How I put on a new set of round wound strings on a solid body ubass

*Time to put on a new set of Kala Round Wound strings on my custom sunburst Kala California (EADGC-tuning)*

Stringing Guide

1. Remove all the old strings

2. Make sure to tape down the bridge saddle so it doesn’t move

*A piece of masking tape helps to keep the bridge saddle in place*

3. Remove string back plate (if you have one)

4. Start with unpacking the E (lowest) string (and next time around the A and so on…)

5. Check and see if any metal washers are still in the string barrel. If so remove the one on the new string you’re about to install

*When you remove the old strings the old metal washers might still be in the barrel. In that case let it be and remove the washer from the new string.*

6. Put the sting through the lowest string slot/barrel

*String threaded in the through body bridge barrel/slot.*

7. Stretch the string past the string post. I use a cable cutter to measure how long the string needs to be before I cut it. I don’t want to have to much excess string around the post. 2-4 turns around the post is the goal.

*I have found that the plastic handles on this cutter gives me enough string for the string post.*

8. Put the end of the string into the hole in the middle of the string post. Push it down as far as it goes

*This is how much of the string that goes down into the middle of the tuner.*

9. Bend it to the right for the lowest two strings (tuners pointing upwards) and left for the top three strings (tuners pointing downwards

*Turn the tuner and make sure you let the string add turns beneath the first!*

10. Keep turning the tuning peg to get rid of the slack

11. Use a tuner and tune the string up to approx. one whole tone beneath the goal pitch (ex. D for the E-string)

12. Repeat step 4-11 for all the remaining stings

13. Put the string back plate back

14. Tune the strings up to pitch. Come back and retune until they stay in tune. This can take a day of two depending how much you play and stretch the strings

Using a tuner to tune up to pitch. Notice that I have approx. 2-4 turns around the string post on the strings. Try to get the last winding as close to the base of the tuner as possible. This will help to get a good string pressure over the nut and prevent the stings from “popping out” of the nut slots.

Time to make some new music with a fresh set of strings. Yummy!

Hope this is helpful for your next string changing session!

2 reaktioner till “How I put on a new set of round wound strings on a solid body ubass”

I just bought a Bakithi Kumalo series Kala California. I was thinking about changing the strings over to metal round wounds, but noticed a ”String Disclaimer” on the string documentation and Kala’s site. Apparently, Solid Body U Basses won’t work with anything else than polyurethanes. Do you know what’s up with that? I can understand it may need a new nut, but don’t see a reason to not make the change. Can you comment?

Svara

basmagnus skriver:

9 februari, 2021 kl. 19:42

Hi Jorge,

Sorry for my late response!

I have used both round wound and flat wound strings on my solid body ubasses. It’s not ideal but it can definitely work.
The break angle over the bridge is a bit different than on acoustic/electric but it can work!

I would not recommend using round wounds on a fretless though, since then will ”eat” a bit more on the fingerboard than the pahoehoe or flat wound strings.I use flatwound string on bothe the Bakithi and the SUB in this video:

Good luck!

All the best,
Magnus
playubass.com

Svara