Question about silks at the bridge

[HelpImaRock]

Saw this today.

This is just a stock photo. Shouldn't the silk winding be fully behind the saddle? If what's happening in this photo were real life, wouldn't you want to cut the silk back on the E and A strings? Or am I just confused?

 

[Gorn]

It’s a known thing on basses with these bridges. There’s a spacer thing you can buy that’ll hold the ball ends farther away so the silks clear the saddles. I think it’s called a mod bar. You could use little bolts to accomplish the same thing. But as is it’s not really a problem.

 

[michael_t]

This is why a company like GHS has stopped putting silks at the ball end. A lot of their strings still do come with silk but only at the tuner end, with the exception of the Tapewound, which still needs silk at both ends to keep the outer nylon wrap from unravelling.

 

[byacey]

Saw this today.

View attachment 4523497

This is just a stock photo. Shouldn't the silk winding be fully behind the saddle? If what's happening in this photo were real life, wouldn't you want to cut the silk back on the E and A strings? Or am I just confused?

I would say it's a poorly designed bridge.

The silk is usually wound around where the string core is twisted back on itself to hold the ball end captive. If this twisted portion is resting on the saddle, silk or no silk, it's not good for intonation, how the string vibrates, and the general playability of the instrument.

If it was my bass, I'd be getting rid of that bridge.

 

[HelpImaRock]

I would say it's a poorly designed bridge.

The silk is usually wound around where the string core is twisted back on itself to hold the ball end captive. If this twisted portion is resting on the saddle, silk or no silk, it's not good for intonation, how the string vibrates, and the general playability of the instrument.

If it was my bass, I'd be getting rid of that bridge.

Apparently I need more coffee, because I should have thought of that. Yeah, there's no way I'm buying an instrument I know 100% requires a bridge replacement. Hipshot Super Tone addresses this problem. Great callout. Thanks.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

For some mysterious reason the Hipshot bridge is only a little better in this regard.

On my bass with the above type of bridge I use one nut (#6?) and two washers (#6?) per string, with the nut toward the ball.
They're the kind of nuts that have one end rounded, and the rounded end fits into the bridge nicely.

Yes, it's a careless design, but if I want this specific tone I wouldn't let it stop me from buying this kind of bass.

*
Last time I looked the "mod bar" was out of production.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Here is where I first saw this. See the photo.
Here are the nuts I used, #8x32 lock nuts.
I think the washers were #6.

Works perfectly. Don't let it keep you from this type of bass.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Here is where I first saw this. See the photo.
Here are the nuts I used, #8x32 lock nuts.
I think the washers were #6.

Works perfectly. Don't let it keep you from this type of bass.

That's a big no right there. I don't really do Gibson anyway. Don't worry, it'll be fine if I don't buy one.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Oh, just noticed that you're the OP.
"Never mind".

 

[Yahboy]

The 3 points bridge on Gibson are worst in design.

 

[frankie5string]

It's been a while, but I've definitely seen bent-plate Fender bridges that have saddles sitting right under the silks to intonate acceptably for some strings. Usually it's the low E that is the offender but it happens much less now with far more consistent string making.

That stock photo, though, doesn't really look like a typical intonated specimen to me. Most of the time, I see the saddles clear the silks when set up properly.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I own a Gibson Thunderbird & an Epiphone EB1, so I’ve been there.

Small nuts or machine bushings on the strings will pull the ball end back enough to get the silk behind the saddle contact point on “most” strings. The nut or bushing hides behind the curl-back piece of the bridge well enough it’s not noticeable.

Per those that have tested out the Ray Ross saddle-less bridge, the silk on the vibrating length of the string is much too small to affect the intonation. I’m not one of those testers, so I only know of that by reading.

“Most” strings with silk at the ball end don’t actually use the silk to hold the ball in the end loop, so those strings can have the silk shortened with a razor blade. The ball end loop is usually held in place by another layer of the outer winding.

 

[Johnny Fingers]

My Gibson has a string-through body so never a problem.

 

[Iristone]

I've not found a significant impact on intonation with this configuration.
The whole point of intonation adjustment is to compensate for the stiffness at the nodal points (fret and bridge) anyway, so a bit of added mass very close to the bridge can be compensated, too.

The bridge itself isn't the best design, though. I adjust mine close to parallel to the body, so the string tension doesn't pull it upwards at the tails.

 

[Hypocrite]

I never understood silk on either the bridge or nut end. Can someone it up for me?

 

[jamro217]

Two minutes with a razor blade. Problem solved.

 

[rumblesaust]

That's what I so
Razor blade
Easy !

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Saw this today.

View attachment 4523497

This is just a stock photo. Shouldn't the silk winding be fully behind the saddle? If what's happening in this photo were real life, wouldn't you want to cut the silk back on the E and A strings? Or am I just confused?

The strings are made how they're made. The saddles are moved where the instrument is intonated. It ends up where it ends up. If that's a problem for you, buy strings that don't have silk on them.

 

[HelpImaRock]

The strings are made how they're made. The saddles are moved where the instrument is intonated. It ends up where it ends up. If that's a problem for you, buy strings that don't have silk on them.

It's way easier than that. Like on guitar, I'll just continue to avoid anything associated with Gibson like it's the plague.

 

[Mastermold]

Apparently I need more coffee, because I should have thought of that. Yeah, there's no way I'm buying an instrument I know 100% requires a bridge replacement. Hipshot Super Tone addresses this problem. Great callout. Thanks.

Or -- crazy idea -- just don't buy strings with silks at the ball end?