String wraps

[Ask the bass]

Hi DB'ers.  I am using a BSX EUB but don't like the strings.  I got a set of Innovation Silver Slaps but the tail piece is too close to the bridge so the silk swaps go over the bridge.  Would it be OK to trim them back with a Stanley knife or will it all unravel?

[NickA]

Yes you can, yes it will unravel, no it doesn't matter. The silks are purely decorative.

[DanOwens]

That's seriously good to know. I've got silks going over my nut on my NS; am I right in thinking the peg-end silk IS important, but the bridge end isn't?

Edited July 11, 2019 by DanOwens
idiocy

[NickA]

"....the peg-end silk IS important, but the bridge end isn't?"

I'm not sure about the peg end silks to be honest. 

I'm guessing that the peg end silks traditionally protect wooden tuners from the sharp wire.  But some string designs taper down to just the core at the peg end, so the silk is keeping the end of the outer winding in place and stopping the thin end of the winding from coming un-wound.

On the other hand my electric basses have d'Addario NYXLs on which  have no silks at either end and work fine.  I've also had to fix the odd snapped string on my double bass, which has brass tuning pegs .. and on my 'cello, which has wooden tuning pegs .... with bare un-silked bits of string now and then with no harm done.  

Depends on the string design then!  But surely you could trim back the bit that protrudes over the nut.

[DanOwens]

20 hours ago, NickA said:

...But surely you could trim back the bit that protrudes over the nut.

It looks like the wrap ends shortly after, so I'm not so sure. I'll probably get drunk and regretfully go at it with a blunt spoon!

[NickA]

@DanOwens .. sounds like your strings are a little short for the bass!

[DanOwens]

Its the NS CR's design; there's two places to put the the ball-ends; one means there's silk over the bridge and the other means there's silk over the nut. Lose-lose!