“Hexacore” universal bass strings are designed to be a temporary replacement for faulty or missing strings until a proper custom-made string can be ordered and fitted.

They are available as a full set of 20 graded and numbered strings, or may be ordered individually as required.

They are particularly useful for tuners working in remote locations where it may be difficult to order and fit a custom replacement, and as a temporary fix when a piano is in constant use until a custom string can be fitted.

These universal strings are spun on a hexagonal-section core wire to allow stripping back the copper as needed to fit the piano, with the hexagonal wire holding the copper firmly in place whilst it can be stripped back to fit the piano. They are long enough for anything up to a 6’ grand. Simply choose a Hexacore string to match the diameter of the string being replaced as closely as possible, make a single German eye in the appropriate place and cut back the copper to fit.

The reason (besides aesthetics) that they are designed as a temporary replacement is the difficulty in accurately matching the string to its neighbours. Even if the total diameter is an exact match, the core wire may not be, and this can affect the characteristics of the note (inharmonicity).

Despite this drawback, they are still an invaluable part of a technician’s kit. They are somewhat cheaper than a custom string and are a good stop-gap until a custom-made string can be fitted. They are spun on Roslau steel and Degen copper to the same quality as our custom-made strings.

Please give us a ring if you would like any further information on this product.