Weird Problem: Chorus-y sound from DR Fatbeams

[4StringTheorist]

Just got my bass back from the shop yesterday. I had the bridge and some other hardware changed, and a setup done along with a new set of DR M.M. Fatbeams.

Odd thing is that if I play on the upper octave of the neck, it sounds like the bass is going through a light chorus pedal. The effect is pronounced when I pluck harder.

I can hear this unplugged with my ear against the bass, so I've ruled out electronics as the issue. The setup wasn't done perfectly in my opinion, and there's a bit of buzzing in the upper octave when I dig in. Thing is... I can hear some of that chorus-y sound from the bass, unplugged, and before I play hard enough to hear fret buzz.

I've narrowed this down to a setup that needs fixing, or a weird set of strings. Has anyone here ever gotten a chorus type sound out of a set of Fatbeams?

[NorCal Dog]

yes

changed strings from fat beams to D'A XL's

problem solved

[4StringTheorist]

Interesting. After a little listen, the problem is mainly the E and G strings.

Guess I've just had my first set of off DRs.

[jasper383]

I had this with a set of Hi Beams on a Fender Mike Dirnt. It turns out, one string was twisted. I wonder if round core strings are more susceptible to this.

Try loosening the chorusy strings a bit, letting the strings untwist, then tune back up.

[4StringTheorist]

Originally Posted by jasper383

I had this with a set of Hi Beams on a Fender Mike Dirnt. It turns out, one string was twisted. I wonder if round core strings are more susceptible to this.

Try loosening the chorusy strings a bit, letting the strings untwist, then tune back up.

Thanks jasper. I'll give that a shot this weekend!

[rocknout89]

Hmm I think I had this problem too with my D string. thanks for the suggestion!

[jhfishn]

I had the same thing happen to me with a set of sunbeams.

I called DR and they said it has to do with an occasional faulty string so they sent me a brand new set for free. I've never had that happen (bad string) again and that's been almost a year.

I would try either emailing them or just calling and see what happens. My luthier gave me the idea to do this and he said they were known for taking care of thier customers .... they certainly proved it by me.

[Oldboy]

I've heard that this can also be caused by winding the string manually round the tuning post when installing,rather than letting the tuner take up the slack.A lot of people do this to speed up the procedure but it can cause a twist to develop,and create this chorus-like effect.

[zac2944]

Are you sure it is not an intonation issue? When changing to a new type of strings it is very often necessary to adjust the intonation because the gauge is not exactly the same. This will cause the strings to get more out of tune the further you play up the neck. When you play octaves low on the neck they will sound fine, but up high on the neck the will sound funny.

Do you have a good quality tuner? If so, tune up your bass, then play each open string and compare its tuning to the tuning at the 12th fret. They should be dead on. If not your intonation is off. If the note at the 12th fret is sharper you need to increase the distance between the 12th fret and the saddle. You typically do this by tightening a screw on your bridge to draw the saddle back. You do the opposite if the note at the 12th fret is flatter. You decrease the distance between the 12th fret and the saddle.

[zac2944]

Originally Posted by 4StringTheorist

Just got my bass back from the shop yesterday. I had the bridge and some other hardware changed, and a setup done along with a new set of DR M.M. Fatbeams.

I missed that part.

I would bring the bass back to the shop if I were you. Good chance they screwed up the bridge install or the setup.

[Evan_S._Brown]

it sounds like a pick up height problem to me. especially when you mentioned that it happened in the upper register.
the pick ups can be too high and the magnets are pulling on the strings created a chorus like effect.
try lowering the pickups a little bit and see if that fixes things.

[bassmonkeee]

I'd bet dollars to donuts that the guy doing the setup wrapped the string around the tuning post by hand before tightening it up to save time. This will cause the string to twist and result in the exact chorusing effect described by the OP.

The fact that it is happening on two different outer strings and not the middle strings makes me think it's NOT the pickup height and not a bad set of strings (they aren't the same gauge so it's not like they were wound one after the other).

[scottbass]

Originally Posted by Oldboy

I've heard that this can also be caused by winding the string manually round the tuning post when installing,rather than letting the tuner take up the slack.A lot of people do this to speed up the procedure but it can cause a twist to develop,and create this chorus-like effect.

+1. I also have heard this. It makes sense that the chorus sound is caused by loose windings. Because these DR's are round-core, they are more susceptible. They have to be installed correctly to prevent this type of damage.

I never wrap the tuning posts, I just turn and turn and let the tuner take up the slack "naturally". Also, you have to put the right-angle crimp in the string BEFORE you cut it to prevent the windings from loosening. The instructions in the DR package tell you this.

I'm on my eighth or ninth set of Sunbeams and I have never had this problem.

[4StringTheorist]

Twisted strings were the problem!

Loosened the strings one after another and rewound them properly (letting the tuner take up slack and produce the wind around the post). The E and the G both did a desperate twist in my hand as soon as I cleared them from the tuning peg. As soon as that happened, I knew that those of you here who pointed out twisting as the cause were correct.

After rewinding all strings the sound is right again.. no more mysterious chorus pedal tone!

Amazing what you can learn while doing the simplest things with your bass.

Thanks for your help everyone!

[60bass]

Originally Posted by 4StringTheorist

Twisted strings were the problem!

Loosened the strings one after another and rewound them properly (letting the tuner take up slack and produce the wind around the post). The E and the G both did a desperate twist in my hand as soon as I cleared them from the tuning peg. As soon as that happened, I knew that those of you here who pointed out twisting as the cause were correct.

After rewinding all strings the sound is right again.. no more mysterious chorus pedal tone!

Amazing what you can learn while doing the simplest things with your bass.

Thanks for your help everyone!

Glad I found this thread. A friend just brought me over his MIM Jazz bass that sounds like it might be the same thing with the twisted strings. I played it last night unplugged and I could hear a chorusy type harmonic overtone from the A and a little on the D string too. He mentioned that it started after he installed a new set of RotoSound's.

I'll take a look and unwind the strings tonight. I have too anyway as it needs a truss rod adjustment and I never do those with the strings at pitch.

[60bass]

Originally Posted by 60bass

Glad I found this thread. A friend just brought me over his MIM Jazz bass that sounds like it might be the same thing with the twisted strings. I played it last night unplugged and I could hear a chorusy type harmonic overtone from the A and a little on the D string too. He mentioned that it started after he installed a new set of RotoSound's.

I'll take a look and unwind the strings tonight. I have too anyway as it needs a truss rod adjustment and I never do those with the strings at pitch.

Just a follow up. The twisted strings were indeed the problem on the bass. I loosened them up did the neck adjust and restrung it properly. Everything was OK. Been playing over 30 years and never ran into this before now but I always let the key take up the slack and don't manually wind the string.

Thanks