Lucinda,
Geoff's explanation about covers it. I would add that in addition to needle nose pliers, Vise-Grips, slip-joint and wire-stripping pliers are all good candidates for this task.
Please note also Ed McMorrow's further refinement of this process (involving lowering the tension on the string, and even untwisting it before impacting the windings).
Alan
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Alan Eder, RPT
Herb Alpert School of Music
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA
661.904.6483
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-25-2018 07:22
From: Lucinda Strehlow
Subject: Wound bass strings question #1 : Rattles
Original Message------
Lucinda --
On the wound string, take a pair of needle nose pliers and very gently grab the core of the wound string next to the end of the winding. Then tap the pliers along the line of the core towards the winding with something like a small hammer. The pliers should slip along the core towards the winding and with the tapping cause the winding to compress a little bit. Tap it a couple of times. Repeat on the other end of the string. Does this help?
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Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
Original Message:
Sent: 10-24-2018 07:40
From: Lucinda Strehlow
Subject: Wound bass strings question #1 : Rattles
Is the idea (Alan's tip) to tighten the windings lengthwise? What does 'just the right grip' mean? I am not familiar with this trick.
Original Message------
Thanks, Alan. I had totally forgotten about that trick in my confused state.
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Geoff Sykes, RPT
Los Angeles CA
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