How to get the silk ribbons off the strings?

[Tomek Worek]

Hello, I'm suffering from the infamous three point Gibson bridge syndrome, and I've noticed that the saddles are too close to the ball ends, so a bit of that silk ribbons you get on some strings go over the saddles, muting the sound and resulting in less sustain.
So my question to you is: how to get those ribbons off/make them shorter without causing any harm to the strings? If I can't do anything with the ones i currently have on, I would like to at least know how to prepare my next set before I put it on.

 

[michael_t]

What strings are you talking about?

I ask because there might be alternatives without the silk at the ball end.

 

[Linnin]

That's easy. Use fire and burn them off before you restring.

 

[BruceWane]

I've done it with a razor blade. Trim just enough to clear the saddle.

 

[Nev375]

As a temp solution you might be able to run the string(s) through a few other old ball ends or short piece of metal tubing to "add" some length back behind the anchor point.

But yeah, I'd search for a new string type. Maybe some with tapered core ends?

maybe Jason a.k.a. @SLaPiNFuNK at bassstringsonline can help you with that.

 

[Linnin]

I've done it with a razor blade. Trim just enough to clear the saddle.

Or use a lighter and burn it off.

 

[Tomek Worek]

What strings are you talking about?

I ask because there might be alternatives without the silk at the ball end.

Right now I'm using the Chromes, but I'm planning to check out La bella flats. Can I get em (or something similar) without that silk?

 

[michael_t]

Right now I'm using the Chromes, but I'm planning to check out La bella flats. Can I get em (or something similar) without that silk?

The La Bella flats do not have silk at the ball end. Neither do the Sadowsky Black Label Flats. The GHS Precision Flats do not have silk at the ball end, either.

 

[JimmyM]

Honestly, I don't believe that the silk affects the sound. I've cut it off strings before, and it didn't affect the sound to my ears whatsoever. But I do think strings look better when the silk is cut off behind the saddle, so use a double edged razor blade or an Xacto knife and lightly cut at it and wind it off as you go.

 

[Hounddog409]

Hello, I'm suffering from the infamous three point Gibson bridge syndrome, and I've noticed that the saddles are too close to the ball ends, so a bit of that silk ribbons you get on some strings go over the saddles, muting the sound and resulting in less sustain.
So my question to you is: how to get those ribbons off/make them shorter without causing any harm to the strings? If I can't do anything with the ones i currently have on, I would like to at least know how to prepare my next set before I put it on.

buy strings w/o the silk. I never use that type.

 

[themarshall]

Uh, anybody know why the Trammps had 2 bass players? Early attempt at a pj before someone realized you could do it with 1 bass?

Oh, and there's a deal called a "mod bar" or something that's essentially a rod with 4 holes in it that slips behind the tailpiece to add length so the silks stay off the saddles.

 

[gfen]

make them shorter without causing any harm to the strings?

Someone sells a little machined bar of metal that runs down the back of the bridge that'll push the strings back an eighth of an inch or so to resolve that.

Or, you can just take the ball ends off and string them down the string, and it'll do the exact same thing. I've done that with my old Epi EB0 and it worked like a champ. Barring ball ends, I'm sure you could use little nuts from the hardware store, as well.

 

[brotondo]

What you need is a Mod Bar, its a piece of bar stock with holes in it. Adds mass and gets the windings/silk off away from the saddle.

 

[micguy]

Darn. Someone beat me to sugesting fire. Might harm your strings if overdone, but...you get to play with fire, which makes any day more fun.

 

[gfen]

It doesn't relaly fully melt off, it's rayon so it'll just sort of melt into the nooks and crannies of your strings.

 

[pudge]

The modbar worked great.I made my own in about 15 mins. I forget the exact diameter.Drilled the holes ,cleaned up the burrs and was good to go.Gibsom 3 point bridge = headshake

 

[devnulljp]

Uh, anybody know why the Trammps had 2 bass players?

Cos they were even more awesome than their suits!
Check out Dumpsaphunk now too -- two great bass players, what's not to love?

 

[Hounddog409]

What you need is a Mod Bar, its a piece of bar stock with holes in it. Adds mass and gets the windings/silk off away from the saddle.
View attachment 948957

or get strings w/o silk. much easier and cheaper. no modes required.

 

[chaosMK]

This might be a case where you can use fire.

 

[brotondo]

or get strings w/o silk. much easier and cheaper. no modes required.

Strings without silk is easy! It was always the fat over wind by the ball and that did not sit in the E saddle right.
It's simple, the 3 point bridge was originally meant for either an additional anchor piece or string through the body. Mod Bar is way cheaper than Hipshot bridge and his intonation will thank him.