Curious, when was the hex core bass guitar string invented & by whom? (I Googled it & it doesn't pop up.)
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
invention of hex core
- Thread starter lovethegrowl
- Start date
as far as I know, strings made of steel have always been made out of hexagonal cores, and round cores are rare. on guitars plain strings are always roundcore (because they are not wrapped), and wrapped strings are usually roundcore, since the first attempt to use steel strings on acoustic guitars in the late 19th century, before the invention of truss rods.
it's due to contact surface and stability between the core and the wrappings.
before steel strings, there were nylon strings, that succeded to the gut strings when Segovia found out that nylon sounded brighter and livelier than gut. after him, nylon strings became popular and used by many, until now that they are the standard on classical guitars.
it's due to contact surface and stability between the core and the wrappings.
before steel strings, there were nylon strings, that succeded to the gut strings when Segovia found out that nylon sounded brighter and livelier than gut. after him, nylon strings became popular and used by many, until now that they are the standard on classical guitars.
Here's from the D'Addario website:
What is a hexcore, and why is it better?
Pioneering innovative string design has been a D'Addario family tradition for nine generations. One such innovation is using carefully drawn, hexagonally shaped high carbon steel wire for the core of ALL of our wound steel strings. The six "edges" of the core wire bite into the softer wrap wire and better secure it all along its length. This tight bond between the core and wrap wire is crucial in producing a very consistent tone with better intonation.
Pioneering innovative string design has been a D'Addario family tradition for nine generations. One such innovation is using carefully drawn, hexagonally shaped high carbon steel wire for the core of ALL of our wound steel strings. The six "edges" of the core wire bite into the softer wrap wire and better secure it all along its length. This tight bond between the core and wrap wire is crucial in producing a very consistent tone with better intonation.
I wonder why there are hexagonal cores but not pentagonal or heptagonal cores.
Easier to manufacture, and symmetrical so it is easier to feed into the string winders.
Hex core strings are now the norm for guitar and bass strings. You'll always pay a premium for round core strings, guitar or bass. I'm not sure why other than their claim to be "hand wound". I'll take precision made over hand made any day.
Round core always has a more supple feel. Not better, just more supple.
Hex core always has a stiffer feel. Not worse, just more stiff.
Round core always has a more supple feel. Not better, just more supple.
Hex core always has a stiffer feel. Not worse, just more stiff.
So are they round core and stiff, or hex core and supple?
I read the online reviews and the dunlop data on their site. Nothing very specific on the type of core used. Nothing even non-specific for that matter.
Even Labella had to go to round core in their "low tension" flats in order to give customers a more supple feeling flatwound.
Hex core and supple. Even more so than the round core DR's that the SuperBrights replaced.
I've examined and measured a few popular hex core strings for research. They were hexagonal, not square.
-
-
Interesting, which cores did you examine? I've read before on several sites that many of them are square, but I have not verified it myself.
These were Fender round wound bass, D'Addario round wound guitar, and another unidentified round wound bass string. I wasn't trying to categorize them, just collect general info about hex cores. So I didn't record the exact models.
It would also be interesting if some actually are square, and even more interesting if they were square and advertised as hex.
Do you know if there were microphotos like the one just above? Curious how it was determined that they were square.
I tried a quick search for square core and turned up nothing. But there is an octagonal core:
Invalid Link Removed
-
Last edited:
Supple or not, I have a strong preference for Fatbeams now. (Same as Hibeams but wound more slowly). I recently tried low riders to try to get a harder sounding attack, & they were good, but actually the lo riders seamed brighter & more metallic. Furthermore I am surprised at how beefy those round cored DR strings sound, now that I have eliminated all my cheap lean sounding onboard preamps
I dont know where, maybe on TB, I once read that in the early days of the electric bass, the cores were round, then later (early 60s?) after the hex cored bass string came out, rounds quickly disappeared. You'd think info confirming that would be readily available.
I dont know where, maybe on TB, I once read that in the early days of the electric bass, the cores were round, then later (early 60s?) after the hex cored bass string came out, rounds quickly disappeared. You'd think info confirming that would be readily available.
...haven't they tried round-cores, if they want their strings to be as close to a perfect circle as possible?
Would be interesting to hear if these strings sound or feel any different to hex or round cores and how...
