{GEAR} Taper wound strings WAS Can anyone explain this?

#1 · November 21, 2003, 4:41 am

Quote from Forum Archives on November 21, 2003, 4:41 am
Posted by: d.morison <d.morison@...>

On 20 Nov 2003 at 13:07, Donl Mathis wrote:

> The math is much more straightforward when each section is the same
> weight, and is infinitely flexible, and is infinitely thin -- we end
> up with a fairly simple, clean motion on the string. But when
> different sections of the string are different masses, or different
> thicknesses, or different stiffnesses, then all of a sudden the motion
> is not so clean and regular, and instead of the string as a whole
> producing a nice, uniform wave, the wave becomes proportionately
> misshaped. As a specific example, if a section of the string is
> heavier, the wave that's forming will move slower as it passes through
> that section. The "slope" of the waveform there will be more gradual.
>
> If one end of the string was significantly different than the other,
> the "point of balance" in the string could shift.

All of which is exactly why I don't like taper wound bass strings - the
idea of having part of the string much thinner, lighter and more flexible
than the rest just doesn't seem right to me. This has been borne out in
practice too - every time I've had tapers on my bass, the B string
harmonics in particular have been obnoxiously out of tune, rendering it
impossible to intonate at the 12th fret as normal, and effectively
unuseable above the 4th or 5th fret due to the weird overtones.
So for me, it's consistency all the way.
Cheers,
David.

David M. Morison
Land Management Department,
SAC, Craibstone Estate,
Aberdeen AB21 9TR.

Tel: 01224 711148
Fax: 01224 711295

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Posted by: d.morison <d.morison@...>

On 20 Nov 2003 at 13:07, Donl Mathis wrote:

> The math is much more straightforward when each section is the same
> weight, and is infinitely flexible, and is infinitely thin -- we end
> up with a fairly simple, clean motion on the string. But when
> different sections of the string are different masses, or different
> thicknesses, or different stiffnesses, then all of a sudden the motion
> is not so clean and regular, and instead of the string as a whole
> producing a nice, uniform wave, the wave becomes proportionately
> misshaped. As a specific example, if a section of the string is
> heavier, the wave that's forming will move slower as it passes through
> that section. The "slope" of the waveform there will be more gradual.
>
> If one end of the string was significantly different than the other,
> the "point of balance" in the string could shift.

All of which is exactly why I don't like taper wound bass strings - the
idea of having part of the string much thinner, lighter and more flexible
than the rest just doesn't seem right to me. This has been borne out in
practice too - every time I've had tapers on my bass, the B string
harmonics in particular have been obnoxiously out of tune, rendering it
impossible to intonate at the 12th fret as normal, and effectively
unuseable above the 4th or 5th fret due to the weird overtones.
So for me, it's consistency all the way.
Cheers,
David.

David M. Morison
Land Management Department,
SAC, Craibstone Estate,
Aberdeen AB21 9TR.

Tel: 01224 711148
Fax: 01224 711295

The information in this email is confidential and may be legally
privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to
this email by anyone else is unauthorised.

If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying,
distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in
reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. When
addressed to our clients any opinions or advice contained
in this email are subject to the terms and conditions
expressed in the governing client engagement letter.