Unsilked strings?

[Hypercaffium]

Apart from DR strings (my current favourite brand), which other brands make unsilked strings?
I'm currently looking for a set of flats but I'm interested also in rounds.
Thanks.

 

[Aidil]

None of D'Addario bass strings have silk at both ends other than the flatwound Chromes and Nylon Tapewound.

 

[michael_t]

For flats, very few, if any.

For rounds, quite a few options, such as Ernie Ball, Dunlop, La Bella, Elixir, etc. Also Rotosound Roto Bass (NPS rounds) and GHS Bassics (NPS rounds).

 

[SBassman]

What is the negative aspect of the silk?

 

[Vinny_G]

What is the negative aspect of the silk?

It can fray over time and some people find this unsightly.

 

[buldog5151bass]

If the silks on your round wound fray before the strings die, you are doing at least one thing wrong.

 

[Hypercaffium]

It can fray over time and some people find this unsightly.

Mostly this. And it's not just a cosmetic issue in my experience, because the powder generated from the worn of the silk goes literaly everywhere and need to be cleaned constantly.

 

[Hypercaffium]

If the silks on your round wound fray before the strings die, you are doing at least one thing wrong.

I'm not doing absolutely anything wrong with my strings, I just asked a simple question. And what you said isn't even true, I'm sorry.

 

[Vinny_G]

Mostly this. And it's not just a cosmetic issue in my experience, because the powder generated from the worn of the silk goes literaly everywhere and need to be cleaned constantly.

I've never tried this and I don't recommend doing it, but I am wondering if you can burn them with a lighter before installation. Yes, sometimes I have funny ideas like that, and I like the silks on my strings.

 

[Hypercaffium]

Most of my basses are strung with silked strings because they're easier to find, and usually nothing happens to the silk apart from a little bit of wear out after heavy use. Silk fray can happen for many reasons, from wrong cut/bend/installation, holes on the tuners and/or bridge, re-use of strings (think flats)... to just bad silk wounding, cheap material etc. Some brands of strings have weaker silk compared to others, some of them start to fray as soon as you touch them (Fender 9050L and EB Slinkies do that sometimes). It can happen even on the bridge side, which I don't even touch.
As much as I try to ignore the fray, it keeps going on and after a while the powder goes everywhere (tuners, bridge, pickups). It's annoying and I prefer not to deal with this thing, if possible. I tried with a lighter myself and it can solve the problem for a while, but than it starts again. Since I started to use DR strings I'm happy, so if you have other brands to suggest... I'm all ears.

I'm not doing absolutely anything wrong with my strings, I just asked a simple question. And what you said isn't even true, I'm sorry.

Sorry, my post came out rougher than I wanted. What I was trying to say is that 1) I know how to properly install strings on my bass and never had problem with them apart from sporadic fray with some brands and 2) what you said is just a generalization that doesn't suit my specific case. If you have some experience with various brands of strings you know that the silk can be VERY different from brand to brand.

 

[LBS-bass]

Odd that I've never thought about this much. I've been using unsilked strings for years because I liked the sound of those strings. Currently have silks on because I just tried a new type of string, which I like a lot and will likely stick with in the future. But what is the advantage of the silk? Why is it even on there? I just realized I have no clue about this.

 

[Hypercaffium]

Silk should protect the tuners and the instrument's body from scratches, I guess. It also helps identifying brands/models of strings.

 

[Aidil]

Odd that I've never thought about this much. I've been using unsilked strings for years because I liked the sound of those strings. Currently have silks on because I just tried a new type of string, which I like a lot and will likely stick with in the future. But what is the advantage of the silk? Why is it even on there? I just realized I have no clue about this.

One of the advantages which has been posted (somewhere) is that some type of strings need the silk to prevent the outer wrapping material from unraveling, such as nylon tape wound strings.

 

[Watchootognbout]

......... you can burn them with a lighter before installation. Yes, sometimes I have funny ideas like that, and I like the silks on my strings.

It's called using your head.
I use a lighter to burn off"irish pennants"on clothing items.
No reason this cannot be done on the silk on strings.

 

[J.D.B.]

Fraying silk can be quickly cleaned up with a cigarette lighter. I just wave the flame and we're all tidy again.

 

[izpak]

Dunlop Rounds don't have silks
I've had some Rotosounds that didn't either
I tried a set of SIT strings a few months ago and they didn't have silks
Labella rounds that I've used don't have silks

Probably more but I can't remember off the top of my head

 

[logdrum]

Never an issue

 

[LoTone]

• Elixir Nanoweb
• Rotosound RotoBass

 

[SunByrne]

Heh, sorry, I originally mis-read the title as “unskilled strings” and I thought “hey, I’m pretty unskilled, are there special strings for that?”

It’s a holiday, the drinking may have started a bit early...

 

[SBassman]

Odd that I've never thought about this much. I've been using unsilked strings for years because I liked the sound of those strings. Currently have silks on because I just tried a new type of string, which I like a lot and will likely stick with in the future. But what is the advantage of the silk? Why is it even on there? I just realized I have no clue about this.

Me, too.