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Topic: Tuning problem after string breaking |
Joe Buczek
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2006 9:40 pm |
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Today the 4th string on my Williams S-10 broke while I was playing. After installing a new string (same gage), the C pedal and LKL raises worked just fine, but the LKR lower of E/Eb did not lower the string anywhere near Eb (worked perfectly before the string broke). I found that I could lift the changer finger gently with my finger and get the string to lower to about the right place. I tried a little 3-in-1 oil, thinking that either the nut roller or changer itself needed a bit of lube, but no luck.
I've read a number of posts here on the forum about similar problems and the only thing I haven't tried yet is tweaking the return spring tension. Can anyone help? I have a gig Friday night and I'm worried I won't get this figured out by then!
Thanks!
--Joe Buczek
Williams S-10
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2006 9:44 pm
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| Maybe a piece of the broken string is stuck in there. |
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Joe Buczek
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2006 9:47 pm
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| Nope. Broke neatly in two pieces around 8th fret... [This message was edited by Joe Buczek on 11 July 2006 at 10:47 PM.] |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Mike Wheeler
From:
Delaware, Ohio, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 4:05 am
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| Joe, check the pull rod's position in the pull finger. I've had the rod "pop" out of position when a string breaks. There's definitely something wrong with that particular pull if the other changes on that string are OK. |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 6:05 am
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The Williams has a retaining clip that should keep the rod from skipping to a different slot in the puller ("bell crank"). If that clip is missing and the rod did change slots, it would have exactly the effect that you describe.
------------------
 Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6) My Blog |
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Jim Bob Sedgwick
From:
Clinton, Missouri USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 10:08 am
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If that is the problem as b0b described, the wire off a loaf of bread will hold the rod until a replacement spring clip can be obtained. (works great by the way). Buy some duct tape, bobby pins, rubber bands and string and you can fix ANYTHING!!!  [This message was edited by Jim Bob Sedgwick on 12 July 2006 at 11:09 AM.] |
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Joe Buczek
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 12:19 pm
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SOLVED!!
The string was an .011, not an .014! It was brand new and in a package marked ".014", but when I measured it on a dial caliper, it was an .011. I installed a real .014, everything worked great, just as it had before the old string broke. HURRAY!!!
Thanks, forumites, for all the great suggestions. I never suspected the string was mis-gaged in a new package, but I guess it happens (now that I've seen it!).
Best,
--Joe Buczek  |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 12:27 pm
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it's amazing what a 50 cent string will do to a multi thousand dollar guitar.. 
t |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 1:04 pm
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Delighted for you, It has happened to me ,
as I said
quote:
You say "the same gauge"
Are you sure ?
Did you put a micrometer on it or a 'Vernier Gauge' ?
It has been known for the wrong gauge string to get into a packet.
I didn't know that a 'Dial Caliper' was the terminology. Now I do.[This message was edited by basilh on 12 July 2006 at 02:06 PM.] |
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Larry R
From:
Navasota, Tx.
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 4:57 pm
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Ok, what brand of string was it that was mismarked?
Larry R |
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Joe Buczek
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2006 8:18 pm
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The mislabeled string was an Ernie Ball string. I bought four spare singles each of a couple of gages from a local music store a while ago and the string in question was one of them. Not shrink wrapped or sealed in any way, so who knows how this happened. I wouldn't automatically blame Ernie Ball.
The lessons I learned here were these:
- pedal steel guitars are incredibly sensitive to string gages
- strings are not always what the package claims they are
- it pays to own a tool of some kind to verify string gages when problem arise
- the Steel Guitar Forum and pedal steel community are wonderfully supportive!
Got to chalk this one up to experience. Learned a lot and probably won't be fooled this same way again any time soon.
Thanks once again to everyone and especially to Basil Henriques who scores a big "I Told Ya So". :-)
Cheers to all,
--Joe Buczek |
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