String wrap opinion

[graphics1988]

I've heard that some guys like a few string wraps around the tuner pegs...and some don't. Here are two manufacturers varying opinions...... the Jake P has about 3 or 4 wraps..the Dingwall barely has one.
Any opinions on why each is different and/or your own personal opinions on which is better or does it make any difference at all?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

3, I leave 4" of slack to wind up on the capstan

 

[Rib 13]

It may be my imagination but I think the less windings, the strings feel more "taught" and dont give as much - always feels to me like less "trampoline" for slap bass (double thumping in particular) and bending strings....also, more windings allows me to wind lower on the post

Two wraps for me has just enough give and feels right

Will somebody correct me if this is just imagination? I say this because I have a headless Yamaha BX5 in my arsenal which has no windings but, instead, locking nuts

 

[JGbassman]

I shoot for three wraps. 2.5 at a minimum.

anything less and I have issues with keeping in tune.

 

[JGbassman]

It may be my imagination but I think the less windings, the strings feel more "taught" and don't give as much - always feels to me like less "trampoline" for slap bass (double thumping in particular) and bending strings....also, more windings allows me to wind lower on the post

Two wraps for me has just enough give and feels right

Will somebody correct me if this is just imagination? I say this because I have a headless Yamaha BX5 in my arsenal which has no windings but, instead, locking nuts

in my experiences, anything less than two windings will move and not hold true to a tuning. gotohs, hipshot, fender, schallers, it doesn't matter, they will all slip in my basses. The multiple wraps with lock the string better and move the string down for a better break angle over the nut. Try winding it once and using a D-tuner. good luck.

 

[southgabass]

I tend to shoot for 3, just feels and looks right to me...

 

[Fat Freddy]

Yep.....3 for me.....

 

[Panych]

The more wraps the better string break angel and sustain, in my opinion.

 

[FunkHead]

Whatever it takes to wind it all the way down to the Bushing.

Link Removed

 

[petrus61]

On my Fender, I aim for 2.5 on the low E, three full wraps on the A and two full wraps on D and G, or whatever provides the optimum break angle.

 

[graphics1988]

Ok...so by break angle ...you guys mean as close to the headstock wood from the nut down?...cuz if you look at my pic...the DINGWALL tuner pegs have a deeper slot than the typical pegs...is that why maybe they only need to do one lap around? Cuz they look close to the wood....

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I used to think break angle didn't matter, then...
A guy bought a new neck, because of dead spots
Strung it the same as the old, still dead
Local luthier strung it right, no more dead spots

 

[Turnaround]

Depends on the tuner post. You do want to wind the strings down the post as close to the bottom as possible. That's a challenge with tuners that have an hourglass shape - it takes may winds because the hourglass shape pushes the sting towards the centre of the post, not the bottom. Other basses have tapered posts that force the string to the bottom of the post. In those cases you don't need many windings.

Aside from the problem of the post shape, generally the fewer windings the better. The more windings there are the more string there is to stretch and the more potential for uneven tension on the post wraps and consequentially less stable tuning. On the other hand, unless there is a clamping mechanism that locks the string to the post, a single wind or less can lead to string slippage. Though some makers use fewer windings, the consensus seems to be 2 to 3 windings are optimum, but once again that is dependent upon the shape of the tuner post.

 

[DigitalMan]

I voted two but really meant at least two. Usually it will be three-ish and down to the bottom of the post.

 

[Badwater]

2 works for me with flats and rounds.

 

[40Hz]

Pretty much two to three on everything I own. Fewer on an angled headstock, more on a flat one.

 

[Zooberwerx]

4 fingers past the tuner...~3.5"...will usually give you the desired 3 wraps. YMMV. You want the last wrap to "hit the deck". I force the wraps to bend fully while installing. If you don't and depending on the string, the resulting departure will form a "lazy loop" between the post and nut. Besides looking bad, it can create a leaf-spring effect when the string is plucked...boing! The pic below shows what happens when the full-thickness wraps hit the post...not good.

 

[Whippet]

Ok...so by break angle ...you guys mean as close to the headstock wood from the nut down?...cuz if you look at my pic...the DINGWALL tuner pegs have a deeper slot than the typical pegs...is that why maybe they only need to do one lap around? Cuz they look close to the wood....

I believe the Dingwall tuner pegs are counter sunk. Three of mine are. What I think this does is that it eliminates the string tree and gives the string a tension since your strings are closer to the wood, as you described is true.

This is most likely no different in terms of effect than making a headstock with an angle on it so that it give the strings more tension, which is similar to the string tree.

I could be completely wrong but I think I heard someone say the above. Even though I may be wrong, the bass works perfectly. Now, the wraps around the post and tuning stability could be a different matter all together. Neck stability is more like the biggest contributing factor.

 

[mmbongo]

The Dingwall has a better designed headstock, so does not need a bunch of wraps.

 

[mmbongo]

Besides, both of those are wrong. Should look more like this: