Is the "rule" about crimping round core strings a myth?

[mmbongo]

Per the video:
Crimp- a 90 degree bend.
Then cut.
None of this hook sh#t. Not sure where that came from.
I’ve been doing this for all strings for almost 10 years.

It came from my knack for overthinking things

Turns out I've been doing it right for years just naturally.

 

[Stan_da_man]

All strings should have a silk wrap at the end (like some strings have).
That prevents any unwrapping and protects the surface of the tuner post.

OR you could just crimp the string and make sure the wraps are tidy and pushed down on the capstan.

DR strings don't even have silk.

 

[markjazzbassist]

i've used them for decades and never had one unravel or go bad. i never crimped. when i heard about it i started doing it and noticed no difference. i think it's a myth.

 

[maturanesa]

OR you could just crimp the string and make sure the wraps are tidy and pushed down on the capstan.

DR strings don't even have silk.

No. Even when you do that the string ends up damaging the surface of the tuner.

DRs took off the paint around all my black tuner posts...

 

[Stan_da_man]

Cool. I buy strings because they sound great. Guess you buy them if they have silk.

 

[matante]

from DR's own utube channel.

from DR's own utube channel.

He made the same video some time before, without all the DR hocking, and I guess DR saw that and asked him to make a new one while wearing their hat. He never says where he gets his info, but in the first one it's implied he's getting that info from the directions on the box, and as we've established, the directions on the box don't actually tell you to crimp the strings unless you're cutting them unusually short. If DR really wants you to crimp, they should tell you on the box, not on a youtube video, right?

And do other longtime round core manufacturers tell you to crimp? I used to use the old Dean Markley stainless steel rounds that were their version of Rotos, only they were round core. I never crimped them and there were no instructions to do so. Never had a problem. Do packs of Thomastik Infeld or Optima strings tell you to you must crimp before cutting?

 

[michael_t]

And do other longtime round core manufacturers tell you to crimp?

It is my understanding that GHS round core strings are constructed in a way crimping is not necessary, so no specific instructions or warning from them.

 

[matante]

It is my understanding that GHS round core strings are constructed in a way crimping is not necessary, so no specific instructions or warning from them.

Makes sense. I don't think GHS has made round core strings for long, at least not for bass. I imagine a company just getting into it might tell you to crimp simply because of the myth.

 

[michael_t]

Makes sense. I don't think GHS has made round core strings for long, at least not for bass. I imagine a company just getting into it might tell you to crimp simply because of the myth.

The Round Core Boomers have been around for a few years now, while the Balanced Nickels were introduced in the fall of 2017.

I've used both with no issues.

 

[matante]

The Round Core Boomers have been around for a few years now, while the Balanced Nickels were introduced in the fall of 2017.

I've used both with no issues.

The round core Boomers have only been around like 8 years at the most, no? I think less. The myth that you should always crimp round core strings has been on Talkbass for far longer than that. The "classic" round core string makers are DR, Thomastik, Optima, Dean Markley, I'm sure I'm forgetting someone... the brands that have had round cores for decades.

 

[michael_t]

The round core Boomers have only been around like 8 years at the most, no?

They were introduced in the fall of 2014.

GHS Roundcore Boomers! Finally!

 

[mdogs]

So everyone around here says you are supposed to crimp DRs and other round core strings before cutting them in order to prevent them from going dead or unwrapping. I installed my first round core strings yesterday (DR Sunbeams) and here is what the instructions in the box say:

"ROUND core wire, by definition, has no edges. Hex core has 6. So, at DR we flatten the round core wire to create an anchor for the wrap wire to grip the core wire.

We flatten a small section of the core wire at a spot that should lie past the nut at the top of the fingerboard, and between the tuning machines of your instrument. This flat section provides an anchor for the wrap wire to grip the core wire. You should be able to feel this flattened area between your fingers as you touch the end of the string opposite the ball end.

Without the anchor the string is likely to unwind, go "dead," and fail to intonate properly.

If you need to cut or trim your strings between the anchor (the flattened section) and the ball end...carefully and severely bend, or "crimp," your string as illustrated. The severe bend (crimp) will provide an anchor for the round core.

In some instances properly installing the strings and then cutting or trimming the excess wire will suffice to avoid wrap wire coming loose from round cores."

Now consider the parts that I've underlined. If you are installing the long scale strings on a long scale bass, then there doesn't seem to be any reason to crimp the strings, at least not according to DR's own instructions.

When the manufacturer themselves recommend a 90 degree bend in their strings before cutting, why would you question it? Most bass strings people use are not round core strings, even some DR's are not round core, so I understand most people not doing it. BUT, we are talking about a process that literally takes 2 seconds per string to do! Why wouldn't you just do it and not take any chances.

I rarely use hex core strings, but guess what, when I do, I bend them at 90 degrees below the cut before I cut them. It literally hurts nothing.

 

[matante]

When the manufacturer themselves recommend a 90 degree bend in their strings before cutting, why would you question it? Most bass strings people use are not round core strings, even some DR's are not round core, so I understand most people not doing it. BUT, we are talking about a process that literally takes 2 seconds per string to do! Why wouldn't you just do it and not take any chances.

I rarely use hex core strings, but guess what, when I do, I bend them at 90 degrees below the cut before I cut them. It literally hurts nothing.

Please read the entire post. DR does not actually recommend crimping unless you are cutting the strings unusually short. Read the instructions carefully.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

No. Even when you do that the string ends up damaging the surface of the tuner.

DRs took off the paint around all my black tuner posts...

A selling point of some strings with "silk" or "nylon threading" for the tuning posts sections is that it does not damage the hardware.. Any string without some type of threading by the tuning post section would have damaged your tuners, scratch or harm any tuners over time...

 

[Jon Moody]

Makes sense. I don't think GHS has made round core strings for long, at least not for bass. I imagine a company just getting into it might tell you to crimp simply because of the myth.

We've been using round core wire since day one; guitar Boomers and Nickel Rockers have always been on a round core. Don't call it a comeback; we've been here for years.



That said, when we decided to get back into using round core in bass strings, we looked into our process to see how we could make the strings so you wouldn't have to do anything special when you trim them. That's why you don't have to do anything with our round core strings.

 

[markjazzbassist]

GHS FTW

 

[GIBrat51]

Is it a myth? Well, with 24 basses to keep strings on... in my house, NO it's not a myth. I've had strings (rounds and flats both) go Boing! and unravel; let go of the core; or both, more than once. Which ended when I started putting a right angle bend in them before I cut them. Coincidence? Uhh.. no, I don't think so...

 

[sikamikanico]

So if you crimp, you will have no problems.
If you don't crimp, you may or may not have problems.
I'll crimp...