Dunlop Flatwound Users - Help Needed 😊

[Jay Power]

Hoping any current Dunlop Flatwound users might be able to help me with this.

I recently put on a new set of the Dunlop Flatwound Short scale on my Fender Mustang but the silks at ball end are sitting on top of the saddles and causing some chorusing and intonation issues.




Strangely, this new set replaces an identical older set of Dunlop Flatwounds I bought in 2018 when they were first released. The silks on the older set are shorter than the new set and didn’t sit on top/over the saddles like these new ones.






Im wondering if I received a faulty set or if all the newer strings now come with this longer silk as standard.

If anyone has a newish set currently on their bass, could you measure the silk length at the ball end? It would be so helpful in making a decision to order another set in the future.

Thanks in advance!

I’ve also reached out to Dunlop via their website twice and waiting on hopefully a reply soon.

 

[jallenbass]

I've used spacers of some sort between the ball end and the bridge with success.

 

[srosenthal13]

I've got Dunlop flats on two of my basses. I just use a utility knife and cut back the silk.

 

[cxcxcx]

As mentioned spacers, I was going to work for you here. I’ve actually used ballends from old strings to do this. You’d remove the ballend from a old string, thread the new string through it to the end, and then install the string as normal. A spacer will pull back the string, and the wrap around the end of the new string will pull back behind the saddle, leaving uncovered string.

Metal or plastic PCB spacers or spacer hex nuts work as spacers for this purpose as well.

 

[cxcxcx]

As mentioned, spacers are going to work for you here. I’ve actually used ballends from old strings to do this. You’d remove the ballend from a old string, thread the new string through it to the end, and then install the string as normal. A spacer will pull back the string, and the wrap around the end of the new string will pull back behind the saddle, leaving uncovered string.

Metal or plastic PCB spacers or spacer hex nuts work as spacers for this purpose as well. They can be bought all over Amazon.

 

[michael_t]

I've used spacers of some sort between the ball end and the bridge with success.

Just as an example, here's what I've done with the Ernie Ball Group IV Flats on my Am Std P bass...

And this also ensured only the tapered end of the E string wrapped around the tuner post...

 

[TrevorR]

I’d be inclined just to cut back the silks with a razor blade or sharp knife. I’ve previously had to do that, where the silks meant the strings I was using were just too broad to slot into the slot-in string retainer on my Wal Mk 1, with no ill effects.

 

[Casual Bassist]

Hoping any current Dunlop Flatwound users might be able to help me with this.

I recently put on a new set of the Dunlop Flatwound Short scale on my Fender Mustang but the silks at ball end are sitting on top of the saddles and causing some chorusing and intonation issues.




Strangely, this new set replaces an identical older set of Dunlop Flatwounds I bought in 2018 when they were first released. The silks on the older set are shorter than the new set and didn’t sit on top/over the saddles like these new ones.






Im wondering if I received a faulty set or if all the newer strings now come with this longer silk as standard.

If anyone has a newish set currently on their bass, could you measure the silk length at the ball end? It would be so helpful in making a decision to order another set in the future.

Thanks in advance!

I’ve also reached out to Dunlop via their website twice and waiting on hopefully a reply soon.

I had a Dunlop string snap on me once and the company made it right and replaced it. Just show them your pictures. I’ve had great luck with EB Cobalts, short scale, long, and a 5 string. They’re a bit livelier, but have feel to them.

 

[Jeff Hughes]

Just cut the silks back. I think they add extra to hold the metal wrap down since the end of the string is probably a point of unwinding. And if they didn't put enough silk, then people would complain.

 

[GroovinOnFunk]

Cut the silk back. It'll be fine.

 

[eddiditfirst]

I had this exact issue with these strings on my Musicmaster, cutting back the silk works fine. Keep a little super glue handy when you do and you can fix the frayed silks ends and keep everything mice and tidy.
As some some others said, running the string through a bracket/ nut from behind the bridge also works great

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Personally I would have contacted Dunlop and asked for a replacement set of strings that actually work for THE most commonly used bass bridge ever made. I mean, if this was for a bass with some kind of quirky Danelectro bridge or something like that it would have been a different matter, but strings that won't fit a bog standard Fender bridge without modifications? That's a faulty set of strings IMO.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

The fact that the last set you got didn't have silk over the saddles says it all really: Poor quality control.

 

[Engle]

I had this exact issue with these strings on my Musicmaster, cutting back the silk works fine. Keep a little super glue handy when you do and you can fix the frayed silks ends and keep everything mice and tidy.
As some some others said, running the string through a bracket/ nut from behind the bridge also works great

Just to add, if you put a drop of CA (superglue) on before cutting the silk, you don't need to worry about it fraying.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Just to add, if you put a drop of CA (superglue) on before cutting the silk, you don't need to worry about it fraying.

I would be VERY careful not to get any superglue on the "speaking" length of the strings though!

 

[Engle]

I would be VERY careful not to get any superglue on the "speaking" length of the strings though!

Yeah and don't glue your strings to the saddles

 

[Wfrance3]

I have those strings on my Ibanez 205. The B string was just like your pic. It made the b sound muffled and a little blurry compared to the other 4 strings. It wasn’t awful, but was noticeable to me. I just loosened the b string and took the silk part off with a super sharp brand new box cutter blade. I was careful not to dig into the metal of the string at all. Went relatively slow, but not terribly so.
Once all the silk was removed, I tuned back up to pitch. There was a noticeable improvement. I did this a few months ago, and all is still good. I don’t see anything concerning and do not anticipate any ill effects from removing the silk from my b string.
I’m glad this worked. I was also considering drilling the body of the bass so that the b string could be strung through the body like a Mike Lull bass. Drilling my bass did include a certain amount of apprehension as you can probably imagine. Glad it didn’t end up coming to that!