pencil eraser or other such tool.

TomB · #7 01-02-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

get a good setup and check your pickup height. if your pickups are too close (or too far) it will sound wierd.

Also, break those babies in. Chromes sound really different after you break them in after a week or two. really mellow and nice. i love my chromes

+1... the sound after a few weeks of playing is quite different from at first, but will then stabilize for months and months...

kyral210 · #8 01-04-2008, 05:38 PM

If it is only with the open E, then it sounds like the nut needs sorting. See a guitar Tech.