String Rant!

[Mark Dyer]

Bit of spare time this afternoon so I thought I'd put some new strings on the new Spector, had it about a month now, it's done a few gigs, rehearsals etc, strings were starting to sound a bit on the dull side.

The bass came supplied with D'Addario Nickel wound 45 -105, I usually have DRs (of the same gauge) on all my basses (except one, but I'll get to that later) but I was very impressed with the sound of the D'Addarios so I ordered another two sets.

I always start with the G string and work my way up, one at a time, get to the E and I find it doesn't fit into the bridge, the windings on the end are too thick to slide through the slot, I open 2nd packet and try that E string, exactly the same thing. I check the old string that came with the bass, fits in no problem. I check the gauge, defo the same gauge but, on closer inspection I find that whoever strung it at the factory had crimped the end windings flat, probably in some large bench vice I expect. I don't have one.

Why supply a bass, strung with a set of strings that you know do not fit and you need to crimp the ends!? What is the point of that?

Now, I also had the same problem with my Corvette 5-string, the bridge slot wasn't big enough to allow the DR 'B' to fit. In the end I searched around for a manufacturer who offered tapered ends, Ken Smith strings seems to be the best I could find.

D'Addario don't supply tapered end versions, I can't seem to find any on their site anyway. And this isn't the first time I've had problems with D'Addario strings, I purchased two sets of DB end strings for the Status last year only to find the E string was too short on both sets. Thomann refunded my costs thankfully and I now use GHS on the S2.

But my questions here are:

Who is at fault here, the guitar companies or the string manufacturers?

And has anyone here come across any of these issues?

And, last question I promise, does anyone here have a solution to the problem? Before I go out and purchase a large, industrial bench vice.

[RockfordStone]

I had this with my warwick thumb, apparently it was a common problem in warwicks of a certain age. as mine as a typical bridge saddle set up rather than a through body job, I just filed down the relevant slots. I will eventually (or if I sell the bass) get a new saddle, but for now, it does the job just as well

Edited May 28, 2014 by RockfordStone

[geoffbyrne]

Black & Decker, metal drill bit.

G.

[Lw.]

I had the same problem with my Warwick - you can pinch the sting with a decent pair of mole-grips or pliers quite easily - nothing to worry about.

[Mark Dyer]

Yep, I think the pliers/vice route will be the one I go down.

Not convinced about the Black and Decker solution on a £2000 bass geoffbyrne

[sykilz]

How disappointing, I speed read the thread title as " Sting " rant, and was looking forward to people saying that he was crap ever since the second Police album. Oh well.

[TheGreek]

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1401299420' post='2462242']
How disappointing, I speed read the thread title as " Sting " rant, and was looking forward to people saying that he was crap ever since the second Police album. Oh well.
[/quote]

Got to agree with this...

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Me too. My left eye is defective at the moment;)

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1401294596' post='2462185']
Yep, I think the pliers/vice route will be the one I go down.

Not convinced about the Black and Decker solution on a £2000 bass geoffbyrne
[/quote]

TWO GRAND FOR A SPECTOR?!?!?!

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1401299420' post='2462242']
How disappointing, I speed read the thread title as " Sting " rant, and was looking forward to people saying that he was crap ever since the second Police album. Oh well.
[/quote]
Sadly it would probably have got a lot more replies as well.

Edited May 28, 2014 by BetaFunk

[Mark Dyer]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1401310603' post='2462414']
TWO GRAND FOR A SPECTOR?!?!?!
[/quote]

Well, just shy of £2000 but may as well have been.

I got fed up of waiting for the right one to come onto the S/H market so I took the plunge and purchased new, sometimes us Lefties don't have a choice!

[steve-bbb]

haha i just read the title and thought oh no whats he done now

[discreet]

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1401299420' post='2462242']
...I read the title as 'Sting Rant' and was looking forward to people saying that he was crap ever since the second Police album.
[/quote]

Sting was crap ever since the second Police album.

[sykilz]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1401368959' post='2462873']


Sting was crap ever since the second Police album.
[/quote]

Thanks mate!

[D'Addario Rep]

Mark-

PM sent.

Thanks,

Tom Spaulding, D'Addario

[discreet]

[size=4][quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1401378948' post='2463035'][/size]Thanks mate!
[/quote]

Edited May 29, 2014 by discreet

[discreet]

[quote name='D'Addario Rep' timestamp='1401389638' post='2463210']
Mark- PM sent. Thanks, Tom Spaulding, D'Addario
[/quote]

Hey Tom, welcome to the forum. Nice to see companies taking an interest in their customers.

[Mark Dyer]

After receiving a PM from Tom Spaulding I double checked the strings and bridge again this morning, I now know why the E string doesn't fit. The bass (LH) has been fitted with a RH bridge, so the E string doesn't fit in what is the G string slot.

To say I'm annoyed right now is an understatement, in process of talking to Mark at Bass Direct, I fear the worst...

Edited May 31, 2014 by Mark Dyer

[KevB]

So it's a two grand bass with the [i]wrong bridge [/i]on it? poor show, that.

[2elliot]

Nice touch, Tom