Did I ruin my string?

[KingRazor]

I put on a new low B string on my bass and it rattles like hell. Plus it feels way too loose, I have to tune it up to D just to make it tight enough, but it's still rattles. I think I cut the end too short. It only wraps around the tuner twice unlike my last string (it was my first time putting a string on :P). Do you think the string is ruined? If so that was a real waste of like $8.

[Basshoofd]

Wrapped around the tuner twice is good.

It could be the setup of your bass. Check your neck relief and make sure that the bridge saddle isn't too low.

[BassMan7530]

Not sure if this is correct; I havn't experimented with string gauges too much, so someone correct me if I'm wrong. But...

To me, when strings are too loose and rattle too much, it seems like it would make sense to increase string gauge. If you have a large gauge string and a smaller gauge string tune to the same pitch, the string of larger gauge would always be tighter, I would assume.

I have a similar problem with the B- and E- strings on my 6-string bass; whenever I go to really dig into the strings and really aggressively smack them with my fingers (especially when playing notes in succession), they would feel very loose, and it's very hard to pluck them with consistency because the string moved so much. I recently bought a heavier gauge to see if that helps out at all, but I have yet to put them on, ha.

Well, good luck. Hope this helped.
Brian

[m_bisson]

I just re-stringed my acoustic guitar yesterday (my first time changing strings as well) and I found that if it's not seated on the bridge properly then it rattles a lot like what you're describing.

[FunkMetalBass]

There are a bunch of possibilities. It's probably a combination of 3 things:

1) New gauge is too light.
2) Nut is improperly filed.
3) Your bass needs a setup.

[KingRazor]

Pretty sure the bass needs a setup. Was gonna have it set up as soon as I have $50 to spend on it.

The B has never sounded very good on this bass, this is the 3rd one it's had. Ever since the stock strings the B has always rattled. It's just never rattled as much as this one.

I went ahead and put the old string back on for now because it doesn't sound as bad. I hope that the shop can make it sound good. While I'd prefer the lighter .125 over the old .130, I really just want whichever one sounds good.

[1kinal]

Are you sure the new string is not a tapercore when the stock string was non-taper?

No matter if you changed guage to go lower or higher, have you adjusted the string height at the bridge accordingly?

[Kipaste]

So the new set was indeed lighter gauge? That's what causing it. And it's just not the B string either. Now that you have lighter strings, you also have less tension pulling the neck so you've lost the relief on the neck. This is standard stuff and usually every time you try differend strings you need to do some adjustments.
It will be very expensive if you need to pay a tech every time you wan't to experiment (or the seasons change etc..)

Setting up the bass is not hard at all and unless you go at it with power tools, you really won't screw anything and you'll save a lot of money. Do a search on basic setup. A quarter to a of a turn on the truss rod could do wonders on your bass. Just don't force anything and you'll be fine.

[KingRazor]

Originally Posted by Kipaste

So the new set was indeed lighter gauge? That's what causing it. And it's just not the B string either. Now that you have lighter strings, you also have less tension pulling the neck so you've lost the relief on the neck. This is standard stuff and usually every time you try differend strings you need to do some adjustments.
It will be very expensive if you need to pay a tech every time you wan't to experiment (or the seasons change etc..)

Setting up the bass is not hard at all and unless you go at it with power tools, you really won't screw anything and you'll save a lot of money. Do a search on basic setup. A quarter to a of a turn on the truss rod could do wonders on your bass. Just don't force anything and you'll be fine.

I don't have any of the tools yet and personally I prefer to have a professional's touch. That being said, I'll probably have to get around to getting those tools eventually, but this time around I'm taking it in.

The stock B was tapered, the first replacement was not, this new string is tapered again.

[ehque]

you can't change from tapered string to non-tapered and vice versa without a setup.

you also can buy all the tools you need to do a setup, and then some, with $50.

[spaz21387]

I like doing my own work on my basses. guitar center has done bad setups for me. i bought a set of ernie balls and gave them to the tech with my bass. their tech asks if i want low action. i say yes. I wait about 9 days before he calls and says my bass is ready to be picked up. look at the bass. the ball ends are colored, they put d addarios on the bass. and the action is set so it makes fretting very difficult. thats when i learned to do my own set ups. get a set of allen wrenches and do it yourself you will save your self time and money.

[PSPookie]

The only tools you really need are a few hex wrenches and a small phillips head screwdriver. Those will cost you much less than $50.

Don't be afraind -- there's not too much you can mess up and nothing that can't be easily fixed. Just don't do too much at once and remember what you did so you can undo it if needed.

Also, don't turn the truss rod more than about 1/2 turn per day. The neck will need to settle in for about a day after a trussrod adjustment.

[FunkMetalBass]

Walmart sells sets of allen wrenches for $1.
They also sell screwdrivers for ~$1.