Broke a String Last Night

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 19 Apr 2002 9:00 pm

I've been playing with the Open Hearts band for about 15 months now, and last night I broke a string. The band was really surprised - they didn't know that steel players could break strings - but the surprise to me was which string. It was the 10th string B, .038 nickel wound, on a 12 string E9th.

About a week ago I changed the plain strings because they were sounding dead. Guess I should have changed them all. I pump that 'A' pedal and pick pretty hard on the low strings sometimes.

Anyone else ever break their 10th string? Should I install a 'Lucky 7' on it?

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Rex Blattenberger · Post by **Rex Blattenberger** » 19 Apr 2002 9:19 pm

I broke a 10th string once. Don't remember how many years it was on there. Even tho it was on a long time, it suprised me too.
I think it was from the acid in my hands, cause it broke right where I hold my picking hand.
Rex

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 19 Apr 2002 9:28 pm

When I played a single neck 10, I must have put a lot of pressure on my 10th because one would "unravel" ever so often.

Colin Goss · Post by **Colin Goss** » 19 Apr 2002 11:39 pm

Yes and I am surprised as you are.

With my new Carter, I have broken two B .038s over the past eight months. I have checked the roller head, and used some emery paper on it to ensure that there are no rought bits that might be affecting the string.

It never happened on my EMCI, or MSA, or ZB or Emmons!!!!!

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 20 Apr 2002 12:39 am

It happens once in a while on my Sierra because I raise that string a step and a half with a knee lever.Tonight I broke a string also - the normal third string breakage - except it occurred during the coolest lick I played all night - some sort of sideways banjoesque rolling dominant seven+nine thing that I'll probably never stumble on again...goddammit! I spent the rest of the solo(and the song)putting on a string....oh well...... -MJ-

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 20 Apr 2002 2:15 am

* [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 02 May 2002 at 02:35 PM.]

Allen Peterson · Post by **Allen Peterson** » 20 Apr 2002 4:57 am

I've broken the 10th string three times over the last year. I use Ernie Balls on my Carter D10. Maybe I should look at some other brand of strings.

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 20 Apr 2002 5:14 am

Here is a fix:
all you have to do is rename the 10th string to 11, the 11th to 12 and the 12th to 13. You'll never break the 10th string again. Works for me.

[This message was edited by Peter on 20 April 2002 at 06:21 AM.]

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 20 Apr 2002 5:48 am

You might want to check out the fingers at the changer. I've broke a ten sring before but only on a guitar the changer was very worn.

Gary Carriger · Post by **Gary Carriger** » 20 Apr 2002 7:09 am

I've broken the 10th on occasion, but as the heel of my hand generally rests there - I figure that I may be unconciously pressing against it at the time.

Chuck Martin · Post by **Chuck Martin** » 20 Apr 2002 8:01 am

Bobby,

I've also had the 10th string break on my Sierra as well. I'm not sure if there is anything different about a Sierra changer that would cause it to happen more on that brand of guitar versus any other. One possible fix would be to drop the string gauge down to a .036. [This message was edited by Chuck Martin on 20 April 2002 at 09:02 AM.]

jerry wallace · Post by **jerry wallace** » 20 Apr 2002 9:41 am

Yes Bobby,I have broken several 38's over the years on several different brands of PSG's..
The first time I thought NO WAY, when I looked down and saw the 10th string windings looking like a slinky..

The odd thing about it is I have had some 38's last forever and others break with relatively few hours on them..???

SO JOIN THE STRING BREAKING CLUB!!

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Jerry Wallace-2001 Zum: D-10,8+6, "98 Zum: D-10,8+8,Nashville 1000,Session 500 ,Session 400 head only amp,Tubefex,ProfexII, Artesia, New Mexico
http://communities.msn.com/jerrywallacemusic http://www.jerrywallacemusic.com

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 20 Apr 2002 10:40 am

I should stress that this is not a "string breakage problem". If the string broke two or three times a year, that would be a problem. I've been playing this guitar for six years. I've broken 2 or 3 high G#'s in that time (they were dead, though) and this B string (which was also pretty far gone).

I've never thought of wound strings as breakable. Now I've reconsidered. Moral - change all strings when the high ones go dead.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 20 Apr 2002 10:48 am

I've broken that B string a few times, mostly when I was playing ZB's. I would guess that it was old age (the strings, not me

).

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 20 Apr 2002 2:48 pm

I have noticed that when my guitar is upside down on a carpeted workbench, the bottom strings are pushing against the workbench whilst the thinner strings are clearing the surface. I expect those thicker strings to break any time because of that. It may also put pressure on the finger surface.

jerry wallace · Post by **jerry wallace** » 20 Apr 2002 3:35 pm

I just miced a .038" string and the solid center string as a .017"..

In the pretty rare case of breaking this string, the plain .017" center string is what broke in my case then the windings just slide right apart..

I agree that most people consider the wound strings "unbreakable"..But they can break on any brand of steel..
I dont recall ever breaking the other wound strings, however in most cases, these strings are not pedaled near as much as the 10th..So it does seem again, the more you raise and lower any string including the large wound ones, sooner or later they can break..

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Jerry Wallace-2001 Zum: D-10,8+6, "98 Zum: D-10,8+8,Nashville 1000,Session 500 ,Session 400 head only amp,Tubefex,ProfexII, Artesia, New Mexico
http://communities.msn.com/jerrywallacemusic http://www.jerrywallacemusic.com

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 20 Apr 2002 5:16 pm

I change strings if they sound and look dead, also out of fear.

The better the gig or session the more incentive there is towards putting a new set on.

Did I mention that changing strings is my least favorite part about playing the pedal-steel guit-box? Can somebody give me lessons?

Drew Howard

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www.newslinkassociates.com
www.drewhoward.com

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 20 Apr 2002 8:32 pm

I also had a 9th string on my C6th (F string) break once while I was tuning it up after changing strings. I was pulling on it to stretch it and it came apart at the winding above the ball. I thought that was kida strange as there was not that much tension on it. Probably a bad string.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 20 Apr 2002 10:46 pm

You were pulling on it to stretch it? Why? Do they sound better if they're stretched?

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 20 Apr 2002 11:59 pm

Noted string expert Gene Fields also has metioned stretching new strings when you install them. What this mainly seems to do is to tighten up any slack where the string is wound on the tuning key shafts and where the ball-end twist lays against the changer finger. This helps the string tend to stay in tune right from the get-go. Now obviously string-stretching should be done with a reasonable amount of finesse, rather than the "gorilla treatment" employed by an upright bass player who shows up for the gig at the last minute with a new set of strings.

Today's strings will sure stand a lot, much better than the strings we purchased at the local drugstore back when we were kids. But I do admit to breaking three .038W's over about the past 6 or 7 years. Every one of these were "dead" and had been on the guitar way too long, it was my own fault for being too cheap to change strings when I should have.

Tim R.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 21 Apr 2002 6:37 am

I've seen Buddy Emmons before a show, loosen his wound strings, then stretch them one at a time and let go. It snaps the accumulated crud out of the windings, which he says puts life back into the strings so he doesn't have to change them as often.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 21 Apr 2002 12:30 pm

Bobby Lee,

After ruling out human error, that is, proper tuning, pedal travel, and changer adjustment, a faulty string, presumed to be a .038 gauge, in all likelihood, would come under scrutiny. A stressful hooking of the thumb pick should not be ruled out as a possible link to the breakage.

Bill H.