Strings with Silk Wrap at the Ball End

[DanielleOM]

I have convinced myself that some guitars have less problems with noise
coming from a metal tailpiece when you use strings with silk wrap at the
ball end.

By fiddling with the position / orientation of the ball on one guitar I
actually stopped a buzz. The ball was not sitting dead center and the
string would rattle against the tailpiece where the string exited the
tailpiece.

I am not aware of many guitar strings that put silk wrap on all strings
in the set. Optima and Pyramid have some sets that do.

I was trying to think of a home brew substitute for silk wrap at the
ball end. Considered even getting some fly tie material but unlike a
solid fish hook, a string would seem to be too flexible to tie. Maybe
shrink wrap would work? Any other ideas?


Danielle

[rpjazzguitar]

I'm not sure how you would hold the string up while you wrapped it.

That aside, flies are tied, for the most part, with thread. Not sure if it's really any different from sewing thread. Maybe more waterproof?

But, there is something called ribbing which is done with really skinny metal wire. Tell the storekeeper you want to tie a "brassie". You could wrap a few turns of that. You might be able to lock it down on itself (a tricky finishing knot fly tiers use) and then dab it with liquid cement to make it a little more solid.

When it's time to change strings, you could bend the end up to make a hook and go fishing.

[DanielleOM]

Perhaps it was the reference to the ribbon that helped. Sometimes it
makes sense to try things before one rules them out. In any case I
found a home brew solution that seemed to work OK, using ribbon style
dental floss.

I held a 12 gauge guitar string in my left hand, holding it with thumb
and finger just past the twisted wire. I put the dental floss dispenser
in the palm of my right hand. Using thumb and finger on the right hand
I was able to wrap the dental floss over the guitar twisted end with
little effort. I think it only took a minute or two. The guitar string
did flex a little while wrapping but not enough to be problematic.

I suppose this needs to be tried and installed in a guitar to be sure.
I suppose the wrap could become loose or even wear out.

Danielle

[rpjazzguitar]

Sounds good.

Fly tier's "head cement" would be perfect to stabilize the wraps.