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E string touching edge of FB....

Derry Murbles

Derry Murbles

Supporting Member
Nov 1, 2015
949
1,891
Burbank, CA
#1
I just strung up a 5 set of balanced Kalium hybrids on my Bongo (EADGC).

Long story short, the E string makes contact with the edge of the fretboard between the nut and tuning post.

It doesn't seem to change the angle of the string from the nut to post, but it just seems wrong to me. I searched here and couldn't find a post addressing the issue.

Aside from marring up the neck there (which will only be seen when strings are off so no biggie), is there a problem here?

I could always remove a wrap of string on the post so the string is off the FB, but I was curious nonetheless.

Penny for your thoughts?
 

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#4
Bassbubble11 said:
How many wraps do you have on the post? I think (like you said) you need less.
Click to expand...

There are exactly 3 wraps on the post now, but there is a bit of space between 2 of them.

I'm thinking that because it's occurred above the nut and outside of the speaking length, it shouldn't negatively impact tuning/playability but I'm not a luthier/tech so I'm not sure.
 

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#6
Derry Murbles said:
There are exactly 3 wraps on the post now, but there is a bit of space between 2 of them.

I'm thinking that because it's occurred above the nut and outside of the speaking length, it shouldn't negatively impact tuning/playability but I'm not a luthier/tech so I'm not sure.
Click to expand...

You will be fine as far as tuning/playbility goes. Me personally...... I would take a wrap off just because I wouldn't want the string gouging into my bass (and it looks sloppy). If thats not a problem for you than you are good to go as is.
 
#7
Bassbubble11 said:
You will be fine as far as tuning/playbility goes. Me personally...... I would take a wrap off just because I wouldn't want the string gouging into my bass (and it looks sloppy). If thats not a problem for you than you are good to go as is.
Click to expand...

Oh I agree- definitely sloppy. I just removed a wrap but the construction of the post is forcing the string to the bottom.

I'd probably have to leave only one wrap to get it off the FB.

Plus when I bought it it was marred so at least I'm not adding to it.
 
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#10
I am not overly crazy about the tapered string posts on the Bongo. I can see why they do it, to pull the strings down to the headstock, but with my .136 TI Flat B it is tough to keep the string against the post and not riding over itself. Good thing it only needs to be changed every few years.

Has your nut been cut? I just took a look at mine and I have at least 1.5 mm clearance on all five strings.

Back to the tapered string posts - unless you intentionally wrap the E over itself, the tapered string post will automatically pull it down to the headstock regardless of how many times it goes around the post. Think of an open faced or bait cast fishing reel analogy. Your fishing line (bass string) is at the end. If you wrap it over itself it will start going back the other way and you will clear the end of the fingerboard. I have no idea if this is acceptable in installing strings, but it seems like an easy solution.
 
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#11
FourBanger said:
Your wraps should be snug to each other, if there is a gape between two of them you should gently try to raise the lower one up to be snug to the top, otherwise you may have tuning instability as it slowly wanders up itself over time.
Click to expand...

I had tried that but as @vinnie6 mentioned below, the taper on the posts is such that as soon as tension is put on the string, the string slides toward the bottom. Quite a PITA lol.

vinnie6 said:
I am not overly crazy about the tapered string posts on the Bongo. I can see why they do it, to pull the strings down to the headstock, but with my .136 TI Flat B it is tough to keep the string against the post and not riding over itself. Good thing it only needs to be changed every few years.

Has your nut been cut? I just took a look at mine and I have at least 1.5 mm clearance on all five strings.

Back to the tapered string posts - unless you intentionally wrap the E over itself, the tapered string post will automatically pull it down to the headstock regardless of how many times it goes around the post. Think of an open faced or bait cast fishing reel analogy. Your fishing line (bass string) is at the end. If you wrap it over itself it will start going back the other way and you will clear the end of the fingerboard. I have no idea if this is acceptable in installing strings, but it seems like an easy solution.
Click to expand...

I'm not certain about the nut being cut- it's a 2005 that I purchased used back in November. However, when I was changing strings I took a look at the nut and it looks untouched, unless it was professionally done... each nut slot is shiny and smooth and doesn't appear to have been altered.

And I had considered the "many wraps" approach to get the end of the string a bit higher, as opposed to the "almost no wraps" that we alluded to earlier. And I'm with you- I don't know enough about the physics of string vibration to know if having the string start to coil back over itself on the post would have a negative impact.

Either way it sounds and feels normal so I won't worry about it for now.
 
#12
In this particular case (only because of the post design) , tho I wouldn't do it otherwise, I would go with the (1 or 2) too many wraps idea. As long as all the wraps are snug against each other they won't have much to settle and one more wrap or so over top to get the string up a little will work fine.
 

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