Help! No Silk Flatwounds

jags · #1 06-24-2011, 02:29 PM

I'm looking to find Flatwounds with no silk at the ball ends. This is for a short scale Kramer Duke Headless. Being headless there is a very short distance between where the ball sits and the nut and I am concerned that the silk will extend over the nut into the first fret.

Can anyone tell me which brands and models DO NOT have silks on the ball ends?

I'm looking at D'Addario Chromes Flatwounds or GHS Precision Flatwounds.

RotoSounds do have silks so they will not work.

Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

bassmonkeee · #2 06-24-2011, 03:12 PM

I know Chromes have blue silk at the ball end.

So, do TIs.

Sadowsky flats have them at the end, too, but I don't think they make them in short scale, anyway.

Don't know about GHS.

Good luck.

jbednarski · #3 06-24-2011, 03:13 PM

LaBella Deep talkin Bass. No silk on the ball ends.

CapnSev · #4 06-24-2011, 03:15 PM

No silk and short scale?

I think you may be out of luck my friend.

EDIT: Just saw that the "nos silk" comment was directed at the ball end. In that case I think LaBellas are your only bet.

tjh · #5 06-24-2011, 03:15 PM

my chromes have blue silk at both ends ... my Labella 760FL's just have silk at the tuner end ...

tjh · #6 06-24-2011, 03:30 PM

Capn just beat me to it ... Labella shorts ...

Pilgrim · #7 06-24-2011, 03:32 PM

And the bonus...Labella flats are great!

jmceachern36 · #8 06-24-2011, 05:01 PM

GHS don't have silk at the ball ends.

tjh · #9 06-24-2011, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

And the bonus...Labella flats are great!

... and you get 3 different gauges to pick from ...

SLaPiNFuNK · #10 06-25-2011, 12:04 AM

How far of a distance is where the ball sits till the nut? Even though some strings don't have silk, there may be some length where the string is wound uneven before the consistent winding begins.

I am looking at some Hofner Beatle Bass Flats as well as Deep Talkin flats and they both look like there is just over 3/4" of uneven winding.

I looked at some DR flats, they have 1" of Silk at the ball.
Rotosound have 1" of Silk on them at the ball...

jags · #11 06-25-2011, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

How far of a distance is where the ball sits till the nut? Even though some strings don't have silk, there may be some length where the string is wound uneven before the consistent winding begins.

That's a great question. Problem is I just won this Kramer Duke off ebay and don't have it yet to measure. Anyone out there with a Duke that can take a measurement? I know it has rounds on it now and wanted to get some flats ASAP.

Also thanks to all of you that have replied. It has helped a lot!

I currently have RotoSound 77s on my Fender MusicMaster short scale and they are great. I would love to put the same on this Kramer Duke but I am concerned with the silk.

Anyone else with any more info please chime in.

Thanks again!

thombo · #12 06-25-2011, 12:42 AM

i play Chromes and the silk made the string too girthy to fit through my bridge, so i trimmed it away and it's been good to go ever since. I know your problem is different, but you may be able to do the same.

also, looking at slapinfunk's pics, i would add that it may not matter if the string width is uneven if it is shortly after the nut, as tapered strings work just fine.

SLaPiNFuNK · #13 06-25-2011, 12:52 AM

Agreed it doesnt matter shortly after the nut. But depending on the distance from the ball to the nut, I don't think he would want to see the uneven winding end up on the nut.

king koeller · #14 06-25-2011, 12:57 AM

Just burn the silk off with a lighter.
Problem solved.

Slowgypsy · #15 06-25-2011, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king koeller

Just burn the silk off with a lighter.
Problem solved.

Or slice it off with a razor blade. Either way, easy to solve.

jags · #16 06-25-2011, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

I don't think he would want to see the uneven winding end up on the nut.

Exactly!

Hopefully someone can give us a measured length between the ball and the nut.

Anyone with a Kramer Duke?

jags · #17 06-25-2011, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king koeller

Just burn the silk off with a lighter.
Problem solved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slowgypsy

Or slice it off with a razor blade. Either way, easy to solve.

But aren't the windings usually uneven under the silks? That would put an uneven string on the nut. I don't think that would be too good!

SLaPiNFuNK · #18 06-25-2011, 01:27 AM

I would think they chose the non double ball end headless design to be able to use any standard electric bass string.

Most standard roundwounds have the same roughly 3/4" uneven winding near the ball, so if I had to guess, they have at least 1" of distance between the ball and the nut.

I am wanting to definitely find out for sure for my own database of fitments, so hopefully someone with a Kramer Duke can let us know what kind of strings they are using, and if I have them, I can measure the exact distance of that winding, and we can put two and two together.

SLaPiNFuNK · #19 06-25-2011, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jags

But aren't the windings usually uneven under the silks? That would put an uneven string on the nut. I don't think that would be too good!

yes! and fwiw, the DR flats have the same uneven winding under the slink but the silk extends just a bit to make 1" of silk.

however, looking at some Ken Smith round wounds, the silk is only about 1/2" and the uneven winding extends 1/4" past the silk.

king koeller · #20 06-25-2011, 01:35 AM

original question..."I'm looking to find Flatwounds with no silk at the ball ends. This is for a short scale Kramer Duke Headless. Being headless there is a very short distance between where the ball sits and the nut and I am concerned that the silk will extend over the nut into the first fret."

Get some double ball steinberger style strings that are longer, and cut off the one end.