The Steel Guitar Forum

ok what am i doing wrong ive put on a many of strings rplaceing strings on my sd10 zum every thing going good then 3rd string broke put on another it broke so far 4 strings what am i doing wrong ???? need help bad.

Where, in relation to the guitar, are your strings breaking? Tuner, roller nut, finger etc.?

at the tuner

Do YOU install the string and then tune it up in small increments, requiring 15-20 minutes......

or, are you really cranking it up, macho like, and
experiencing the breakage???

I put them on with a power drill going up or past pitch even. Make sure there are no burrs and make sure you cut the string at least 2-3 inches past the tuning peg you are winding on. As soon as you have enough wraps for it to hold, pull up on the string as you tighten it so the coils will be tight. Should work.

mabey i am cranking up to fast ill try to let it settle checked for bures found none thank all of you for your help

I also use a power drill to bring them to pitch, except the third string. I stop at F# and bring it up a little at a time, pressing the B pedal to stretch it as I bring it to pitch. I cut my strings 2 tuning keys past the one I am stringing up.

Ronnie, what brand and what gauge of string are you using for your 3rd string?

I've found that at least one brand simply can't handle that stretch up to A. Years ago I bought about eight D'Addario .010 gauge strings for spares, and none of them made it to A (or if they did, they didn't survive for more than a gig or two), no matter how carefully I tuned them up.

No other brand I've used since has had that problem-- Emmons, Ernie Ball, GHS, Jagwire, Cobra.
And I've found that .011 and .012 gauge strings of those brands work great--fatter tone and no breakage.

Dave

Make sure there isn't a burr or groove on the changer finger. It could also just be a bad batch of strings. That happens a lot.

If they're breaking at the tuner, make sure you have enough winds that the string doesn't take off from the peg over the hole.

One of the best primers on changing strings on a PSG.

https://www.steelguitar.com/strings.html

and

https://www.steelguitar.com/stringBreakage.html

Ronnie, are all the strings you used from same batch, if so try a string from other batch or make.Once broke 4 11's in a row, tried another make and it held.

Check the edges of the hole in the shaft of the tuner for a "sharp edge". Once broke 2 .012's in a row when changing strings and that was the cause of my problem. Missed seeing it after the first two broke and upon closer inspection of the edges of "both" sides of the tuner shaft, found it.
Rounded the "edge" with the tip of a needle file, polished it with some 1200 emery paper and it been fine ever since.

JE:-)>

Use more wraps at that string - I recommend no less than 7 or 8 for the skinniest strings to prevent slippage and breakage.

Mike Mantey wrote:I put them on with a power drill going up or past pitch even. Make sure there are no burrs and make sure you cut the string at least 2-3 inches past the tuning peg you are winding on. As soon as you have enough wraps for it to hold, pull up on the string as you tighten it so the coils will be tight. Should work.

Exactly, but like Richard, I bring the 3rd string (.012) up from F#-->G# a little more slowly.

thanks to every one for all your help found i wasnt puting enouth wraps . its good to belong to the forum so much info.may God bless

Sometimes the heat-treating on the wire used to make the strings is off a bit causing the wire to be too brittle. This has happened to me twice over the years. I had received 1/2 dozen .011" strings and fired all 6 of them onto the floor. I used a string received from a different order and it's still on the guitar. It happens, but not very often.
PRR

Like I've said many times on the forum, I've used Jag-Wire strings for quite some time, and find them to have the best sound and keep in tune the longest.

I use them on my ol' 5 string as they're just great for the 2nd and 3rd strings with having Scrugg tuners fitted.

I brag about them to friends too that play regular "plank" guitars.

All Z.B.est.

Bob.