Optima flatwounds 4440

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Captain Bob
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by Captain Bob »

Oh...I have plenty O' other sets to employ!
1964 4001S Fireglo
loveboatcaptain
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by loveboatcaptain »

Hi guys.

These strings are available as I begged Optima to make them for me. I got in touch with the owner of Optima strings in November last year and I asked if they can make me some sets based on the old Maxima/Ric Strings. He said that he still had the original spec/build sheets for the original strings so could make them up exactly (or as close as due to materials etc) s the originals.

After some phone conversations, Andre agreed to make me a dozen sets for testing. I received these in plain packaging (4099 set packaging) and I can confirm these are pretty darn close to the originals, you wont get closer. I have 11 brand new (new old stock) of the orginal 60/70's Ric S4440 sets at home, unopened. I also sent Optima a set so they could compare and use it as a reference.

So hopefully these will appeal to some of you on here. Give them a go. I also wrote the description of the strings for Optima (as seen on the link posted by some earlier on here). Ps, I do not work for Optima and had never received a penny for any help I gave them in development of these strings, I did it and pushed it out of love for the orignal S4440 sets.

If anyone here would like a set of the ORIGINAL 60/70's Rickenbacker S4440 flatwound sets, brand new sealed in the classic red box (new old stock from decades ago), I have 6 sets I'm going to let go and pass on to someone who wants them, as they are just stored in my wardrobe and seems a shame as I know people would love to have/use these.
Another member on here bought a set from me, purely to keep in the box and put with his 1963 4001S. I have one set on one of my rics, they are amazing. These new Optimas come close but nothing beats the originals.

PM me if interested. $130 shipped to USA (from UK) per box
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iiipopes
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by iiipopes »

Captain Bob wrote:After opening a new set of flats (I can't speak for every brand) such as TI's,(tonally, the best balanced flat's I have used) Pyramids, GHS, etc, you'll find the polishing compound residue remains.
I've played for over forty years. I always clean and polish strings. It is me, not the residue. I can't use D'Addario Helicore double bass strings for the same reason: pure nickel wrap turning my fingers black. I tried the Helicores a couple of years ago on a friend's double bass, who is also very particular about the aesthetics of his instruments. My fingers still turned black. I agree that removing the polishing residue will help. On stainless flats, everything is great after you get them cleaned up.

I could never use GHS nickel rockers on my guitars for the same reason: black and dead. I have to change guitar strings regularly; D'Addario XL 11-49 with the wound 3rd seem to hold out the longest for me, except for DR steel flatwounds on one of my semi-hollow body guitars and on my 320, which I have not had to change for a very long time, indeed.

But nickel and I don't get along. In addition to the problem of fingers turning black, I corroded almost beyond usability a nickel humbucker cover on a set of Gibson "57" humbuckers, and I have to be careful on my 4002, as I see corrosion starting on the edge of the pickup cover where my thumb has worn through the chrome to the nickel substrate, and I already have some scale around the pickguard cutout.

Stainless steel wrap or chrome pickup covers are non-reactive with me. Neither is nylon tape wrap on strings. That is also the main reason I quit using conventional nickel plated roundwound strings. After two gigs - dead as a possum, and the E string always had to be changed between nights of a Fri-Sat double gig.

GHS Progressives strings, with the Alloy 52 that has mostly iron content and less nickel, do well on my 4002, and have for over two decades, in custom gauges 45-60-80-105.

My son inherited my nickel incompatability. As an infant, we could not put any clothing on him that had nickel snaps or zippers without covering them with some sort of tape, or he would get irritated at that spot. Plastic and steel fasteners were not a problem.

Now, I know, the first person to read this is going to say: "But nickel is part of the alloy of many steels." Yeah, go figure. Rotosound stainless Swingbass also go clank too soon, but because it is solid alloy, not pure nickel or nickel plating, there is enough iron in the mix that the reaction with my perspiration doesn't occur.
farace
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by farace »

The strings that used to react and turn my fingers greenish-black (though I guess it isn't exactly corrosion) were the original copper-coated D'Addario XL Reds back in the early '80s. It was so bad that at one point, before I realized it was just me, I almost accused my then-girlfriend's roommate's boyfriend, who was a mechanic, of playing my bass with greasy hands when I wasn't there. I loved the sound of them but couldn't tolerate the patina they accumulated. It seems my body chemistry has changed since then, as I managed to find an NOS set of XL Reds a few years ago and didn't develop the same crud again.
--Bob

2015 4003 FG
1992 4003FL FG
1983 4003 WAL

Gone (stolen) but not forgotten, 1978 4001 WHT
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Wiker
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by Wiker »

As we talked about earlier the Optima 4099 seems to have changed over the years.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=413370&start=15
The latest sets I bought (a years ago) were stiffer than the first ones, and this stiffer set had a much "deader" A and E string (like the infamous Pyramid E-string).

The first sets I bought are so close to the old Maxima 4440 (at least the one set of Maxima I have) that I can’t hear a difference. To check this out yet another time, yesterday I swapped out two Optima strings (D and E) for the two old Maxima strings. Playing they sound as if they belong to the same set.

To the new Optima 4440. The two sets I got are just as stiff as the latest 4099 sets I bought, and the A and E strings are just as "dead". The G and D strings are fine though.
So, :(
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rickenbrother
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by rickenbrother »

jps wrote:
Captain Bob wrote:After opening a new set of flats (I can't speak for every brand) such as TI's,(tonally, the best balanced flat's I have used) Pyramids, GHS, etc, you'll find the polishing compound residue remains.
Paper towel and naphtha (check lighter fluid label contents) should be used to wipe the strings clean prior to installation. I discussed this with a couple of distributors many years ago. I suppose manufacturers don't properly clean them because of labor cost. You'll find once its removed, your fingers will never be black.

As far as 4440 string gauges, I seem to recall (FWIW in the 70's) .101 for the E string. I have an NOS Rickenbacker 4440 set, but they are still sealed and remain unopened.
In the past I have also used alcohol to remove the residues from the strings, it works just as well for those wary of using naphtha.

An old, unopened set of strings is useless unless they are intended for the string museum. :wink:
Kyser Dr. Stringfellow's Lem-Oil Fretboard conditioner works better than those. If you use it on roundwound strings once or twice a week, you'd be amazed how long they keep their new tone. It lubricates strings without being goopy like some other string lubricants. Gets gunk off anything, quickly and easily. It was also Curmudge approved for safe use on guitars. I rarely clean flatwound strings though.
The JETGLO finish name should be officially changed to JETGLO ROCKS! :-)
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jps
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by jps »

I was referring to removing the manufacturing residues from brand new strings.
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rickenbrother
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by rickenbrother »

jps wrote:I was referring to removing the manufacturing residues from brand new strings.
:roll: It works for that too! :P :mrgreen:
The JETGLO finish name should be officially changed to JETGLO ROCKS! :-)
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chefothefuture
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by chefothefuture »

Wiker wrote:As we talked about earlier the Optima 4099 seems to have changed over the years.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=413370&start=15
The latest sets I bought (a years ago) were stiffer than the first ones, and this stiffer set had a much "deader" A and E string (like the infamous Pyramid E-string).

The first sets I bought are so close to the old Maxima 4440 (at least the one set of Maxima I have) that I can’t hear a difference. To check this out yet another time, yesterday I swapped out two Optima strings (D and E) for the two old Maxima strings. Playing they sound as if they belong to the same set.

To the new Optima 4440. The two sets I got are just as stiff as the latest 4099 sets I bought, and the A and E strings are just as "dead". The G and D strings are fine though.
So, :(
Sadly, I must concur. They're not right. They don't seem much different than the current 4099s at all, other than the purple silk....
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woodyng
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by woodyng »

chefothefuture wrote:
Wiker wrote:As we talked about earlier the Optima 4099 seems to have changed over the years.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=413370&start=15
The latest sets I bought (a years ago) were stiffer than the first ones, and this stiffer set had a much "deader" A and E string (like the infamous Pyramid E-string).

The first sets I bought are so close to the old Maxima 4440 (at least the one set of Maxima I have) that I can’t hear a difference. To check this out yet another time, yesterday I swapped out two Optima strings (D and E) for the two old Maxima strings. Playing they sound as if they belong to the same set.

To the new Optima 4440. The two sets I got are just as stiff as the latest 4099 sets I bought, and the A and E strings are just as "dead". The G and D strings are fine though.
So, :(
Sadly, I must concur. They're not right. They don't seem much different than the current 4099s at all, other than the purple silk....
Sad to hear,but good to know.....
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chefothefuture
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by chefothefuture »

They're not bad strings. In fact, I'd use them on certain Ricks that could handle the tension of
your average ( say Ken Smith Burners) 45-100 RW set. It's just a disappointment. Must be as John Hall
said, due to the improper metallurgy.
As an aside-
On my "Faux Thousands" which have 34" scales, the Optimas sound amazing.
Very different.
Not sure if the extra tension and greater speaking length has that much to do with it.
The dead E sounds totally live ! ?
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woodyng
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by woodyng »

chefothefuture wrote:They're not bad strings. In fact, I'd use them on certain Ricks that could handle the tension of
your average ( say Ken Smith Burners) 45-100 RW set. It's just a disappointment. Must be as John Hall
said, due to the improper metallurgy.
As an aside-
On my "Faux Thousands" which have 34" scales, the Optimas sound amazing.
Very different.
Not sure if the extra tension and greater speaking length has that much to do with it.
The dead E sounds totally live ! ?
Sounds like maybe a good string for my '57 reissue Precision.....i am not really liking the Chromes i put on there,because they don't seem to be "calming down". (Very weird,i have a set that came on my Jazz bass that sound perfect,but i think they've been on that (mostly unplayed by the previous owner) bass for over a year. I keep expecting to pick up the P bass and magically all the clang to be gone......
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jps
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by jps »

woodyng wrote:Sounds like maybe a good string for my '57 reissue Precision.....i am not really liking the Chromes i put on there,because they don't seem to be "calming down". (Very weird,i have a set that came on my Jazz bass that sound perfect,but i think they've been on that (mostly unplayed by the previous owner) bass for over a year. I keep expecting to pick up the P bass and magically all the clang to be gone......
It's the Pee Bass, they were designed for LaBella flats. :wink:
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woodyng
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by woodyng »

jps wrote:
woodyng wrote:Sounds like maybe a good string for my '57 reissue Precision.....i am not really liking the Chromes i put on there,because they don't seem to be "calming down". (Very weird,i have a set that came on my Jazz bass that sound perfect,but i think they've been on that (mostly unplayed by the previous owner) bass for over a year. I keep expecting to pick up the P bass and magically all the clang to be gone......
It's the Pee Bass, they were designed for LaBella flats. :wink:
Those original labellas are too big/ high tension for my taste......much like the old Fender flatwounds.
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jps
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Re: Optima flatwounds 4440

Post by jps »

I agree, I don't understand how some folks love that bridge cable feeling. Give me TI JFs any day.
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