Dunlop intonation issue has returned?

[Tim Skaggs]

I tried Dunlop Super Bright several years ago and had problems getting intonation set on the “A” or “D” string on a few sets. I tried them on several different basses and only my two old Peaveys (‘87 Foundation S and ‘91 Fury) would the bridge saddles adjust far enough to get the intonation set.

I tried them again over the last couple years and had no problem, but I just installed a set today (Feb. 15, 2020), on my ‘’93 Gibson T-Bird with a Hipshot Supertone bridge and I can’t get the “A” string intonation correct. The bridge saddle won’t adjust far enough forward (toward the pickups). I received this set on January 11, 2020.

So, not a huge deal, I just moved them over to my Peavey Foundation. The strings on the Peavey weren’t totally dead, so I put them on the T-Bird.

I started setting the intonation on the T-Bird, but ran out of adjustment on the “A” string of that set also. I looked in the Peavey case for the last string package & sure enough, the strings that came off the Peavey were also Dunlop Super Brights I bought several months ago, from Amazon.

I can set the intonation on the T-Bird with D’Adderio, Rotosound, DR, & Elixer, strings, no problem, but not these two sets of Dunlop Super Brights.

So, is this the return of the old Dunlop intonation problem or am I getting old strings out of an Amazon warehouse?

Something to note, the ball end on the “A” strings of both sets was silver. All other strings had brass / gold ball ends.

 

[mmbongo]

Sounds strange that the ball ends would be different. Were the strings sealed in the plastic bag when you got them?

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Sounds strange that the ball ends would be different. Were the strings sealed in the plastic bag when you got them?

Yes, all packaging seemed completely normal.

 

[tindrum]

Sounds strange that the ball ends would be different. Were the strings sealed in the plastic bag when you got them?

I’ve ordered several sets in the past year from Amazon and all have had those ball ends that are 2 different colors. The protective bag that the strings are in has s color coded diagram printed on it which identifies the strings by ball end color.

 

[Inara]

I’ve ordered several sets in the past year from Amazon and all have had those ball ends that are 2 different colors. The protective bag that the strings are in has s color coded diagram printed on it which identifies the strings by ball end color.

Same.

 

[mmbongo]

I’ve ordered several sets in the past year from Amazon and all have had those ball ends that are 2 different colors. The protective bag that the strings are in has s color coded diagram printed on it which identifies the strings by ball end color.

Oh I didn't realize that they now have color coded ball ends. I've never had a set of Dunlops with that, but I haven't bought a new set in maybe a year. I've got a stockpile from previous sales and such

I got a new Kiesel bass in October which comes with Dunlop Super Brights from the factory. I noticed the B string had a black ball end and the others were gold, I figured they were out of Super Bright B strings that day and put something else on so I guess it makes sense now.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I’ll have to write off Dunlop as a string option. I’ve bought somewhere near a dozen sets in the past several years, and I’ve had intonation problems with close to half of them.

I know the problem existed some years ago, and was supposedly resolved, but I currently have two sets, one of which is less than a month old, and can’t set the intonation properly on one string of both sets.

The first time I bought Dunlops, I didn’t know of the problem. The second second time I bought Dunlops, I took the word of others that the problems were solved. This time, I assumed Dunlop quality was consistent.

My experience tells me my assumption was incorrect; Dunlop quality issues obviously still exist.

 

[ixlramp]

The problem may be how you set intonation. Do not use the 12th fret / 2nd harmonic method, it is crude and prone to error, use a tuner to check several frets up to the highest played fret.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

The problem may be how you set intonation. Do not use the 12th fret / 2nd harmonic method, it is crude and prone to error, use a tuner to check several frets up to the highest played fret.

With the ”A” string bridge saddle as far toward the nut as it will go without the adjustment screw coming out, and the open string tuned to 55.0 Hz, fretting at the following yields the results listed;
A full 5 cents flat at 12th fret
About 7 cents flat at 15th fret
10 cents flat at 17th fret
Around 13 cents flat at 19th fret

 

[JimmyM]

Have you contacted Dunlop about it? I've found them to be pretty responsive in the past.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Have you contacted Dunlop about it? I've found them to be pretty responsive in the past.

I haven’t yet. Don’t know that I’ll bother. Been playing bass a very long time & have bought a pickup truck load of strings. I think I’ve had six sets of bad strings during all the time I’ve been playing & the only reason I can remember that is because five of the six have been in the last few years. Four of those sets have been Dunlops. One set was a prototype nylon core string from LaBella that wasn’t ready for market, and one was a coated DR set with a dead “D” string. LaBella didn’t replace those strings & I’ve never purchased another LaBella product since.
DR made good and sent me a new “D” string.
Dunlop sent me two new sets for the first two bad sets I bought.

I went to the Dunlop product web site and wrote them. I guess we’ll see if they are still responsive.

 

[Grinderman]

Resurrecting an old thread: I have some related intonation observations about the G string with Dunlop standard nickel rounds and Dunlop stainless flats, on three similar Fender Shaped Objects.

I made these observations trying different combinations between the three basses to factory away any other inconsistency besides the strings themselves.


Dunlop Nickel-Plated Steel DBN45105: With the standard (not SB) nickel rounds the intonated G string saddle position is staggered slightly further back from the nut than one would typically expect, relative to the E, A and D bridge saddles. Like I said, I've tried this on all three of my FSOs and observed consistency in this regard.

Dunlop Stainless Steel Flatwound DBFS45105: I just started using these Dunlop stainless flats in recent months. With these flats I've observed that intonated G string saddle position is staggered MUCH further back from the nut than one would typically expect, relative to the E, A and D bridge saddles. It's to an extent that it seems to me remarkable.

Like with the nickel rounds, I've tried this on all three of my FSOs and observed consistency in this regard. I've also tried switching between more than one stainless flat G strings and a standard nickel round G to eliminate question of a possible bad string of some other issue such as the G string nut slot, witness points, etc.

Note: On my Jazz bass pictured here my E and A are Dunlop nickel rounds while the D and G are stainless flats. I don't like the zing of D and G rounds on my J and I don't like the extra finger noise moving around the neck from the D and G either.

I wonder if anyone else has noticed this?

 

[Grinderman]

I've been digging into this further. I bought three sets of Dunlop stainless flats a few months ago, this is my first time using model/type of string from Dunlop. The G strings have a problem, probably due to flawed cores.

I spoke with a rep from Dunlop yesterday on the phone. He's sending me replacements sets and will investigate. He also suspects flaws in the hex core.

We'll see... More to come.

 

[JimmyM]

Resurrecting an old thread: I have some related intonation observations about the G string with Dunlop standard nickel rounds and Dunlop stainless flats, on three similar Fender Shaped Objects.

I made these observations trying different combinations between the three basses to factory away any other inconsistency besides the strings themselves.


Dunlop Nickel-Plated Steel DBN45105: With the standard (not SB) nickel rounds the intonated G string saddle position is staggered slightly further back from the nut than one would typically expect, relative to the E, A and D bridge saddles. Like I said, I've tried this on all three of my FSOs and observed consistency in this regard.

View attachment 4634519

Dunlop Stainless Steel Flatwound DBFS45105: I just started using these Dunlop stainless flats in recent months. With these flats I've observed that intonated G string saddle position is staggered MUCH further back from the nut than one would typically expect, relative to the E, A and D bridge saddles. It's to an extent that it seems to me remarkable.

Like with the nickel rounds, I've tried this on all three of my FSOs and observed consistency in this regard. I've also tried switching between more than one stainless flat G strings and a standard nickel round G to eliminate question of a possible bad string of some other issue such as the G string nut slot, witness points, etc.

View attachment 4634527

View attachment 4634529
Note: On my Jazz bass pictured here my E and A are Dunlop nickel rounds while the D and G are stainless flats. I don't like the zing of D and G rounds on my J and I don't like the extra finger noise moving around the neck from the D and G either.

I wonder if anyone else has noticed this?

I have, and as long as it’s intonated, it’s fine. Lots of factors affect intonation, including how the string is made. Super brights and their flats have thinner cores than your usual strings, Which gives them that super slinky feel. And depending on how you set your intonation, Your results are typical and nothing to be alarmed about.

 

[Dave TB Killer]

Put some flange and fuzz on it. It'll be OK.

 

[JimmyM]

Put some flange and fuzz on it. It'll be OK.

Respect to your professionalism. When in doubt, fuzz it out!

 

[Grinderman]

Replacements from Dunlop will be here Monday. We'll see.

 

[Grinderman]

Replacements from Dunlop will be here Monday. We'll see.

They arrived yesterday. I'm not completely pleased with the outcome.

New bass, unusual saddle location on intonation screws

 

[Grinderman]

They arrived yesterday. I'm not completely pleased with the outcome.

New bass, unusual saddle location on intonation screws

I'm probably done with Dunlop's stainless flats.

Even with the replacement sets they sent me, the open G is 7 or 8 cents flat compared the harmonic at the 12th. After stubbornly messing around with them for quite a while I gave up and I put on fresh sets of nickel rounds I had in the drawer. The nickel rounds intonate perfectly fine; completely normal... no sweat. From what that all tells me, I believe Dunlop has a larger problem with the design or production of this particular line of strings and quality their control.

 

[Grinderman]

Based on what I know so far, if anyone might be considering ordering these Dunlop DBFS45105 strings now, I very much recommend that the buyer beware.

DBFS45105 string sets Dunlop sent me this week to replace defective sets I purchased, presumably from their inventory on hand, turned out to also have bad G strings that will not intonate properly.

According to what Dunlop's support rep has told me, they apparently have no other ready supply of these string sets available to offer that include G strings that can be trusted to intonate properly.

I'm now out $150 with no useable strings. So far, they are not offering a refund even though I've requested one.

Despite all this, these strings are still offered for sale through the Jim Dunlop store on Amazon right now, today.