Double Bass the felt washers that come with Helicore strings?

[CayGee]

Hi -- When I was working on my first upright this past year, I did install the felt washers that came with the Helicore strings.

Wondering if the washers are optional or not, or might they be better left out so that a more mechanical connection from the string ball-end to the tailpiece might be made?

If they are best left out I would have to loosen strings and cut them off thereby probably ruining them - can anybody help?

thanks -- Kevin

 

[Francois Blais]

Optional.
They can protect the tailpiece from the pull of the balls.
Some say they hear a tonal difference, acting as a tone filter, but I don't hear any difference myself.
You can let them on.

 

[TroyK]

They are optional. Not every string set comes with them. That said, I always use them, even on string sets that don't come with them. I don't think it impacts that tone (haven't tested), but I don't like metal digging into my tailpiece and appreciate the felt in between.

I would not cut them off or throw them away. If you want to remove them, take one string off at a time, remove the washer, put the string back on, bring it to tension, then go to the next string.

 

[CayGee]

Thanks so much -- !!!

 

[CayGee]

Optional.
They can protect the tailpiece from the pull of the balls.
Some say they hear a tonal difference, acting as a tone filter, but I don't hear any difference myself.
You can let them on.

Thank You !!!

 

[Steven Ayres]

I expect the mechanical connection is at the tailpiece fret, not the balls.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

A vibrating string changes tension and that might propagate up to the ball ends. But with the compression the string has in steady state I doubt it does have a large influence. And maybe the friction at the tailpiece fret doesn't let the tension change propagate to the ball end.

 

[daddarioorch631]

Hi -- When I was working on my first upright this past year, I did install the felt washers that came with the Helicore strings.

Wondering if the washers are optional or not, or might they be better left out so that a more mechanical connection from the string ball-end to the tailpiece might be made?

If they are best left out I would have to loosen strings and cut them off thereby probably ruining them - can anybody help?

thanks -- Kevin

Hey CayGee!

The felt pads are optional, but intended to prevent rattling of the metal ball ends against the tailpiece.

Happy playing!

 

[CayGee]

Hey CayGee!

The felt pads are optional, but intended to prevent rattling of the metal ball ends against the tailpiece.

Happy playing!

Thanks Sabrina -- and my thanks to everyone else who weighed in. I'm loving my initiation to 'Talk Bass'!

 

[Lee Moses]

Thanks Sabrina -- and my thanks to everyone else who weighed in. I'm loving my initiation to 'Talk Bass'!

Actually, the initiation is yet to come.

 

[TroyK]

Thanks Sabrina -- and my thanks to everyone else who weighed in. I'm loving my initiation to 'Talk Bass'!

I'm happy that you're happy.

There is a wealth of knowledge here and in my experience people are very welcoming and helpful if you engage constructively. Glad that you are having a good experience.

 

[s van order]

Actually, the initiation is yet to come.




View attachment 2925921

Thank you sir! May I have another?!