string breakage!

Dennis Hilsabeck · From: Salem, Oregon, USA

a few years ago I wanted to learn steel so I had a new universal made for me here in Portland, or. I knew nothing about them . So I got the guitar home and started to learn and the third string always broke. It would break , sometimes before I could get it in tune. I finally took it back to the manufacturer and they said it was just me, although they could not put on a string that would not break quickly. It would break so many times I finally sold it out of frustration. I started wearing gloves as I had so many cut marks on my hands from the strings and would set way back from the guitar in anticipation of the string breaking.
I am know ready to try it again. I am thinking that the Fulawka guitar might not have the string problem potential as how it seems to be made., or less of one that other guitars. Any suggestions as to guitars or string sizes or ever had the same problem? I am total beginner but getting older.
I am convinced that something was wrong with the guitar but I did not have enough experience with one to address the problem except to try different strings which did not alleviate the problem.

Rich Upright · From: Florida, USA

I have owned 9 pedal steels in my 31 years of playing; 2 student models & the rest pro D-10s. I have owned only 1 guitar which has never EVER, as in "NOT ONCE" broken a string, and can bounce around in my truck in the Florida heat & still be in tune when I set it up at the gig...My Mullen D-10 HWP. It has the black anodized changer rollers, and I have heard that they do NOT break strings. When I was recovering from heart surgery, the guitar was set up in my bedroom & for 2 months I played it & did NOT hafta tune it once!
Man; I love that thing. You will, too!
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Well, if a string breaks such as the 3rd string, maybe two or more times in a row.

STOP Certainly something is wacky.

Bringing it back to someone else who just puts another new string on it and it breaks again is not a confirmation of a bad guitar, it's just repeating the same process without looking into it.

there are many many things that could cause this to occur .

I seriously doubt the design of the guitar had anything to do with it.

Probably most players here have run across this scenario more than a time or two, especially with the 3rd string. We didn't sell the guitar, we investigated the cause .

A string breaking is a symptom of an issue, be it large or very small, not a cause. Most of the time the issue is very small , something easily overlooked.

Next time you purchase a Steel and the 3rd string keeps breaking,

ASK Very Happy

Was it in tune at 440?
what was the string gauge ?
Were the strings all from the same lot packaging?
was there a bur on the bridge ?
Where did the string break, bridge or tuner end.
Was it wrapped properly ?
Was the B pedal travel correct ?
Did the string break only when pressing the B Pedal ?
Was the 3rd string nylon tuner nut at the changer to much?

etc...

As you can see if one thing is out of wack, you can put 100 strings on and they will all probably break . The 3rd string is right at the cusp under normal conditions.

Typically, a set-up and functioning Pedal Steel will break a 3rd string when it reaches the end of the "stress" life. For some players that could be 2 or 3 weeks and for others it can be months. It depends on the player and his or her style.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

Tony summed it up fairly well...

However, a few times I have purchased a bad lot of individual strings. The entire lot except maybe one or two stings out of a dozen would break before even getting close to pitch. It was not the guitar as changing to another brand or lot of string solved the issue.

If you experience a breakage problem take note where the string breaks. If it breaks at the tuning key there is almost always a burr on the key. If it breaks at the changer while tuning to pitch it is most likely a bad string as the string was likely stressed when the ball was wrapped.

Robert

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Dennis,I feel for ya'My first guitar was a Sho-Bud Maverick and I would break at least four strings a day,plus it was cutting my fingers,it was painful learning pedal steel guitar,Eventually things got better as did the guitars being made.
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

I am going to venture a guess; since you stated the location of the builder as being in the Portland,Or. area, was the brand of guitar perhaps a 'Sierra'? If it was a universal model (12 or 14 string), did it also feature the key less tuning system and 25" scale?

Dennis Hilsabeck · From: Salem, Oregon, USA

I did take it back to the manufacturer as I knew virtually nothing about the guitar. They said it was working ok and it was my fault although the strings also broke when they put them on.

Yes it was a sierra universal 12 string with the keyless system and the 25 neck. Very scary looking at it from the bottom.
The strings would break about the 13th fret or close to it mostly.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Where the string is breaking at?
If the guitar has key tuners there must be enough wraps of string to get off the cross string hole and on round smooth metal especially on the 3rd and 5th string. If when the string come to tune it is on the edge of the cross hole it can bend to sharp a bend, and break the string.

If it is breaking at the changer. Be sure the surface of the finger smooth.
Sometimes you can get an order of extra 3rd or 5th string that are just brittle. When I played in a band I got a supply of extra 3rd strings that was terrible, Strings would break at practice and on stage. When these strings broke you had the ball end and the long string and a little sliver of string that sometimes would be attached to either end. This piece was a half moon out of the side of the string. I ordered another dozen .011's. If you had to replace a new broken 3rd string with one of these it would last till string change. A few of that order is still in my seat.

Greg Lambert · From: Illinois, USA

I had an old Fender D10 that NEVER broke a string. My Derby would break one every now and then till I found the cure. I change the 3rd string about once every two months and I play 3 gigs a week plus what I do at the studio at home.

Drew Pierce · From: Arkansas, USA

On my Zum, I used to break a third frequently and a fifth slightly less frequently. They always broke at the top of the change finger, right where the string flexes with each pedal push. If I was a playing serious gig or recording session where I didn't want to stress about that, I would put on fresh ones before, just in case. Playing PP Emmons now, I almost never break strings. Although when I started playing the Emmons, I also switched from GHS to Kurt Mangan strings. So we're talking apples and oranges. Its possible I wouldn't break as many of the Mangans on the Zum.
_________________
Drew Pierce
Emmons D10 Fatback, S10 bolt-on, Zum D10, Evans RE500, Hilton volume and delay pedals.

Godfrey Arthur · From: 3rd Rock

Had this happen to me some weeks ago after fiddlin' around with the pickup. Didn't take all the strings off propping them up with a small bottle but when I went to tune the strings to pitch, snap went the 3rd string that's been on there for 5 years.

After digging into new sets of EB's for E9 I find out that the 10's that came in the set were the wrong ones for 3rd. What's that about EB?

I found some spare 11's and put that on, no string pop. Got the fish hook treatment on my right thumb after breaking 3 of those 10's before I started to wonder, as the strings snapped getting to pitch.

After checking on the forum for answers, looking for burrs, I made sure there was nothing cutting into the string and that the barrel was sitting in the slots properly.

Don't know why the string snapped in the first place when it was the same string that was on there for years and why after putting on a new 11 got me through with no snap.

Wouldn't rule out faulty strings as well as these days with the economy, items are not moving as fast as they used to and all that that entails, although the 11p I put on that finally worked was from stock I've had for decades.

I now put a needle drop of turbine oil on all the areas the strings rub on just to keep things lubed keep things from binding.

I use a long needle dropper to reach these areas.

I still play the guitar now with some hesitation since the snap-fu fish hook episode.

But we soldier on.
_________________
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7

Drew Pierce · From: Arkansas, USA

Not sure what is meant by putting oil on "all areas the strings rub on", but if that means the changer finger or roller nut, any liquid oil standing between those parts and the string will affect the sound of that string in a negative way. Not really a "buzz" but something very much like it. Lubing there is fine, but leaving any visible bead or drop of oil at those points is not.
_________________
Drew Pierce
Emmons D10 Fatback, S10 bolt-on, Zum D10, Evans RE500, Hilton volume and delay pedals.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Very simple solution.
Use Jagwire Strings
I went through and done completely every brand string mentioned a million times in these threads and treatments of the steel; but it became a solution when Danny sent me some Jagwire strings to try, many many years ago.
_________________
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Really puzzled here. In his first post, the OP stated he had a new guitar built for him. I take that to mean it was brand new, out of the box. None of these things mentioned should even be a possible problem. Sierra's are (or used to be) great guitars. I'd bet my new underwear (under two years old) that it is not the fault of the guitar. But, stranger things have happened.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Godfrey Arthur · From: 3rd Rock

Godfrey Arthur · From: 3rd Rock

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Drew Pierce · From: Arkansas, USA

I can't remember having a string break in the middle. May have happened at some point, but I don't remember it. It would have to be the result of a bad string. Either defective wire or compromised by a kink or rust.
_________________
Drew Pierce
Emmons D10 Fatback, S10 bolt-on, Zum D10, Evans RE500, Hilton volume and delay pedals.

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