SamIAm Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Recently blessed to obtain a Hohner 5 string headless, sounds great and is lite enough to not stress my already weakened back! But the range of strings (double ball ended) is ... limited!!! Can anyone suggest a decent replacement for the headend with grubscrews (or something else) that would allow me to use single ball-end strings? S'manth x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Eyup Smanth, When I converted my Ibanez Roadster to 5 string headless (I think the build diary is still on here from tidying it up a couple of decades later) I used the bridge and head string anchor from my B2V. A little later i fashioned a clamping thing for single ball strings; the choice nowadays is luxury compared to 30 years back! I only had hand tools, so the holes aren't perfectly straight, but you get the idea. Maybe you have a friend who is better than I was at engineering diy? The only thing I found against the idea was that once you cut off the leftover bit of the lower strings they can unravel with no warning, so even though the outer windings remain clamped the inner pulls through, leaving a very slack string! Super glue in the trimmed end proved to be the solution to this. Hope this is helpful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Steinberger supply one with their 5 string Spirit basses. Maybe it fits a Hohner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 https://www.headlessusa.com/string-adaptrrs pretty reasonable pricing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 10 hours ago, Downunderwonder said: Steinberger supply one with their 5 string Spirit basses. Maybe it fits a Hohner? Cool, I'll check it out! S'manth x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 4 hours ago, Downunderwonder said: https://www.headlessusa.com/string-adaptrrs pretty reasonable pricing. Thank you but OUCH! 70USD to buy and ship to the UK, tho it does make me think perhaps I should just design & CNC my own ... S'manth x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 eBay or Ali Express is probably your friend here. If you are prepared to wait a couple of weeks for delivery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 I'd echo the warning about cutting regular strings...it generally works fine, but there are some that don't stay together. Round wounds with a hex core work fine, but any string with a round core wire (DR Sunbeams, some NewTone etc) can start unravelling. The usual solution is to put a 90 degree bend in the string before you cut it, but that doesn't really work if you've only got a short length to clamp into a headpiece. I've never managed to clamp a set of flat wounds - the E always breaks, and sometimes the A as well. I've only ever tried old strings (it's too expensive to mess about with) but my experiments have been pretty conclusive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 25 minutes ago, BassBod said: I'd echo the warning about cutting regular strings...it generally works fine, but there are some that don't stay together. Round wounds with a hex core work fine, but any string with a round core wire (DR Sunbeams, some NewTone etc) can start unravelling. The usual solution is to put a 90 degree bend in the string before you cut it, but that doesn't really work if you've only got a short length to clamp into a headpiece. I've never managed to clamp a set of flat wounds - the E always breaks, and sometimes the A as well. I've only ever tried old strings (it's too expensive to mess about with) but my experiments have been pretty conclusive. Nods! I found this an issue when I used long scale TruBass strings on my 30 inch Twiggy build. But ... the sound was awesome and I had little other shoice! S'manth x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlefeeder Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 (edited) The US string adapter has a convex dished end to the screw and a corresponding concave dish at the bottom of the clamp screwhole. As you tighten the screw, it crimps the string and prevents it unraveling (so they say). I have successfully removed cut strings and put them back on, so it does appear to work. Thomann sell a similar string adapter. https://www.thomann.de/gb/steinberger_guitars_stadb05_adapter_5_string_bk.htm I've also found that bending strings through 90 degrees does not work with flatwounds. David Edited October 20, 2022 by Mottlefeeder More clarity(?) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 Not work with flatwounds I'm considering tapewounds so I woinder if the same (or worse) problem might exist S'manth x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 2 hours ago, Smanth said: Not work with flatwounds I'm considering tapewounds so I woinder if the same (or worse) problem might exist S'manth x Says who? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted October 21, 2022 Author Share Posted October 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Downunderwonder said: Says who? Noone but little ole me! Tapewoulds seems to be that bit more delicate! But it ain't gonna stop me trying! lol S'manth xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted October 21, 2022 Share Posted October 21, 2022 A blob of thermoplastic should hold it together. Heat up to recycle most if not all of it before changing strings. You could even do a single blob to span all the string ends and tidy it right up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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