Carter dead sound at the F fret or bar

David Biggers · From: Texas, USA

Anyone else have this problem before? Just bought this guitar from John and Bud 3 weeks or so ago. Could the neck already be warped? It has been breaking the 3rd string weekly also? I just noticed this problem today it was not there last week! Please advise !!
I am getting a little worried. I will call Carter Guitars as soon as they reopen but would like some of your feedback.

Bill Mayville · From: Las Vegas Nevada * R.I.P.

If your having a bad problem with the third string (after) you talk to John,switch to .010. Works every time.That comes from Jeff Newman in 1984 at a seminar.Before a gig or recording I put a new .010 on the guitar.The string does not keep it;s sound as long as the others.Thats why the change so often.Then the worry goes away.I loose about five minutes each change..I also talk to it a little while.
Bill

------------------
Bill Mayville
Le Grande 111 D-10 (05)
Mullens D-10 (04)
Jackson S 10 Very Nice

David Biggers · From: Texas, USA

I am using a #12 and it was just replaced yesterday. I cannot get anything smaller to stay on this guitar without breaking in the 1st 3 minutes Any thoughts?

Joe Smith · From: Charlotte, NC, USA

David, I now have my 3rd Carter and I have never used
.010S. I always use .011s or .012s and I never had a problem with the 3rd string.
There is something else that is making the 3rd string break.
I'm thinking maybe a burr on the changer finger. I would call Carter and leave a message. If John is around, he will call you back even if they are not open.
Good luck and best wishes,
Joe

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

David,
this is pretty much "old hat", but I think I would look the changer over really close for something jammed in it, [ball end from broken string]?
Larry

Donald Dykes · From: Natchitoches Louisiana, USA

i had trouble one time yrs. ago. with my emmons guitar. i think when strings break a lot like that it could be in the strings. i have not had trouble and i use 11's. just get some strings from a different batch and try it.hope it gets better.
Donald.

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

David, you have nothing to worry about concerning the guitar. Most likely you have some bad strings. However, I would suggest you put a string on, tune it to pitch and carefully and slowly activate the pedal and watch a tuner and see if the "A" comes in sharp then settles back in tune. If that is happening you have a lower return spring out of adjustment or something sticking in the changer. I can assure you it's nothing like a "warped" neck. One other thing of importance, if the string is breaking at the key end you simply need to put more wraps of string on the tuning key shaft to get the wraps clear of the sharp edges of the hole in the tuning key shaft.
Jerry

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

Besides the 3rd string stuff,what do you mean by a dead sound at the F fret or bar?

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

you need to call over to John.I am on my third Carter D10 with nothing but total satisfaction.

The neck is not a factor, Steel guitars are not like Stratocasters or Telecasters where the neck is everything.The roller nut is not connected to the neck.It's part of the Key head block.

I use QUALITY spare strings and they do not break in between changing them regularly. .011's for the 3rd. .017's for the 5th.

I have run into spare strings that were useless, some broke immediatley, some a day later. One was a brand that is considered #1.

If you are talking about the first fret F, it's not the Steel. It may be as simple as Bar and left hand pressure. The Steel doesn't know what fret you're playing on, neither does the pick up.

call John, he'll help you out.

t

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 24 December 2006 at 08:52 AM.]

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

"Dead sound" at the 1st fret? Sounds like bad strings, plain and simple. Order a new set, and try some .0115 thirds, that should help your breakage problem.

Colin Goss · From: St.Brelade, Island of Jersey, Channel Islands, UK

And wind the string on a few more times - helps to avoid the possible burr problem on the string winder.

Steven Black · From: Gahanna, Ohio, USA

That sounds like a piece of cloth thread from a dusting cloth might have gotten caught in the changer end, make sure all debris is cleared then restring it, this has happened to me with my carter, but other than that I had no trouble with my Carter guitar sounding dead.

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

David when I got my new Carter I broke strings at first as you are describing weekly to be exact, ( I also play alot) however my guitar is "broke in" now and I change the strings now because they are "dead" and not besause they are broke. I don't know if there is really any truth to my experience but I love my guitar very much and my only regret is I wish I got it sooner! I use George L's Nashville tunning E9th don't fret you will be OK.

David Biggers · From: Texas, USA

Thanks too all for your advise. I will take it to Bud on Tuesday. I am sure he can figure out the problem. Funny thing though it seems fine now. Very strange. Maybe somthing was lodged in something and fell out? Anyway thanks again and Merry Christmas.

[This message was edited by David Biggers on 24 December 2006 at 10:49 AM.]

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

David email me and tell me what the problem was as my guitar is sort of new as well, I really love how smooth the thing is!

Jimmie Martin · From: Ohio, USA

i agree with tony about the bar pressure. i had the same problem and even had to move the bar a little away from or back to me . depends on the strings being picked. i had to make sure at least one finger was laying across the strings i was playing on the left side of the bar. not easy to get used to but it can be done. merry CHRISTmas

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

I had problems breaking 11's on my Carter several years ago... Bud told me they had some problems with a batch of nut rollers being improperly machined... He sent out a new axle and rollers and that was the end of the breakage problems,, Give them a call,,, they will get you fixed right up.... bob

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Bar pressure or a burr sound most likely.

"Bad strings" would be WAY down the list. There are only a few actual manufacturers of strings (most smaller brands you see buy their strings from manufacturers like Fender, Martin, D'Addario, GHS and a few others and simply repackage them - some order theirs with different colored balls, but that's a simple thing to insert on a production run of thousands of strings).

Plain strings are simply bulk wire that comes from even fewer sources - the "real" manufacturers (not the brand packagers) simply put the ball-ends on plain strings. QC is very tight, as the same wire is used for aircraft and other applications - it's just a generic, mil-spec wire wire.

About the only "bad string" situation with plain strings is problems with atttachment of the ball end, ad that's very rare. Wound strings ARE prone to problems due to the controls needed in the winding process, and I've found probably 10-20% or the wound strings I get are bad...which is why I buy in bulk instead of sets.

Anyway, I would count string problems out and look for some kind of friction/burr problem.

David Biggers · From: Texas, USA

Thank you Bob, I plan on being in Mesquite at Carter before noon on Tuesday after Christmas. I agree with the fact that a quality string is a quality string the problem is with the guitar not the string. I am still confused about the temperary buzzing- at the 1st line position on the neck. (what I as a 38 year 6 string guitar player calls the F fret position). It is not there now so maybe I was just tired that night and was not holding the bar firmly on the strings??? More likley than not I think.I practice about 2 to 3 hours per day and I guess it can wear me out at times. But I so love it!!! HA! HA! A gluten for punishment I guess!!!
Hey I will see all of you's guys in Dallas for the March show I hope? Ya'll come on now and mosey on down to the GREAT STATE OF TEXAS and see us all in Dallas, ya here?
God Bless and Merry Christmas to all.

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

String problems are very real and should not be ignored. Strings can definitely buzz, prematurely break, or not allow proper intonation, all because of manufacturing problems. Just because the military uses a mfg. to supply an item doesn't mean that ALL similar items that come out of the plant are of equal quality. They are most assuredly not. All wire gauges are not created equal.

These problems are especially critical for pedal steel players. In general, we use the largest string gauges that we can get away with, that will withstand the constant bending to which we subject them. Defects involving tensile strength would allow excess breakage.

We can't adjust an individual string's intonation, so any inconsistencies in the string's diameter will cause us difficulties when playing chord structures....especially up the neck.

Lastly, I've bought brand new boxed strings that had bends, or kinks, in them. Took them back to the store only to find that all the sets had similar bends in the same string gauge. Coincedence? No, mfg. defect.

I don't think my experiences are isolated to me. I feel sure that many others have seen the same. And I haven't even mentioned the effect that excessive storage time at the retailer can have on the strings.

Of course, this is IMHO....what else could it be....I'm not a metalurgist!

[This message was edited by Mike Wheeler on 25 December 2006 at 03:06 PM.]

David Biggers · From: Texas, USA

Thans Mike I will check that out also.
merry Christmas

Bill Duve · From: Limestone .New York, USA

You can at least take comfort in the fact that youre not alone , Every single player has had problems with that 3 rd string,
Someday someone will simply make a better string out of better steel, Till then ?Merry Christmas

Bruce Bouton · From: Nash. Tn USA

Having played a Carter for the past three years while playing with reba, i've never had a string break.I always replace the third after two or three gigs.
BB

Lonnie Portwood · From: Jacksonville, fl. USA

For what its worth, Ed Fulawka machines all his roller grooves to match the string size so that the top of the strings are level with each other. This eliminates string buzz from "light" bar pressure at the first fret. Most players are not bothered by this and I don't think most manufacturers go the the trouble and expense to do so. Lonnie P.

[This message was edited by Lonnie Portwood on 25 December 2006 at 08:18 PM.]

Forum Index > Pedal Steel		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic