Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi all. Apologies if this has been asked before. I did bit of a search but found nothing.

I've had my 370/12 for about 6 weeks now and have twice broken the G octave string while tuning it to pitch. Is this because I'm tuning it too high? Is it supposed to be tuned in unison with the G fundamental string?

Cheers,

Keith

It's definitely an octave.. using a 10? 8s break too easily. The Daddario set is garbage, you need the Rick gauges, like in the Curt Mangan Pick of the Ricks set. 10 G octave, and wound 20s for G and octave A.

Yes, I was pretty sure it is an octave. I'm currently using a Pick of the Ricks compressed set with the octave G being a 10p and the fundamental is a 20w. Guess I'll have to break into another set for a 10p. Hate to do that as I have order them in and wait for them. I just wanna play!

Keith

Can you not just purchase a single 10p locally and keep on playing? For the most part, at least in my experience, plain steel is plain steel regardless of reputable manufacturers.

Good point. I've never purchased single strings at a local store. I don't even know if they sell them that way but I will find out shortly.

Cheers,

Keith

I always keep a stock of singles of 10, 13, and 20w for replacements. I think GC stopped doing singles. Try the Fret Nation website.

Found some singles at L&M! I've been there a million times and never seen them before.

This time I'll try bringing the string to pitch slowly. Don't know if that will help but ...

Keith

Where is your string breaking? If at the bridge, you may want to check and see if the bridge saddle slot is "smooth" and there isn't a burr there that's cutting into the string.

If breaking at the tuner post, would suggest a number of winds around the post.

You should be able to tune that G octave 0.010 gauge string properly. It's not breaking because it can't go to standard pitch.

Yep, what Ron said. 2 or 3 wraps ought to be good. Proper stretching as well, gently.

The string seems to be breaking at the tuning machine, definitely not at the bridge. I usually try to get a number of winds around the post.

I put a 0.010 gauge string on yesterday and tuned it up very slowly and was able to get it to pitch without breaking it.

When I broke the two strings, I could sort of tell it was coming ... kind of like the string was complaining "too much, too much" and then ... snap! But not this time.

I'm a relative newcomer to the Rickenbacker 12-string world, having played pretty much exclusively 6-strings for the last 50 or so years. It seems to my 6-string lizard brain that tuning a 0.010 string to G above high E is pushing it a bit. Guess I'll get used to it. Sounds good.

BTW, I just installed a RickySounds wide nut on my 12-string. It was waaaay to high at first so I had to sand it down about 0.040" or so. Works fine now. Strings are now playable with my big fingers.

Cheers,

Keith

Check for any sharp edges/burrs on that tuning key post, and also, check if the string is binding in the nut slot.

admin wrote:Can you not just purchase a single 10p locally and keep on playing? For the most part, at least in my experience, plain steel is plain steel regardless of reputable manufacturers.

This ^
I have used 8's, 9's, and 10's for the octave G. The trick, as Ron and Jeffrey posted, is to make sure the bridge saddle, nut, and tuner posts have the proper witness points and are burnished. I use an 8 octave G with no issues.

Also...make sure the set has a wound G unison, because compensation is based on string stretch, which is related to core diameter. So use a wound unison G string so that the core is a similar diameter to the octave G string so the pair will intonate on a six-saddle bridge.

jdogric12 wrote:It's definitely an octave.. using a 10? 8s break too easily. The Daddario set is garbage, you need the Rick gauges, like in the Curt Mangan Pick of the Ricks set. 10 G octave, and wound 20s for G and octave A.

I hate to say it too, but don't use D'Addario 12 string sets on a Rick. I use their strings on everything else, but the Curt Mangan Pick Of The Ricks work best for me too. Never an issue, never break any, and they sound fine and last a long time. I have the strings changed on my 12s only once a year and that's sufficient. I have never tried changing the strings and probably never will. I take the guitars to my tech, he does it for me and tweaks the necks, intonation, etc.

jdogric12 wrote:It's definitely an octave.. using a 10? 8s break too easily. The Daddario set is garbage, you need the Rick gauges, like in the Curt Mangan Pick of the Ricks set. 10 G octave, and wound 20s for G and octave A.

I respectfully disagree. I use D'Addario strings in the following gauges, and have for the last over twenty years, and never had a breakage, because I follow the advice previously given: burnish the tuning posts, nut, and bridge saddles, make sure the witness points are good, and carefully string the guitar so that there are no kinks or excessive twisting of the strings:

9p, 11½p 18w, 24w, 32w, 42w
9p, 11½p 8p, 10½p 14p, 22w

The main point is that a player, especially on a six-saddle bridge, MUST use a wound 3rd G unison string so it will intonate properly with the octave G string, whatever gauge.

D'Addario has really upped its QC and consistency in the last few years. I encourage jdogric12 to give them another chance, but with singles, as the D'Addario electric 12-string set has a unison plain G which will not intonate.

One other trick: Since a player must use a wound string on the low E string, I ordered a saddle blank from RIC, and custom filed it so the unison E string intonates off the back edge of the saddle, and the octave E string intonates off the front edge of the saddle, so the low E string will be in tune up the neck.