To many wraps?

SnuffdaCrimeDog · #1 05-19-2007, 10:52 AM

O.k. so about 2 weeks ago I got a new pair of DR's. Now when I restring my bass, I always try to get as many wraps around the tunning peg as possible, as your supposed to. So I went along getting a good 3 wraps with the new E string, and then I moved to the A. Now I'm pretty good at gauging how much you should cut a string I've never cut it to short. Now with the A string this was the exact opposite. I don't think I cut it enough, I had almost five wraps around the peg. Which made me smile at first. So I went to play it and so forth, and started popping and slapping and all that good stuff. But every time I slapped an open A, a weird sound that I can only describe as a "ssssssssssssss" sound would follow as the note wrang out( dont make fun of me I was just doing my best to describe the sound

). Anyway so after checking my relief, and messing around with the bridge saddles to no avail. I got fed up. So I left it for a few days thinking maybe it would work itself out. Nope. Then I started thinking maybe its the way the string was sitting, so I took off the A string, cut a bit more on and threw an restrung it. The nasty noise went away! So my question being it is possible to have too many warps around? I mean I had it pretty much wrapped around the whole tunning peg. I just want some input.

JimmyM · #2 05-19-2007, 04:17 PM

Absolutely it's possible to have too many wraps. 3 is usually the most you want.

Gene Leone · #3 05-19-2007, 09:12 PM

Always cut the string 3" past the tuning post.

Put the string in the hole of the post and wrap. Works every time perfectly.

Lokire · #4 05-21-2007, 02:32 AM

Too many wraps? Not for me. I try to cut my strings so that I can get as many wraps around the post as possible without overlapping any. The exact amount depends on the string though. The big fat B-string can only fit a few, but the little G or C strings get lots of wraps.

I've never had any problems like you're describing. Maybe you just didn't play it enough to where the string settled into its tuning? If you just let the stings sit, nothing is going to change. You have to play them for a while first.

How did you wind the strings exactly? Did you hold tension on the strings while wrapping or did you just loosly wrap them around the post by hand first?

JimmyM · #5 05-21-2007, 02:57 AM

Lokire, why do you try to fit so many wraps on your posts? Not judging, of course...just wondering what it accomplishes that can't be done with 3. If I put that many wraps on my strings, they either start to wind over the wraps that are already on there or they push the strings out of the pegs.

Lokire · #6 05-21-2007, 03:11 AM

It isn't a big deal, as it doesn't specifically 'accomplish' anything. I think it looks nice, having lots of wrapping all lined up tightly together. I also tend to do a lot of string experimenting, so if I leave a lot of wraps then I'll be able to use that string set on different basses. Like if I want to switch a set from my Ken Lawrence (2x3 headstock) to my DeArmond (4 inline headstock), then there will be plenty of wraps on the G string for it to reach.

But I never leave too much so that they start to overlap, since that's bad for the strings and for tuning stability. And they never push the strings out of the pegs. I don't see why they would since there's plenty of tension to hold the wrappings on place.

Lokire · #7 05-21-2007, 03:20 AM

I don't know how most people wind new strings, but I do it under tension the whole time. Cut the string to what seems like a good length, put the end in the hole as far as it will go and then bend it at a right angle. Then I wrap it just a little bit (half turn maybe) by hand. Then I pull the string to tension with my right hand while manually turning the tuning key until it's all wrapped up. That way you always get nice tight windings from the start and don't have nearly as much tuning slippage. It's a little tedious but it has always worked best for me.

T-Bird · #8 05-21-2007, 03:20 AM

Hi.

E 2, A 2, D 3, G 3.

Works like a charm for me.

I usually won't bother with the string in the hole procedure, but i play just simple rock, and the neatness of the headstock isn't top priority

. (I do trim 'em)

Just my...nah.
Sam

PilbaraBass · #9 05-21-2007, 05:02 AM

after a bit of trial and error...you will learn how much to cut off on your bass...

I always stick my ends in the hole if its a slotted tuner, because I can't stand loose ends if I can help it.

If you have too many wraps...just pull the string...trim a little bit off, and restring it.

saxofunk · #10 05-21-2007, 06:03 AM

I'm betting that the number of wraps has nothing to do with the sound you're getting.

Does the string hiss when you play it open, or only when fretted, or all the time?

If it hisses all the time, I suspect you have a defective string; the wraps are loose around the core. It's a rare problem, but it happens, ironically DR are the only brand I've bought that had a warning included in the package that instructed the user to bend the strings before cutting them.

StoutXXX · #11 05-21-2007, 06:10 AM

on two jazz basses I noticed that if you only had on winding or so on that a string without a string tree, the bass would have an odd hiss/vibration behind the nut. So wraps can affect noise, at least if you under wrap.

CrashClint · #12 05-21-2007, 07:29 AM

A friend of mine had an issue with a Carvin LB75 getting strange tones. He was putting 3 wraps on the tuning post. A luthier in Raleigh told him to only go 2 wraps, when he did it cleared up the problem. I am not sure what brand strings he was using or if that even made a difference.

Pilgrim · #13 05-21-2007, 03:46 PM

I figure that enough wraps to keep the string from slipping is enough. And I also insert the end in the hole in the post, since I figure that's good insurance against slippage.

SuperSnake2012 · #14 05-21-2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gene Leone

Always cut the string 3" past the tuning post.

Put the string in the hole of the post and wrap. Works every time perfectly.

I find on Fenders you need to have more string, or they will not have enough tension.

JimmyM · #15 05-22-2007, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperSnake2012

I find on Fenders you need to have more string, or they will not have enough tension.

Ya, the A string especially needs it.

Captain Chaos · #16 05-24-2007, 08:29 AM

What if you don't cut your strings, would that do anything to your neck?

Lokire · #17 05-24-2007, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Chaos

What if you don't cut your strings, would that do anything to your neck?

The windings themselves, or the length of the string past the nut doesn't have any effect on the neck's tension. It's just that if you don't cut the strings at all, then you'll have to overlap wrappings, and when you have one layer of string wrapped tightly up against another layer of the same string...it's not good. More wear on the string at those points, and less tuning stability.

dmusic148 · #18 05-24-2007, 03:42 PM

Hey Snuff, are you by any chance wrapping 'up' the post instead of 'down'? Sounds like maybe you are, this means adding wraps reduces pressure on the nut, allowing the string to rattle. The fact that you say cutting a little more off stops it supports this theory.

Baleen · #19 05-24-2007, 04:16 PM

I suspect, like dmusic148, that the noise the original poster experienced was rattling in the nut due to lack of downward pressure.

I wrapped all my strings 1 over followed by 2 under for years until I got some 60's style Fenders and found I had to use as many wraps as I could on the A string to reliably get enough downward pressure so it wouldn't rattle in the nut. I guess it's the combination of the straight, not back bowed, headstock, the distance of the A-post to the nut and the fact that the posts are not tapered at all.