Naked Strings

[DaveAceofBass]

Short answer: Absolutely not.

Long answer: It's nice in theory, but what you're asking is for the string manufacturers to have twice the amount of inventory on their shelves, as well as the added labor of making said inventory. And the cost of the silk. Plus, that would mean the dealer would need to stock twice the amount as well, to make sure everyone was covered.

While we are on the subject…the Balanced Nickels need a different color. Something that goes with more various finishes. I like green, but it only goes with certain finishes. It makes my red bass look like Christmas colors.

 

[GIBrat51]

I apologize if this has been brought up already. I’m on the hunt for strings that are just bare as can be.

I’ve been rolling with Slinky’s because they have no coloring on the bottom or top end (the bottom as in the part that slides through the bridge and the top as in what coils around the tuners), but wondering if any other brands are available like this?

All string styles welcome

IME, if you're into (usually) inexpensive strings that are (usually) round wounds? There are plenty to choose from. Personally, with very few exceptions, I'm into flat wounds - the great majority of which have silk on at least one end or the other. And, most of the flats I tend to prefer are not what you'd consider inexpensive - even for flats...

 

[Jon Moody]

While we are on the subject…the Balanced Nickels need a different color. Something that goes with more various finishes. I like green, but it only goes with certain finishes. It makes my red bass look like Christmas colors.

Short answer: same as before

Long answer: I rolled out the color coded packaging with those (and now a number of others). So to change the silk color (which I’ve heard more praise for the green being “classy” over requests for change) would involve a packaging change as well. As much as I’d like to say “Oh, it’s just changing the color on the paper,” I’ve worked in prepress long enough to know that’s not how it works.

 

[jeff62]

Silkless strings can really tear up the machine head posts.Bad idea IMO.

Half of my basses wear non silk strings for 10+ years at a time. You would not be able to tell the difference between a tuner taken from one vs. the other. Maybe it’s related to how you wind your strings?

Disclaimer: I’ve never used stainless steel strings, only nickel rounds and semi round, or flats

 

[Bill Murray]

IME, if you're into (usually) inexpensive strings that are (usually) round wounds? There are plenty to choose from. Personally, with very few exceptions, I'm into flat wounds - the great majority of which have silk on at least one end or the other. And, most of the flats I tend to prefer are not what you'd consider inexpensive - even for flats...

Im into both flats and wounds. I’ve gone through many brands but never took note of which brands have and don’t have silk. Would love to find some Flats that are silk free!

 

[frankie5string]

Hmm... I haven't had bass guitar strings with silks in at least a couple decades... maybe when I was first starting I had a few packs of house-brand strings with red-silks. Only my upright bass has silks on the ends of the strings, now.

 

[michael_t]

Would love to find some Flats that are silk free!

Curt Mangan Flats = no silk.

45-105 Stainless FlatWound Bass Guitar String Set

 

[thumblypeg]

I apologize if this has been brought up already. I’m on the hunt for strings that are just bare as can be.

I’ve been rolling with Slinky’s because they have no coloring on the bottom or top end (the bottom as in the part that slides through the bridge and the top as in what coils around the tuners), but wondering if any other brands are available like this?

All string styles welcome

Stringjoy

 

[Sid the Kid]

Silkless strings can really tear up the machine head posts.Bad idea IMO.

I have seen the worst examples of this on Warwick machine heads. So I simply avoid Warwick strings like plague.

I primarily use DR strings and have never had an issue with their silkless ends. Been using them for 20 years now. I think OP would really like the sound of DR pure blues.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Would love to find some Flats that are silk free!

Silkless flats I've read about:
Payson, Webstrings Detroit Bass, the aforementioned Curt Mangan. (Some of these might have changed, better check with the manufacturer.)
Some flatwounds come with no silk at one end (IIRC pre-2010 Fenders silk only at the bridge, La Bella and GHS only at the tuners). You also could remove it yourself (cigarette lighter, X-acto, a combination of the two).
A couple relevant threads:
Unsilked strings?
Some have silks, others don't?
Flats With No Silks?
Help! No Silk Flatwounds

 

[michael_t]

You also could remove it yourself (cigarette lighter, X-acto, a combination of the two).

WARNING: Flats with silk removed look kind of ugly.

D'A Chromes:

GHS Precision Flats:

 

[arbiterusa]

The Musicians Friend house brand strings are silkless. So are DR Hi Beams, I think.

 

[arbiterusa]

I have to question whether someone who would buy strings just for their looks is really a bass player or a performance artist.

Any rock player worthy of the name will freely admit to being both.

 

[michael_t]

So are DR Hi Beams, I think.

All DR strings are silkless, except for the Legend Flats.

 

[bikeplate]

Elixirs

 

[ThingsAbove]

I tend to swap strings, and the silks always get furry. Fenders string tree buttons always seem to shred my my silks. I'm probably putting them on wrong.

 

[JimmyM]

I tend to swap strings, and the silks always get furry. Fenders string tree buttons always seem to shred my my silks. I'm probably putting them on wrong.

No, that's common.

 

[2F/2F]

I tend to swap strings, and the silks always get furry. Fenders string tree buttons always seem to shred my my silks. I'm probably putting them on wrong.

Tune to pitch over the string tree, then place them underneath and fine tune.

 

[BobDeRosa]

I thought bassists WERE performing artists?

PerformANCE. Different thing.

 

[Root 5]

If you are Canadian the Long and McQuade house brand strings are like that, and are pretty decent strings

Yes I have used them, they’re excellent.