Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I just got my first set of flats for my RIC 12. As I put the low E string through the tuning post and began to wrap it by hand around the post, it broke right at the insert hole on the post leaving the excesss string and the rest of the string connected by a mess of unraveled wrap. I did not put the rest on and now have a $45 bag of strings I am hesitant to mess with.

Did I do something wrong? I have never had this issue with round wounds.

Thanks,

Donnell

I have never had a problem with flatwounds, ever. Can you take a picture to show what happened?

donnellbw wrote:I just got my first set of flats for my RIC 12. As I put the low E string through the tuning post and began to wrap it by hand around the post, it broke right at the insert hole on the post leaving the excesss string and the rest of the string connected by a mess of unraveled wrap. I did not put the rest on and now have a $45 bag of strings I am hesitant to mess with.

Did I do something wrong? I have never had this issue with round wounds.

Thanks,

Donnell

It's not unusual to have problems when stringing a Rick 12 for the first time. The perpendicular tuners and the slotted headstock can be very confusing. Have you considered having a qualified tech string it for you, so that you can watch and see how it's done? (I don't know of any You Tube posts on this subject.)

With regard to that low E-string, you can probably call Chris Clayton at Pick of the Ricks (assuming that's where you bought the strings) and ask him to send you a replacement (or several of them, if you plan to restring on your own).

There's nothing wrong with having a qualified tech restring the guitar for you. I own two Rick 12's and I have NEVER changed the strings myself. In fact, I won't even bend strings, because I don't want to risk breaking one.

I know there are many here who feel comfortable restringing and adjusting their own guitars, but my philosophy is to let the tech worry about making adjustments, so that I can concentrate on making music.

For me restringing is like talking to my guitar, like hey babe you will get some new suit, feel comfortable..,and so on. After that is done I get it back by having sweet sounds coming as an answer. Yes, I know that I am nuts

I'd say it's probably a fluke. I've put them on both of my twelves twice. I also have TI guitar flats as the octave strings on my 8-string bass. I am by no means doing anything exotic when I install them and have never had one break. I did have one TI flat electric bass string from a set which had very different tone from the other three in the set. I called them and they sent me a replacement for free. The current sets on the twelves were put on in early June of 2009 to do a radio broadcast and are still doing just fine. One of them has hundreds of hours on it since then and the other is my spare guitar and maybe has five hours on it. They sound about the same today as they did on recordings made when they were new. As far as I can tell, there is nothing about the restringing process that needs to be changed for TI flats, so I suspect you just got a bad one.

Did you get the set from POTR? Perhaps he can send along a spare.

While this is pure conjecture, the only way I see this problem happening is if the string is cut into the ribbon when attempting to make it short. Donnell did you cut the string short of the leader?

admin wrote:While this is pure conjecture, the only way I see this problem happening is if the string is cut into the ribbon when attempting to make it short. Donnell did you cut the string short of the leader?

The same thing crossed my mind. I've had it happen when trying to install long-scale bass flatwounds on a short-scale guitar. (Different scenario, same basic problem.)

I have had Thomastik strings break while re-stringing different 12 string guitars several times. I love the strings but after about the third time having the string break, I gave up on them. I have never had any other string break on these guitars.Just too expensive to keep trying the Thomastiks.The Pyramids are pricey too,but I have never had any string break.

I've had non-wound TI strings break easily as well (two of them broke the first week I mounted them without a good reason..).

I replaced them with standard steel strings, but I'm not impressed enough with the tone and playability to warrant a $40 set of strings that break easily. Sticking with D'addarios next time!

Cross post: viewtopic.php?f=44&t=397345&start=15#p819230

collin wrote:Sticking with D'addarios next time!

There IS the Dave Rogers solution and make a set of Chromes for 12-string!

Col, have you had intonation or tuning issues with the standard D'Addario 12-string set? I have and have read of members on here who have as well. There's this option, too: http://www.guitarstringsonline.com/DAdd ... p_286.html

allmodcons wrote:I have had Thomastik strings break while re-stringing different 12 string guitars several times. I love the strings but after about the third time having the string break, I gave up on them. I have never had any other string break on these guitars.Just too expensive to keep trying the Thomastiks.The Pyramids are pricey too,but I have never had any string break.

I had the exact opposite experience. YMMV.

JakeK wrote:There IS the Dave Rogers solution and make a set of Chromes for 12-string!

NO!!!!! Your neck will bow and your "R" tail will snap. Don't say I didn't warn ya.