Problem with Rotosound Swing Bass 66LF lengths, anyone else?

[EddieG]

I've just restrung my Warmoth again tonight (string-thru as always), and for the third time on the bounce, the strings are stupid lengths!

The D string I'm taking off is a good inch longer than the D string I'm putting on, even though I trimmed the old one to length when I put it on, so now I've got an uncut VERY short string which barely goes around the tuning post once. The new G string is LONGER than the one I'm taking off even though the old one wasn't trimmed when I installed it, but the silk windings are shorter than the old one! And the windings at the ball end are different lengths also from the old set.

Does anybody else have, or has anybody else noticed issues like this with Rotosounds? Like I say, this is the third time, and even though I've used them since I started, I might jump to another string maker if this is something I have to contend with all the time now. Cheers.

[PBass101]

Is the total length of the string different, or is the amount of red silk wrap different?

I can't believe somebody could ever possibly cut a string too short because you should ALWAYS measure 3-4.5 inches past the tuning post each and everytime you put new strings on.

[73jbass]

Sounds like you got different scale length strings.

[PBass101]

Originally Posted by 73jbass

Sounds like you got different scale length strings.

+1. Check the packaging again and make sure what scale length the new strings are.

And like I said, measure the ends of the strings past the tuning post each and everytime you put them on before clipping them off. Don't just compare the length of cut to where the old strings were at, especially if you're eyeballing it based on the red silk wrap, because that doesn't make any sense if the red silk is always at a different length.

If you cut your string too short, that's user error and definitely not Rotosound's fault.

[EddieG]

Nah, same set I always buy. The E and A are fine, same as always. The D is a good inch shorter than the old one, which means it's going round the tuning post about one and a half times. The G, while the right length for me to use, has the windings starting further up the string than the old one! And on all strings, the windings at the ball end are noticeably shorter than the old set. Checked all the packaging too, and unless its a manufacturing or packaging error, the string packets correspond to the outer packaging.

I always measure the old ones against the new ones, putting both side by side, so I know how much to trim off. For the last few times I've used them, there have always been discrepancies in the string lengths. But never to this extent.

[PBass101]

Originally Posted by EddieG

Nah, same set I always buy. The E and A are fine, same as always. The D is a good inch shorter than the old one, which means it's going round the tuning post about one and a half times. The G, while the right length for me to use, has the windings starting further up the string than the old one! And on all strings, the windings at the ball end are noticeably shorter than the old set. Checked all the packaging too, and unless its a manufacturing or packaging error, the string packets correspond to the outer packaging.

I always measure the old ones against the new ones, putting both side by side, so I know how much to trim off. For the last few times I've used them, there have always been discrepancies in the string lengths. But never to this extent.

When you say "windings", are you talking about the red silk? I've had Rotosounds before that have had more or less red silk at the windings, but you shouldn't even be thinking about the length of silk when you're clipping the strings, just the total length of the string.

I'm not sure how you can get two different strings lengths between the old and new sets if you're setting them side by side to measure how much excess to cut off...

[EddieG]

You and me both!

With the D string, I laid it side by side with the old one (which I'd had to trim to length when I fitted it), and the new one was shorter by almost an inch. Don't ask me how, but it was. The red silk windings, which I would presume would be in the same place when old and new strings are laid side by side if they are made identically each time, weren't. So I'm thinking that there might be some sort of manufacturing error that's caused this.

Regardless, I've still got a dangerously long string on my Warmoth. However, I've emailed Rotosound, and we'll see what comes back.

[PBass101]

Originally Posted by EddieG

The red silk windings, which I would presume would be in the same place when old and new strings are laid side by side if they are made identically each time, weren't. So I'm thinking that there might be some sort of manufacturing error that's caused this.

Eh, not really. The red silk wraps on my Rotosounds, which I've been using for years, are rarely perfectly aligned the same way each time. Like I said, you need to cut the excess string off before winding by measuring the individual string past the tuning post 3-4.5 inches, depending on how many winds you want. You'll never have a problem of a string too long or short if you do it this way.

Originally Posted by EddieG

Regardless, I've still got a dangerously long string on my Warmoth. However, I've emailed Rotosound, and we'll see what comes back.

Long string? I thought you said it was too short?

[EddieG]

Originally Posted by PBass101

Eh, not really. The red silk wraps on my Rotosounds, which I've been using for years, are rarely perfectly aligned the same way each time. Like I said, you need to cut the excess string off before winding by measuring the individual string past the tuning post 3-4.5 inches, depending on how many winds you want. You'll never have a problem of a string too long or short if you do it this way.



Long string? I thought you said it was too short?

That's also the method I use when restringing. But, it's certainly something weird when a brand new string is shorter than the old one, which was trimmed to size. It seems to me that, regardless of the length of silk windings on the ends, that a string should be a set length from ball end to the other end, and Rotosounds rarely are when I buy them.

And yes, it's dangerously short, not long. Getting myself confused there!