Pinched E String and other problems..

LowEnder2112 · #1 01-05-2010, 03:41 PM

Hey everyone. So yesterday my D string popped off my engelhardt swingmaster when i was tuning before practice. So today i got myself a set of Thomastik Spirocore S42 Medium strings. I decided to try to change the strings myself. I wasn't able to find a real helpful guide online, so i went by my prior knowledge of changing strings on other instruments and common sense.

I finished just a few minutes ago.

After tuning up, the strings are much looser than the old stock strings the bass came with. I'm not sure if that's stretching that needs finishing or what, but it seems to sound very unboomy, and it feels quite flimsy.
Anyone know why this could be?

Also, the E string around the last two loops was pushed to the side of the left side of the pegbox, and is 'pinched' up to the side and ontop of its self. Is this overly problematic?

Thanks in advance for any help that can be given!

EDIT: pictures below!

**Francois Blais** · #2 01-05-2010, 06:53 PM

A picture may help us!

LowEnder2112 · #3 01-05-2010, 07:35 PM

**Francois Blais** · #4 01-06-2010, 05:58 AM

Maybe you could have started to wind the E string farther from the right, but it doesn't seem too pinched to me.

salcott · #5 01-06-2010, 06:59 AM

Me, I'd reinstall the string, pulling more of the string through the hole before winding. I don't like to see the string pressing on the side of the pegbox. See "Changing Strings" at the top of this section; there's a link to David gage explaining how to do it.

bejoyous · #6 01-06-2010, 08:00 AM

There is a Changing String Sticky thread at the top of the Strings category.

Also, the Spiro D string has a little red tube on it. Slide this up to the pegbox where the D passes over the G axle. That way when you adjust the D tuning it isn't rubbing the threads off and when you adjust the G tuning there isn't tension placed on the pegbox part of the D string which might affect the tuning of the D string.