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Question about flat wounds
Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2023 2:10 pm
by lumgimfong
Is the Low E in a given set supposed to sound darker than the A, D,and g strings? Like, I mean sounding like a dead E string? To the point of sounding like the string is from a different set?
Seems like it is extremely rare for the low E of any flat wounds set by any manufacturer I have used to sound uniform in tone to the a, d,and g strings.
Why don't they make an E that sounds as clear and bright as the a, d, and g strings do?
Or am I just receiving bad string sets in the mail?
Seems like prior to 2015 I wasn't having this problem, but in the last few years I keep getting bad E strings in sets.
And not only when I get them for the 4003, but other basses I have, too.
What is your experience?
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 6:48 am
by ram
No issues with mine... but I have only been running them for the past two years and have only had two sets on them. I'm using DAdderios.
What brand are you running?
is the ball/eyelet seated fully into the tail piece>?
is the dead sound consistent there with both pickups?
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 4:24 pm
by lumgimfong
D'A, LaBella, Pyramid, Ernie Ball Cobalt, TI, SIT, NOS Maxima.
Some I returned, some I emailed sent replacements, so they were very nice about it.
Oddly, Ernie Ball Group IV Flatwounds had no dead strings in two packs I had but keeping them in tune and the intonation was bad on the E and A in two sets. Go figure!
Yes, both pups.
I would start thinking it was the bass that was causing the problem, but then I would throw on a set of Roto 66 and all was perfect. So it was the strings.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 8:15 pm
by rickenbrother
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 2:10 pm
What is your experience?
I haven't had this problem. The flats I use are usually the D'Addario Chromes ECB84 set. I've also used the La Bella Low Tension Flats. I have a preference for the Chromes because they have more tension and my fingertips don't stick to them.
Maybe either both of the polepieces of your pickups should be slightly closer to the E string or at least one of the E string polepieces is too close.
You could also give one or both truss rod nuts a slight tweak in either direction (not enough to affect relief) to see if it changes the resonance of the neck. I'd try counterclockwise first.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 10:39 pm
by lumgimfong
My 4003 has two toasters. 4/32 from pup top to string bottom when string depressed at last fret.
I will try the trod tweak. Thanks for the tip!
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 8:02 pm
by rickenbrother
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Thu Jun 29, 2023 10:39 pm
I will try the trod tweak. Thanks for the tip!
I hope it works for you.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2023 9:36 pm
by jps
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Thu Jun 29, 2023 10:39 pm
My 4003 has two toasters. 4/32 from pup top to string bottom when string depressed at last fret.
You've got room to go; mine are at 1/16 (in your parlance, that would be 4/64)
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:44 pm
by lumgimfong
…or 2/32!!!
Can’t get the neck pup any closer unless I remove the rubber spacers.. I might buy a thinner rubber spacer to use.
Veer: I’m thinking of switching to mm for all bass measurements as they are easier to use than our American fractional inches.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:40 am
by jps
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:44 pm
…or 2/32!!!
Can’t get the neck pup any closer unless I remove the rubber spacers.. I might buy a thinner rubber spacer to use.
Veer: I’m thinking of switching to mm for all bass measurements as they are easier to use than our American fractional inches.
Okay, so 1/16" becomes 0.1524. Sounds like a plan.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:40 am
by jps
jps wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:40 am
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:44 pm
…or 2/32!!!
Can’t get the neck pup any closer unless I remove the rubber spacers.. I might buy a thinner rubber spacer to use.
Veer: I’m thinking of switching to mm for all bass measurements as they are easier to use than our American fractional inches.
Okay, so 1/16" becomes 0.1524mm. Sounds like a plan.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 4:06 pm
by rickenbrother
jps wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:40 am
jps wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:40 am
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Sat Jul 01, 2023 7:44 pm
…or 2/32!!!
Can’t get the neck pup any closer unless I remove the rubber spacers.. I might buy a thinner rubber spacer to use.
Veer: I’m thinking of switching to mm for all bass measurements as they are easier to use than our American fractional inches.
Okay, so 1/16" becomes 0.1524mm. Sounds like a plan.
Quoting yourself again, Jeffo?!
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 6:57 pm
by jps
rickenbrother wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 4:06 pm
jps wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:40 am
jps wrote: ↑Sun Jul 02, 2023 10:40 am
Okay, so 1/16" becomes 0.1524mm. Sounds like a plan.
Quoting yourself again, Jeffo?!
Not sure what happened there. Most likely, there was a shift in the space-time continuum.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 9:19 am
by lumgimfong
Lowest action I can play is about 1mm or I sound like a car mechanic.
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:10 am
by jps
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 9:19 am
Lowest action I can play is about 1mm or I sound like a car mechanic.
Did you mena karma mechanic?
Re: Question about flat wounds
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2023 3:08 pm
by Isaac
jps wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:10 am
lumgimfong wrote: ↑Mon Jul 03, 2023 9:19 am
Lowest action I can play is about 1mm or I sound like a car mechanic.
Did you mena karma mechanic?
A karma kanic?