String Voodoo

[patman]

Wasn't happy with the B String from a set of Labella "Low Tension Flexible Flats"...

The intonation was all over the place...to get frets 1-5 to intonate, the rest of the string  (higher notes) were out of tune...it sounded dead and was a general mess...just did not "ring" properly.

Put on a round wound B string I had around the house...it sounded terrible...

Got frustrated, and re-mounted the flat wound B string, and it sounded fine. No intonation problems, and it rang true...WTF?

[Granny Gremlin]

Was the round also new?

Possibly a combination of hasty post wrap and some stretching going on (bigger issue with bigger strings, such a a low B).

[patman]

Round was new...

Just don't understand how I could re-mount the flatwound, and have it sound fine.

Can strings get twisted, or something in installation?

[Granny Gremlin]

If the wrap around the post isn't tight (or too many winds - 4 max, ideally 3) and/or  the string is new you will get stretching as the string settles on the post and  the metal stretches under tension for the first time - slowly gives up slack until it reaches a stable homeostasis vs tension.  I never intonate until the next day after changing strings (tune up 1/2 to full step overnight after a careful mount job and manual stretching before bringing up to pitch). 

When you removed the flat B it was under tension for a bit so the metal may have stretched out, and when remounted you may have done a good job on the post and so it didn't stretch any more and was stable.

Maybe, just the first thought that came to mind.

[clankenstein]

It's possessed! Seriously , it could be the angle of the string over the  bridge saddle settling down, that can make a difference to intonation .

[Alanko]

Restringing the B might have unintentionally set the witness point correctly over the nut, as this point would be slightly weaker on the string from the first stringing?

[Pilgrim]

String was probably twisted and the re-installation allowed it to lie correctly.

[doombass]

I've never bothered waiting overnight no matter if it's about trussrod adjustment or string change. I've sometimes changed strings before soundcheck when gigging (but only when changing to the same type strings). I always help the string by hand to form the correct angle over the bridge saddle. I never wind the string by hand around the tuner post (ie not using the tuner key) unless I can hook up the ball end afterwards (like Gibson 3-point bridges). Otherwise the string gets twisted in the length direction. Then tune to pitch and stretch and repeat that several times.

[Granny Gremlin]

The last time I changed strings the day of a gig, I had to retune after every song.  It's actually a generally accepted best practise to not do that.  Even touring 'pros' (mostly guitar vs bass) who change strings for every gig don't do it right before the gig (but rather after the last gig).  They are also very good with the manual stretching (jope y'all know what I mean by that).

[Pilgrim]

I have the simple solution: play flats, install once, use them for the life of the bass.

[patman]

What I am trying to do now. Very satisfied with the Labella Low Tension Flexible flats. Especially now that the B string sounds better.

Hope they hang in there a couple years.

[Pilgrim]

What I am trying to do now. Very satisfied with the Labella Low Tension Flexible flats. Especially now that the B string sounds better.

Hope they hang in there a couple years.

I'll be very surprised if they don't still sound good 10+ years from now.

[patman]

Took some time and checked every fret on my tuner...just because you get the twelfth fret in doesn't mean the rest of the speaking length rings true.

The intonation was still pretty wacky...I just ordered a standard Labella 128 for the B string. Hopefully it will ring truer.

[patman]

Labella is sending a new string...pretty awesome customer service

[patman]

Figured it out-

Idiot operator error...

Pickups were too close to strings...strings are supple and very magnetic...pickups have huge very powerful magnets...

Cranked them down almost all the way and weird overtones and intonation issues go away...

Boy I feel stupid