Another "first time seeing that" on a customer's bass

[SC Bassboy]

I've been repairing/restoring basses for a few years now. Word has gotten out at work and people routinely bring me stuff to work on for fun. Here's an old Kimberly that my coworker's grandfather pulled out of a dumpster back in the 90's. Whoever owned this bass was seriously desperate not to replace the G string. Also.... I'm pretty sure that the E & A strings are actually piano strings.

 

[Geri O]

I've been repairing/restoring basses for a few years now. Word has gotten out at work and people routinely bring me stuff to work on for fun. Here's an old Kimberly that my coworker's grandfather pulled out of a dumpster back in the 90's. Whoever owned this bass was seriously desperate not to replace the G string. Also.... I'm pretty sure that the E & A strings are actually piano strings.

Good grief!

What do they want you to do with/to it?.....

I believe those E and A strings to be some kind of bronze acoustic, maybe nylon strings. Being a piano technician for 50 years (seriously, started learning piano work when I was 14, I'm 67 now), those aren't piano strings.

That's about all I can say about that!......

 

[bholder]

I've done the spliced strings to trick before to save strings that were cut too short. But I've never seen piano strings!

 

[Lobster11]

What do they want you to do with/to it?.....

Maybe install a D string?

 

[KevInDaBassment]

That G-string makes me wince....even though it's just an image on a computer screen

 

[SC Bassboy]

Good grief!

What do they want you to do with/to it?.....

I believe those E and A strings to be some kind of bronze acoustic, maybe nylon strings. Being a piano technician for 50 years (seriously, started learning piano work when I was 14, I'm 67 now), those aren't piano strings.

That's about all I can say about that!......

Oh, that's good to know. I've just never seen strings with silk wrap UNDER the top wire, so piano wire seemed like a likely suspect. They don't exactly expect me to do anything with it, just wanted to bring it in and let me see it. Even if I put playable strings on it, tuner ferrels and such, the action is at about .5 inches off the frets and the "saddles" are just a single piece of metal across all 4 strings so it would never intonate properly. All that being said, it's a good candidate for making a bass for playing slide. Might sound wicked even though it looks pathetic.

 

[GretschWretch]

They are not piano strings; they are ABG strings. I have loaded a couple of basses with .040-.100 sets because they sound super gnarly and aggressive, and the gauge makes them super-flexible.

 

[ardgedee]

I've just never seen strings with silk wrap UNDER the top wire

Not too rare for classical stringed instruments. TI Jazz strings for electric bass also have a silk under wrap.

 

[2saddleslab]

 

[cousinelmer]

First, thanks for posting this. +1

I don't have an opinion about the E & A strings. But I am impressed with the ingenuity on display with the G string. If I ever need to resort to that, then I'll be grateful for your post

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Seen this done on the afterlength of upright bass strings. Man, I hate when someone brings one in my shop like that!

 

[jmattis]

Is that G string soldered together?? I can't believe that is holding together!

 

[Medicine Man]

I need a tetanus shot for my eyeballs just from looking at the picture.

 

[LowWay]

If it’s a bolt on neck, you could pull the frets, shim the neck and turn it into a fretless.

 

[Swerve]

I've bought many used basses before that were strung like that E & A and had mile high action with rusted strings.

I'm thinking no wonder you don't want to play anymore, I'd quit too if I had to deal with that!

 

[bassbrad]

I've seen far worse.

 

[2F/2F]

Interesting that you've never seen that. I've tied strings myself at gigs.

 

[humbuckaroo]

I hope you got your tetanus shot before working on that thing. Yikes!

 

[MegaSwing]

Whoa! Times musta been HARD!

 

[John Sparkman]

Looks fine to me.