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Post by arturo on Nov 16, 2013 19:41:34 GMT
Can anyone help?
I've recently started doing more songs in open tunings in which the G string is raised a tone or so (Open E & A particularly). But I keep breaking that string, none of the others, just that one. :-(
The break is always where the string goes into the machine head and it doesn't seem to matter which guitar I try it on, the problem is always the same. The guys at my local shop (Strings Direct) have advised I run emery cloth round the hole in the tuning post to get rid of any sharp edges but that's not made any difference.
I use standard light gauge strings, either 11 or 12 depending on the guitar. I've tried several types of Martin strings, Elixirs and D'Addario's but that doesn't seem to make that much difference either.
So apart from buying loads of individual wound 25's what am I doing wrong here?
Arturo
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2013 19:50:05 GMT
I have never raised the G string at all. If you play in open E, why not tune to open D and capo at fret 2? Likewise for open A, tune to G and capo at 2. Having said that the only time I have broken strings when detuning a G string is when they were Elixirs,
Robbie
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Post by arturo on Nov 16, 2013 19:58:01 GMT
Thanks Robbie.
That would certainly have the desired effect!
I'll give it a try over the next few weeks and see how I get on with it.
It can't be right to keep breaking the same string like this though, can it?
Arturo
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2013 20:05:55 GMT
All I can think is that, given the G string is one of the thinest wound strings, raising it just puts too much stress on it,
Robbie
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Nov 16, 2013 23:05:19 GMT
That's likely to be it Robbie, though to be more specific re G string, the core wire, which is what breaks, is extremely thin. Good suggestion re tuning down and applying capo.
Arturo - you could also maybe try a plain G, say either 24 or 26 at your usual pitches and see if that helps - might not be the feel and tone you want though.
Keith
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Post by scripsit on Nov 16, 2013 23:31:04 GMT
I know Ed Gerhard plays in some tunings that involve lifting the G, but he normally tunes down at least a full tone and capos up on all of his tunings.
I've always found the G string to be particularly vulnerable even to tuning down, rather than up, and I suspect Keith is right in pointing out that the core wire is very thin compared to the other wound strings. I think the combination of a thin core and some inconsistencies in the outer wrap after you've been fretting and bending for a very little time cause more than usual strain on this string.
All of the suggestions for removing sharp edges in the connection chain are good ones. In electric guitar days I used to use powdered graphite on saddle slots and nut slots to reduce friction and breakage when doing lots of string bending, in addition to working on the machine heads and slots with emery paper.
If you are experimenting with unusual tunings (and in my opinion anything that raises the G is in this territory), think about replacing the wound string with an appropriate plain wire. An unwound 'B' string from a 'heavy' set (0.18 or so) should be cheap, easily handle tuning up to 'A', and won't alter the balance across the strings too much if you do drop it back to G.
[Edit] I just remembered in one band I used to keep a Gibson Firebird in open E for slide, because it was the key our singer liked, and the G string used to break frequently while playing. [/Edit]
Kym
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brianr2
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Post by brianr2 on Nov 17, 2013 11:11:08 GMT
Saddo statistician that I am, I keep records of string life. These show that the G string breaks much more than any other, invariably at the tuner post, especially when frequently tuning up or down. This must be to do with the factors Keith mentions
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Post by colan on Nov 17, 2013 11:47:53 GMT
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Post by arturo on Nov 18, 2013 16:33:21 GMT
Thanks all,
Perhaps a trip out for different strings will do it. I'll try unwound 18's and 20's and see if that does it.
If not its capo time
Arturo
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