Simviation Forum - Re-stringing a guitar

Feb 5^th, 2004 at 1:59pm

Maccers Offline
Colonel
Goodbye old friend
NEWI Campus, Wrexham. UK

Gender:
Posts: 1872

Well this morning I broke my first string. I had tuned it to a drop-D to play something, and then tried to re-tune it back to the standard, the 1st string split at the tuning peg.
I'm not having problems with the actual re-string, I figured that out for myslef, did the lot of them since they needed doing

. Its what happened after the strings were put on. The guitar never wants to stay in tune for more than a pluck and the bridge has been raised considerably and looks on the verge of snapping off.
Did i get somthing wrong?
Thanks

&&Athlon XP 1800+, 1GB RAM, Asus V9560 FX 5600 256Mb, 40Gb HDD

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #1 - Feb 5^th, 2004 at 2:05pm

Hagar Offline
Colonel
My Spitfire Girl
Costa Geriatrica

Posts: 33159

I can only assume you changed the bridge somehow. Maybe it's on back to front or something. It depends if you removed all the strings before fitting the new ones. I would change the strings one at a time, not all at once. This way the adjustment is not altered.

Founder & Sole Member - Grumpy's Over the Hill Club for Veteran Virtual Aviators
Member of the Fox Four Group

Need help? Try Grumpy's Lair

My photo gallery

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #2 - Feb 5^th, 2004 at 6:09pm

Politically Incorrect Offline
Colonel
Personal opinion given
free of charge!
Williamsport, PA

Gender:
Posts: 3915

I think what is happening is that you need to "stretch" your strings.
When you first put them on, tune it up and doing each strin,g slightly pull upward on it ( away from the neck) you don't have to pull so hard they break but do this a few times then retune. Your problems should be solved.
Strings are like most anything else in the way that they will expand and contract.
You just need to "break them in" a little

As far as the bridge, you don't have it over tuned (strings to tight) do you?

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #3 - Feb 6^th, 2004 at 2:49am

Paz Offline
Colonel
USA

Gender:
Posts: 1922

The problem with bridge might be caused by using a heavier string than what was being used before due to the increased tension.
Not knowing exactly what type of bridge you have makes this kind of hard to diagnose. As mentioned previously, overtuning may also be a factor.

&&Still no linked images allowed around here Paz! Naughty...&&

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #4 - Feb 6^th, 2004 at 5:09am

Maccers Offline
Colonel
Goodbye old friend
NEWI Campus, Wrexham. UK

Gender:
Posts: 1872

I'm not entirely sure what guage of string i was using before, but even when they were in tune they made a different sound, so it might of been a .009, and what im was using is a top heavy bottom .010.
I also have the added problem of tying your tip fret, but in trying to wind the string around the peg, it got weak and snapped off again during tuning Angry

Sod it i might as well get a professional to do it Roll Eyes

&&Athlon XP 1800+, 1GB RAM, Asus V9560 FX 5600 256Mb, 40Gb HDD

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #5 - Feb 6^th, 2004 at 8:58am

Hagar Offline
Colonel
My Spitfire Girl
Costa Geriatrica

Posts: 33159

Quote:

Sod it i might as well get a professional to do it Roll Eyes

This might be your best option. Some strings are more easily broken than others & it shouldn't be necessary to replace the whole set each time you break one. Ask the guys in the shop to show you how it's done. The first things you should know are how to tune the guitar & replace a broken string. Electronic tuners are cheap these days, highly accurate & almost idiot-proof. Also which gauge strings suit you best.

Founder & Sole Member - Grumpy's Over the Hill Club for Veteran Virtual Aviators
Member of the Fox Four Group

Need help? Try Grumpy's Lair

My photo gallery

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #6 - Feb 6^th, 2004 at 10:35am

Jared Offline
Colonel
I'd rather be flying...
Uniontown, Ohio

Gender:
Posts: 12621

Good for you I just finished replacing a set for a guy I wrk wth, 24 y/o and he can't change his own strings...oh well, we gave me $50USD for it...

Good luck with your problems...by the way is this by aby chance an Accoustic?

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #7 - Feb 6^th, 2004 at 3:06pm

Maccers Offline
Colonel
Goodbye old friend
NEWI Campus, Wrexham. UK

Gender:
Posts: 1872

Well I took it to a music shop (a different one from where i got the origional strings) he took one look at the new strings and said...
"These are the worst quality strings I've ever seen" Shocked

Conned! ME! Angry

The guy sold me some new strings (Cheaper then the first set i got), some friendly advice on how to do it, and how to adjust the bridge properly Cheesy

My stringging was not the problem, it snapped on a bit of rust. Anyways I've got some new strings on and its sounds better than it did when i bought it.
BTW Jared, I have an Electric Yamaha RGX121S (Lefty)

&&Athlon XP 1800+, 1GB RAM, Asus V9560 FX 5600 256Mb, 40Gb HDD

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #8 - Feb 7^th, 2004 at 5:06am

Paz Offline
Colonel
USA

Gender:
Posts: 1922

Quote:

Good for you I just finished replacing a set for a guy I wrk wth, 24 y/o and he can't change his own strings...oh well, we gave me $50USD for it...

$50.00 to change a set of strings??? That is insane, that dude obviously has a bunch of money lying around that he can't figure out what to do with, I would say $10.00 is a fair price for re-stringing a six string and a little more for a twelve, because twelve strings can be a pain to re-string.

Quote:

Well I took it to a music shop (a different one from where i got the origional strings) he took one look at the new strings and said...
"These are the worst quality strings I've ever seen"

I used to break a lot of strings way back, I tried all the top brands and broke them all, finally I tried Ernie Ball Blue Steels and have used them ever since, never once have I broke one of these strings no matter how light the guage, and I used them for probably 10 years when I was playing daily, I always played quite heavy music with lots of solo's, so I was pretty rough on strings, but the Blue Steels never let me down.

Quote:

My stringing was not the problem, it snapped on a bit of rust.

Any little burr or snag on your bridge or tuning pegs will cause strings to break, every time you re-string you should closely inspect every area the strings make contact with and be sure there is a good smooth surface for them to set on.

&&Still no linked images allowed around here Paz! Naughty...&&

Back to top

IP Logged

Reply #9 - Feb 7^th, 2004 at 7:56pm

Jared Offline
Colonel
I'd rather be flying...
Uniontown, Ohio

Gender:
Posts: 12621

lol...I didn't take his money since he just got fired thursday, gonna string it tonight with some ernie balls a little polish and perhaps set the intonation for him...(He asked me if I could) since I have some time...

Back to top

IP Logged

	Search the archive: