Pros, I have been playing over thirty years and are having a melt down or something, but I just broke my second brand new low b DR bass string. This is frustrating as you know what. I give the strings enough length, crimping before cutting and at the point of slowing winding the winding breaks. What the heck is going on?
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Breaking low b while installing!
- Thread starter Basswalker1
- Start date
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
- Jan 27, 2010
- 4,141
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- Endorsing Artist: Genz Benz Amplification
Sometimes strings are defective. That's happened to me a couple times in the last 20 years or so. Odd that it was the B though, those usually have the least tension of all the strings, and the most mass as well. Look at your tuning post, there could be a burr there.
Also make sure the outermost windings are not going around the post. String through body if you can.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
This is still happening? :scowl: :scowl: :scowl:
DR did have a batch with bad core wires a while back, probably takes a while for them all to work through the system, if the string itself is the problem. Some mom & pop places can have strings on the shelves for years.
Thanks Bass Cats, all of your post were appreciated and very helpful. To shed light on where they are breaking, it's breaking where the fattest part of the string starts winding around the slim section of string at the post. And the strings are going through the bridge. Was the most frustrating thing these past two days.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
If you've checked the B-string tuning machine for sharp spots, and the strings have been properly "relaxed" (no twists or kinks) during installation, it sounds like a problem with the strings themselves.
I hope the string maker stands behind their product and does right by you.
I hope the string maker stands behind their product and does right by you.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
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- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
Hmm, what model of DR strings are you playing? I play on Hi Beams and Fat Beams and a big reason for me settling on those was they're the only string that's never broken on me.
That's one of the things you accept when you get handmade, boutique strings. A broken string once in a blue moon is worth the amazing sound and feel of DR's.
TTBOMK, the fattest (full wrap) portion of the string should neither reach nor wind around the string post irrespective of brand. Any chance you could function with a shorter scale set?
Riis
DR seems to have consistency and quality problems occasionally - for bass and guitar. They are great strings and if you get a bad batch they're usually really good about making things better.
Not my first choice, but....
If you're stringing thru the bridge, you could always slide a spacer adjacent to the ballend before installing. Figure out what length / diameter you need, grab the string & head down to Home Depot for that special custom fit. That will shift the string position far enough south so the full-wrap never reaches the tuning post.
Riis
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,613
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I think I just may try it.
I am tired of the full wrap on recent DR's winding onto the tuner post.
