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-   -   New strings setup (nut re-cutting?) (http://www.smithbassforums.com//showthread.php?t=1980)

Osmar Okuma 08-31-2011 08:18 PM

New strings setup (nut re-cutting?)
 
So I got my Ken Smith a couple of weeks ago and I have to say I love it.

I however always played flat wounds and the strings it came with are the taper core strings. And I have never had to adjust the nut (re-cutting) since the gauge has been the same. I want to buy flats for this bass (I use thomastik jazz) but I am not sure how comfortable I will be if I have to make a major set up to the bass.

Im not sure if I should try to do the adjustments myself or take it to a luthier since I am treating the bass like a baby.

Any suggestions or if anyone knows of a good place in boston I could go to get some help?

Kirk P Brosius 09-04-2011 12:12 AM

nut
 
Hey "O.O.",

When I bought my Smith in 2001, it came from the Chicago area yo the central Rockies with medium guage steels, and suffered some neck warpage during the first few weeks. The steels came off, I gave the truss rod some love and near to the SAME guage Compressors went on and the is great.

My advice to you would be:

Your hands, one file, your KS Brass nut; DON"T!!

Ken will have the correct answer for you, but......

Good luck with your challenge!!

Regards, Kirk

Jason Mendelson 09-06-2011 07:40 AM

To put T-I Jazz Flats I do not see any nut modification needed at all....

.033 .043 .056 .070 .100 .136 for 6 string gauges...

you shouldnt have to make any modifications to the bridge either... I have a .135 non-tapered round on my B string no problems...

Now you are making me want to put some T-I's on my Smith to see what it sounds like!

Jason Mendelson 01-11-2012 03:33 AM

Well, I just put a set of 6 string T-I's on my BSR6EG (since I recently acquired another 6 Frettless Smith, figured I need one with flats now!)...

Strings fit perfectly, play and sound great!

The .136 fits in the nut just fine (if it were any bigger I don't think it would)...

The T-I's on the B-E-A strings have spaced out windings and can almost feel like ground-wounds. i did notice that the windings near the nut on the B string spaced out a little bit, so I losend the string and pulled it out of the nut and tuned up again this time pushing the string towards the tuner. The windings look more uniform now. It isnt something that would cause a problem, but I did notice the winding got a little caught and needed a little help.

I'll tell ya, I have never been so nervous changing a set of strings in my life! Especially when doing the B string... These things are expensive!

Scott Pope 01-13-2012 07:02 PM

Hmm. The flats I play are the same external gauges as the rounds I used to play: 45-60-80-105. Nothing needed at the nut, just a little burnishing to make sure everything was smooth and a little graphite (pencil lead) in the grooves, and everything should be fine.

Now, the bridge, with the change from tapered core to conventional strings, may need one or more (depending on how many strings in the set are tapered)saddle heights adjusted slightly, and intonation reset depending on how much "core stretch" your preferred strings have.

Ken Smith 01-13-2012 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Mendelson (Post 23915)
Well, I just put a set of 6 string T-I's on my BSR6EG (since I recently acquired another 6 Frettless Smith, figured I need one with flats now!)...

Strings fit perfectly, play and sound great!

The .136 fits in the nut just fine (if it were any bigger I don't think it would)...

The T-I's on the B-E-A strings have spaced out windings and can almost feel like ground-wounds. i did notice that the windings near the nut on the B string spaced out a little bit, so I losend the string and pulled it out of the nut and tuned up again this time pushing the string towards the tuner. The windings look more uniform now. It isnt something that would cause a problem, but I did notice the winding got a little caught and needed a little help.

I'll tell ya, I have never been so nervous changing a set of strings in my life! Especially when doing the B string... These things are expensive!

If the windings are spaced out and then move back at some point your strings are basically loose on the outside and coming apart to that degree. Flatwound are not flexible like round or ground type strings because the wire under the top wrap is also flat wire wound at the opposite angle IF they are true Flatwounds. Ground wounds like our Slick Rounds are the closest we offer that has a similar look and feel to a Flatwound. Mainly because of the reasons stated above as well as the problem you've just experienced.


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