Double Bass String windings

[Guy Batey]

Putting some new Corelli 370m strings on my 3/4 41" scale bass, I found the E string silk wound part isn't long enough to go right round the pegs, leaving almost a whole turn of steel winding round the tuner. Thinking I'd maybe bought the wrong size, I checked the old Helicore (definitely 3/4) string and found that that too had a whole turn of bare steel winding round the tuning peg.
On the Corelli packets, they say this shouldn't happen, and that it might "lead to damage and eventually break the string".
Is this a problem? Anyone else with Corelli 370s on their bass?

 

[Bob Gollihur]

It's a common issue with them, even with 41.5 and 42 inch scale basses IME. I sell a ton of the Corelli 370 strings and enjoy them myself, and I've never had a reported problem with an E wound that way. IMHO the wound section should be shorter, as it seems that it is going to end up wound around the machine on virtually every normally constructed 3/4 size bass.

I don't blame you for being concerned, but based on my experience I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

 

[Guy Batey]

Thanks (ah)BG. You're a gentleman and a bass-player.

 

[Nivaca]

I've played with Corelli 370's for more than 3 years (changing sets once per year) and I've always had the same problem that you report -- E string winds until reaches metal. Up to the moment, thought, I've had no predicaments with that: no string has broken or unwound or anything. So, as Bob said, don't mind it.

 

[toman]

I haven't used those exact strings, but I've had others that are the same way. There have never been any problems, even after repeatedly taking the strings off and on. I think they just want to be sure there's enough winding for any extra-long basses, while shorter ones do just fine with the extra windings.

 

[Nivaca]

[...] I think they just want to be sure there's enough winding for any extra-long basses, while shorter ones do just fine with the extra windings.

Well, yes and no, depending on the string's core. Watch this forum's thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58970

 

[toman]

hmm. I may be wrong; just my experience though. I've never played Dominants, so maybe there is an issue with that string in particular.

 

[mpm]

I just had a Corelli E string break right as it went over the peg. It was three years old, but hey...