Not a good day for 12-strings ...

[JakeK]

Thanks, Dan.

It's a plain string, right? Why not just get a bunch of .007 singles from Guitar Center? Surely that's cheaper and easier than replacing an entire set of T.I.'s over one broken string.

Chris Clayton has been kind enough to send me the one (consistently breaking) .010 from the set. But your idea is pretty good, Dan.

EDIT: Heard back from Larry:

It’s not too unusual to have the octave G break once in a while on a re-string, but since it’s happening consistently, and that it’s happening at the ball end, tells me that it might be due to the tailpiece. First, if you are stringing it with both string balls on the top of the tailpiece, I’d try stringing it with one on top and one on the bottom (if you have enough space between the trapeze and the guitar’s top). The octave G, which is the same gauge as the high E string, is subjected to a lot more tension than the high E, so crowding the two strings’ balls side-by-side might be putting a kink in the string’s wire and stressing it further than it was designed to take. I’d also take a look at the hole in the trapeze to see if there are burrs or a sharp edge in the steel (it’d likely be on the bottom of the plate since the holes are stamped from the top before plating) that would, in effect, cut the string. Filing the edge of the hole to remove the sharp edges and / or burrs could be the solution. Another option would be to go to a 9 gauge string for the G octave – that would reduce the tension on the string. Finally, you could look into getting a 12-hole trapeze that’s made by Winfield. You can either go through his website (it’s down right now, since he’s on vacation) or he has them on eBay. It’d be visually similar to the RIC tailpiece, although I’ve had good luck with Chip’s parts, sometimes the plating isn’t up to RIC standard.

[Folkie]

Okay...time to dig out this thread for some help...

I have a problem with my 360/12V64. It has been out of commission since New Year's Eve, and I figured it was time for a restringing. I chose TI flats from Pick of the Ricks, and consistently, the octave G keeps breaking, and snaps right out at the ball end, which goes flying across the room. My tech broke the string from the original package, and I've gotten two spares from Chris Clayton, both of which broke upon installation, nowhere close to pitch. I halfway thought about ordering a set of Pyramid round cores for a complete changeover only because I've become too ashamed to keep asking Chris Clayton for spare octave Gs for TI flats.

Can anyone help me with what could be the problem? I've already posed the question to Larry Davis.

Jake,

Two different techs who set up my 12-strings with TI Flats had the exact same problem. For that reason, I always keep about five extra TI .010 octave-G-strings on hand, just in case one snaps while my tech is restringing. It sounds like Larry (and others) have given you some sound advice on how to rectify this problem. If you're embarrassed to bother Chris for more G-strings, I'm pretty sure Just Strings sells the TI's individually.

Robert

[paologregorio]

Stay away from the Pyramids, unless you want intonation problems, and your guitar neck to look like this:

[libratune]

If all else fials, you can buy a 10-pack of .008 plain steel strings for $2.90 (plus shipping) from JustStrings.com: http://www.juststrings.com/plainsteelgu ... rings.html

[kennyhowes]

NOOOOO

Use a .010 for the high G.

But first, clean out the slot on the tailpiece. Sounds like something is messing up strings.

Or, if you want to wait and not waste the string set you have now, take the ball from a broken string, thread a .010 string through it, and the install on the tailpiece.

[JakeK]

Thanks for the sound advice, everybody, but there's more trouble: I installed a .020 for A octave, and a .025 for E octave. The tension got real tight real fast, and then both strings snapped in half.

I stay away from a standard D'Addario 12-string round wound set because they caused serious tuning and intonation problems and are not Rics recommended gauges.

[Folkie]

Thanks for the sound advice, everybody, but there's more trouble: I installed a .020 for A octave, and a .025 for E octave. The tension got real tight real fast, and then both strings snapped in half.

I stay away from a standard D'Addario 12-string round wound set because they caused serious tuning and intonation problems and are not Rics recommended gauges.

Jake,

I'm wondering if you think it's about time to take your 360/12v64 to a new tech, particularly an expert like Chris Clayton or Mark Arnquist. I know it's a hassle to ship out the guitar, but it sounds like your V64 is going haywire and you and your current tech are baffled. (Another option might be to go back to roundwound strings, which should have less tension, but who knows if that would solve the problem?) I hope you find a quick solution to the string-tension issues. Maybe others will chime in!

Robert

[JakeK]

That won't be necessary, Robert, because the problem is solved! We used an extra light set of strings, and it will be back in my hands tomorrow.I can ask Steve if he shaved the tailpiece for burrs and whatnot.

I was worried that the truss rods might be fried (the one time I was able to look under the TRC, one rod went left, and the other went right). Larry Davis had the following to say on the matter:
It sounds as though you may need to have a neck reset, but I doubt that the truss rods are toast – it takes a lot to kill them.

I'm hoping a neck reset isn't the case, but if the bridge gets lowered any more, it'll slide all over the place.

[Folkie]

That won't be necessary, Robert, because the problem is solved! We used an extra light set of strings, and it will be back in my hands tomorrow.I can ask Steve if he shaved the tailpiece for burrs and whatnot.

I was worried that the truss rods might be fried (the one time I was able to look under the TRC, one rod went left, and the other went right). Larry Davis had the following to say on the matter:
It sounds as though you may need to have a neck reset, but I doubt that the truss rods are toast – it takes a lot to kill them.

I'm hoping a neck reset isn't the case, but if the bridge gets lowered any more, it'll slide all over the place.

Jake,

I'm so relieved to hear the good news! What gauge strings did you settle on? Sounds like the easiest possible solution. Certainly a happier outcome than a neck reset!

When you get the guitar home and plug it into your AC15, please let us know how everything sounds. I truly hope you're done with the hassle and that you can concentrate on your music again!

Robert

[Folkie]

Well, what do you know? During a routine setup of my 360/12c63, I asked my tech to replace the generic octave G string with a TI .010. He left me a note in the case saying that the ball end kept flying off. He even tried soldering one on, and it broke again. So he replaced the octave G with a D'Addario .25mm .010. I haven't tuned up yet, so I'm not sure if it's going to snap on me. He said the following about the TI string in his note: "Ball end keeps breaking with this brand. Doesn't like 90 degree bend."