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Topic: Finding, and removing broken string end. |
James Jacoby
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 8 Nov 2010 1:05 am |
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My Carter S-10 breaks strings much more often than my Sierra does. I don't mind replacing a broken string on occasion, but the broken-off piece, always falls down into the changer, and I have a difficult, and time consuming job, finding, and fishing out the little, short piece, mostly because of space limitations. I don't always have 15 or 20 minutes to change a string, when I'm playing out. Suggestions, anyone?  -Jake- |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 8 Nov 2010 3:10 am
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| I've seen people stuff foam between the changer fingers and the rear of the guitar. The foam won't hinder the changer operation but will prevent ends from dropping down into the changer mechanism. |
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Jack Ritter
From:
Enid, Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 8 Nov 2010 5:43 am
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It does the job well, Jack. I have the foam there and it interferes with nothing at all. I also carry a small extending pencil type magnet in player's seat that has been very useful at times.
_________________
Zum D10 8x5,rev pre-amp, TC M300, Split 12, n-112, IZZY, Hilton vp, Geo L, BJS Hughey, Live Steel |
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Carl Kilmer
From:
East Central, Illinois
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Posted 8 Nov 2010 5:45 am
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I used to have that problem with my Carter's and I put a strip
a 1/2" wide peace of stick-on weather insulation tape across
the changer. I was using the Ernie Ball strings at that time,
and was always breaking strings. I tried some Emmons strings,
and that solved the problem. I only use Emmons on my Ritt's.
Carl
_________________
aka "Lucky Kay"--Custom built Rittenberry SD10 3X5, Walker S/S, NV-112, and Hilton Pedal |
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Eric Philippsen
From:
Central Indiana, USA
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Posted 8 Nov 2010 3:00 pm
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I also put a small strip of foam in the slot behind the changer. Then it holds the string's ball end in place if and when the string breaks. Sure beats trying to find that pesky ball end on a dark stage. Worse yet, if you don't find it and then pack up the guitar after the job, the ball end can work free within the case and end up rubbing against the guitar's finish or metal. Had that happen and it wasn't pretty.
Breaking strings? I used to think a lot of it was due to the guitar. Now I'm convinced it has more to do with the brand of strings used. |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 8 Nov 2010 4:53 pm
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| Eric, Bobbe agrees with you. His last Tips newsletter touched on that. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 8 Nov 2010 7:07 pm
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I need to find some foam for this. I only break 1 or 2 strings a year, but the ball end can be a real pain in the butt. Most of the time, it doesn't create a problem for me as it usually will work it's way out the bottom of the guitar. I've been fortunate not to have experienced what Eric mentioned with the ball coming loose in the case. That would be a drag. Once, I couldn't see the ball end in the changer anywhere. It had lodged in between the 3rd and 4th string changer fingers, but not visible to me. Every time I used my E to F knee lever, I would feel this grinding going on. Finally I was able to dislodge the ball. My guitar is also a Carter.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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James Jacoby
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 9 Nov 2010 12:21 am where I found some foam
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| [quote="Richard Sinkler"]I need to find some foam for this.----- I found a sheet of foam padding that came from a TV box, that was just the right thickness, and cut a strip with three tongues on the bottom, to go into the three openings that the strings come up through. The one piece device seems to stay in place pretty well, and will be handy, also, to keep the ball end from popping out while installing a new string. Now I'll probably not break any more strings. Oh well, what ever it takes! -Jake- |
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Dave Hepworth
From:
West Yorkshire, UK
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Posted 9 Nov 2010 4:49 am
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Hi there James,
I have found similar problems on my GFI.I use some small fine forceps that have a slight curve on the jaw end to locate and fish out the ball end.These work fine - as you can get between helper springs /fingers etc..Try to obtain a pair state side-if not I could possibly send you a pair-I have quite a few of them.
Regards
Dave Hepworth (from UK) |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 9 Nov 2010 6:42 am
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| Those metal, hooked picks (instruments of torture) that dentists use for cleaning teeth are good for reaching in and fishing out those ball ends. |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 9 Nov 2010 6:55 am
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there's a fellow steeler here who has a Carter S10
when i first visited him, i noticed he had these red threads hangin' out of the changer
when i asked what were they for, he told me," for pullin' out the ball ends when they break "
yeah, he threaded each ball end w: a piece of red thread |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 9 Nov 2010 8:52 pm Finding and removing broken string end
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Was on stage one night with Country Justice. No lady singer in band. Leader was doing Marie Lavo. I was doing her scream on steel. Third string broke. It was time for Marie to scream and didn't. He turned around and I had my steel upside down by 2 legs, shaking it trying to shake a string end out. crowd had quit a laugh. The rubber foam seems to work good if you use pins to hold strings. If the string comes up through a slot it doesn't. When I played on stage a lot I run black upholstery thread through the brass end on the 3rd and 5th strings and brought it up where I could get hold of it. even had a piece tied in extra strings to use when I broke a string. I have had those brass beads and string to get caught in the changer and you had a mad cat on your
hands. Good Luck Happy Steelin. |
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James Jacoby
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 10 Nov 2010 12:55 am
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| Dave Hepworth wrote: |
Hi there James,
I have found similar problems on my GFI.I use some small fine forceps that have a slight curve on the jaw end to locate and fish out the ball end.These work fine - as you can get between helper springs /fingers etc..Try to obtain a pair state side-if not I could possibly send you a pair-I have quite a few of them.
Regards
Dave Hepworth (from UK) |
Thanks for the offer, Dave, but on a Carter, the openings over the changer are quite small, and that limits the space to insert forceps, or tweezers, etc. To give you an idea how small the opening is, I magnetized the blade of a jack knife to try to lift them out, but it only works if you can even see the string end to tell where to insert the blade. I don't always have room to turn my psg upside down to try to shake it out, or into a place where I can see where it is. I guess the best deal, on a Carter, is to try to keep the ends from falling down in there, in the first place. (foam, threads through the ball end, etc.) -Jake- |
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