Why do I keep breaking strings?!?!?!?!?! ARHHH

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:34 am

Ok, so yesterday I broke a string on my 12 and I thought it was just something that happens ever once in a while but today I broke another one. I know I'm not tuning it too tight because I always play in E flat so there is plenty of slack on the neck. Each time I've broke one it's been while doing minor tuning adjustments. Both times the strings break at or near the post. I've owned a lot of guitars but this one is the only one I have ever EVER broken a string on. Now I've done it twice on the same guitar within 2 days. What gives? Anybody?

BTW, this is a brand new guitar.

Cole

larry_mondello · Post by **larry_mondello** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:14 am

An excellent way to fix this , is with a Dremel tool and a cone shapped polishing tip . Dremel has these and so do Dentistry supply houses .

You may have a sharp edge at the string feed hole .....don't sand this unless you can actually see a burr.
If that is the case , a single flute countersink bit , hand held, and turned by hand will clear the hole . The Conical polisher will smooth the edge . You won't be able to do this with sand paper .

I have watched several PRO guitar shops in the LA basin , SanFrancisco and Seattle do it this way .

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:47 pm

Ok, thanks for that Larry! I will check that as soon as I get home.

Cole

grsnovi · Post by **grsnovi** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 2:45 pm

Was it the same string that broke both times?

Which string?

What are you using for strings?

What guages?

When you string up, look for burrs like Larry suggests.

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 4:27 pm

It's the D and G strings. The reg D string and the high octive G. My string post look fine and very smooth. I'm thinking that the nut is catching the string somehow. I was just tuning the other strings and noticed while turning the tuners on the other good strings the pitch is not changing at all. Maybe the nut is too tight or maybe it needs some oil or something in there to slick it up.

jps · Post by **jps** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 5:13 pm

"BTW, this is a brand new guitar"

Get the nut set up by a luthier, that should fix the problem.

larry_mondello · Post by **larry_mondello** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 7:11 pm

If the string breaks at the post of the tuner ,and is grabbing in the slot , (and I doubt this, as the Rick nuts are laser cut to fit their strings ...however if you use larger diameter strings then that could be a problem ) try some graphite from a mechanical pencil in the nut slot first .This will let the string slip through easier .

Then if the string is actually breaking at the tuner ..I stand by my former idea .

If the string is breaking at the saddle, then take care of that with the same Grobet Round edged file. Then polish the saddle .
It can be done with some fine sand paper and steel wool .

If the ball end is coming off , then either you have a Floyd Rose Trem system ( what !?!!?!?) or the hooks in the "R" have burrs and then a jewelers file will clean that up . Or you bought cheap strings . Or you are using classical strings and they have no balls at all .

Check the tuner with a pair of X2 glasses from a pharmacy (chemist for all you guys in the UK ) .

And please ... CALL me Larry . My mother only calls me Lawrence when I'm 'grounded' !

loverickbass · Post by **loverickbass** » Sat Jan 15, 2005 6:23 am

Larry,

Thanks for all you advise. I'm using standard RIC strings. I will try all of this when I get my new strings from Mike Parks.

Cole