Bass Strings

[jackcregg]

I know this may make me seem like a masive n00b but what are the little red string things on bass stings for, the ones which are by the tuning keys?

 

[MobileHolmes]

It is a silk wrapping (or at least at one time they were silk). I'm not sure what purpose they really serve. Actually, I notice that steels usually have them, nickels sometimes don't, so maybe it is to keep the strings from scratching up your tuners or something.

 

[lola99]

I've always wondered about that!

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

The thread at the end of the string, I do believe, is to prevent the outer wraps comming off of the core of the string when they are cut and also to hold better on the string posts (prevent slippage). Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[lefty007]

I think they are there to protect the hardware (scratching the tuning posts).

I doubt it has anything to do to prevent the core from separating, as the silk wrapping are merely on the outside of the string, not in between the core and the outter wrapping.