Question for you dead roundwound guys ... fret divots ?

[pfschim]

and by dead roundwound guys, I mean dead strings not dead bass players

I'm a nickel round player from way back currently using DR Pure Blues or Sunbeams. So fairly soft strings. Historically I have replaced my strings after about 3 months of playing, but during covid I left a set on my Lull M4V and now its been about 4 years. I have come to really appreciate the dead rounds thing. Its not great for everything, but it does sound pretty great in the right application.

But, here's the issue. It seems as if the G string has got a divot or slight bend in it right at the 7th fret (so D on the G string) probably from the fret. It sounds like a high fret, but I don't think it is. I think I can actually see this slight deformation, and it would make sense on such an old set of strings.

Of course, I can test this by changing strings and see what happens, and I may very well do that. But I wanted to ask all of you who use dead rounds if this is a thing I can expect to happen because of wear ?

thanks!

 

[blr2]

Most rounds will start to show fret marks after being played for a long time, this is normal. After 4 years, perhaps the time has come to replace them strings.

 

[JRA]

I have come to really appreciate the dead rounds thing. Its not great for everything, but it does sound pretty great in the right application.

i don't know if i fit into the "you dead roundwound guys" group, but i keep strings (i'm rounds only) on the instrument until they bug me with their lifelessness. i'd emphasize "bug me" instead of "lifelessness" because it's subjective, right?

but to your immediate point: if i had frets, and if they were leaving marks on my strings that i could see, easily, i think i'd change them. YMMV. good luck being "a dead roundwound guy!"

 

[Killing Floor]

I suppose you could try to revolve the string from the bridge but it might not stay that way.

I never break strings but I’ve had dozens of D and G guitar string windings wear through from frets like that.

Maybe another (rig) experiment would be a small spacer behind that string’s ball end to offset the whole thing back 1mm.

But if it were me I’d just change strings.

 

[pfschim]

thanks! yeah I get that the most obvious thing would to just replace the strings. Of course, I'll lose that dead rounds sound in the process. As I said, this is kind of a new thing for me .... leaving the same strings on for such a long time, so I'll just have to bite the bullet and put a fresh set of Pure Blues on there.

 

[LowendG]

I too like old "dead" rounds--Nickel Lo Riders for me. One of my P's has about a year 1/2 old set on--I don't see any divots yet, but yeah I'd change 'em if I did. You can always use the vaseline or Eucerin trick to deaden them a bit more quickly - I find it actually works. I'll use a foam mute while they're still newish until they get to a nice thumpy state (the Nickel LRs get there quite quickly I find).

 

[sean_on_bass]

could always try to find a set that sounds like dead rounds early on. this is a big reason many of us go to flats. Wide range of options there.

 

[FatStringer52]

I play my rounds for a very long time also. There is a point at which they are not sonicly viable anymore tho. It's hard to describe, but you'll know it when you hear it. I became aware of fret divots years ago when I took a set of strings off of one bass and installed them on another. The point where the string made contact with the frets was now facing outward on the reinstall and I could visually see the divots. It did not seem to have any audible bearing on the string. I don't really think the divots would really be deep enough to cause any buzzing unless you are pretty heavy with your fretting hand. You could always use a fret rocker -- I use my string height gauge for this -- to check for high frets.

 

[FullumMusic]

I hate the sound of new round-wounds. Some would consider me a "dead round-wounds" person. I think round-wounds sound best after at least 2 weeks of aggressively breaking them in, and then for at least several months after that depending on how hard & often i play them, until they're really dead, have no life, and the tone sounds empty and stale and lifeless. Usually that's when i change the set. (Actually, when i was younger, i'd usually break a string before they were all the way dead.) Either way, as dead as my strings have gotten, for as many months as i've left them on, they've never gotten so bad they've bent and deformed and gotten divots.

So there's loving "dead" rounds, and then there's the rounds that you have that should have been buried a few years ago. They're beyond dead. They're deformed and damaged.

 

[Wood and Wire]

It's normal for them to show a mark where they contact the fret - the longer they're used, the more wear they incur.

Think of it this way : they're round-wound strings, but at the point they meet the fret, they're becoming flat-wound.

 

[micguy]

The challenge with strings where mass has left the strings in certain locations is that they won’t intonate - after enough mass is gone, the harmonics won’t be in tune.

As much as you might like the sound of dead rounds, there is a time when you gotta change ‘em. If you buy Pressurewounds instead of rounds, your starting point will be closer to your end goal.

 

[Rib 13]

Im not a dead rounds player but keep in mind that many players use the E and A strings the most, followed by the D, and the G having the least playing time on it. This could be a factor into what you are dealing with. Consistency across all strings is one of the reasons why I play New-As-Possible Rounds

 

[J-Bass RMR]

IME: Strings can show fret marks relatively quickly.
I've never had it affect performance though...
I would double check the frets to rule that out 1st - if you have a fret rocker. (and it's a good investment if you don't...)

 

[blastoff]

it depends how hard you fret, and if you do a lot of bending. also if you play all over the neck making jazz noises versus being in a bar blues band smashing the same notes night after night. if the latter, you might find the strings wear down the frets more where you play the most, and vice versa - the string gets more dented there- creating more bad fret buzz. On the other hand fret divots can help even out worn down frets too. try this if you have a buzzy note: find the high fret thats creating the buzz and grind the string down there, aggressively pressing down and bending back and forth to dent the string and possibly smash down the fret surface as well. not a permanent fix but it's a great way to kick the can down the road, or fretboard, for a little while.

 

[Chickenwheels]

When they pit, they’re off. That goes for flats too (although this is years in). Rounds do a year tops for me.
My suggestion: small piece of foam just barely touching strings stuffed in near the bridge. This will kill overtones on newish strings.

 

[Salem6127]

I leave rounds on for months on end and do lots of bending. I also tend to press fairly hard on notes when I get really into it, and yes upon finally changing strings I see pretty obvious divots on almost all fret positions of most strings.

Never bothered me, if anything I find it REDUCES fret buzz/wear and makes the tone smoother (though aged strings is probably a bigger factor). All my basses frets are in great shape, and I'm pretty sure this is due to how rarely I change strings.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Here's a radical suggestion - Take a piece of 320 or 400 grit sandpaper and wrap it around the string with the grit side against the string. Hold the two ends of the sandpaper between index finger and thumb. Draw the sand paper down the length of the string a few times. See what happens. If it doesn't help you've lost nothing but a few minutes of time, given you were going to replace the string anyway.

BBB

 

[dbsfgyd1]

and by dead roundwound guys, I mean dead strings not dead bass players

I'm a nickel round player from way back currently using DR Pure Blues or Sunbeams. So fairly soft strings. Historically I have replaced my strings after about 3 months of playing, but during covid I left a set on my Lull M4V and now its been about 4 years. I have come to really appreciate the dead rounds thing. Its not great for everything, but it does sound pretty great in the right application.

But, here's the issue. It seems as if the G string has got a divot or slight bend in it right at the 7th fret (so D on the G string) probably from the fret. It sounds like a high fret, but I don't think it is. I think I can actually see this slight deformation, and it would make sense on such an old set of strings.

Of course, I can test this by changing strings and see what happens, and I may very well do that. But I wanted to ask all of you who use dead rounds if this is a thing I can expect to happen because of wear ?

thanks!

Strings, be they round wounds or flat wounds, do wear out. I’ll bet if you run your index finger along the underside of your strings you likely will find more divots. This can cause intonation issues, weird overtones, and sting buzz/fret buzz.

As much as you like the sound of this set of strings, it’s time to replace them. When you swap out, it’s been recommended to apply a liberal amount of Eucerin (spl?) cream working it into the windings. Wipe the excess off with a cloth before installation. I’ve not done this myself, but this is said to deaden new strings.

Best wishes.

 

[pfschim]

seems like there are plenty of dead rounds guys here

I'm going to bite the bullet and put a new set of DR Pure Blues on tonight. Given that I've never had strings on that long (about 5 years I think) I was just wondering what the TB experience was on this. I've got several foam mutes handy but they do not really work like those super old rounds.

Oh well, I was really digging that dead round sound ... worked great for certain things (but not all). Really killed it on some recent sessions.

We live, we learn

thanks!

 

[pfschim]

Here's a radical suggestion - Take a piece of 320 or 400 grit sandpaper and wrap it around the string with the grit side against the string. Hold the two ends of the sandpaper between index finger and thumb. Draw the sand paper down the length of the string a few times. See what happens. If it doesn't help you've lost nothing but a few minutes of time, given you were going to replace the string anyway.

BBB

ha, yes ... I tried something similar ... used one of my wifes emory boards on the specific divot spot on that G string. Did not really fix it, but thanks for the suggestion.