String Break Investigation

Martin Vigesaa · From: Moorhead Minnesota, USA

Maybe this is common knowledge but I found this interesting and discovered you can sometimes hear a string failing before it breaks.

My 5th string was making a slight buzzing/sitar sound when I would press the A pedal. It would only occur about half way into the pedal press. I suspected the finger surface simply needed to be polished. After a quick polish however, there was no difference. I later noticed an anomaly on the string. It appeared to be a bump, which could be felt by rubbing my fingernail along the string over the peak of the changer finger. It appears this may have been the string showing signs of a oncoming failure. I decided to replace the string still thinking it was a bump on the string. After removal I bent the string slightly and it snapped very easily. I put it under the microscope and could see a fairly clean crack about 1/4 to 1/3 the way through the diameter of the string. The rest of the string was more of a tear.

I replaced the string and the sitar effect was gone. Some days or weeks later at band rehearsal I again heard a sitar sound on the same string. I though i just wasn't pressing the bar down enough, but on retesting, it was the same issue as before. I checked for a bump and it was there again. Again I took the string off, bent it, and again it broke too easily for a string in normal condition.

The 2nd broken string looked very similar to the first. It has the same clean flat break on part of string and the rough tear on the rest. In both cases the clean flat break was on the upper side of the string (the portion not contacting the bridge).

The following pictures are an example of a string, before it broke:

1: Side view after removed.
2: String still on guitar close up
3: String still on guitar closer

More pictures here:
http://seventyv.com/forum1/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=144&p=267&sid=ea70de4f84fa69e40bbba251682d8830#p267

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Martin, that's really interesting. I'm no metallurgist, but that's how I'd expect a string to fatigue if you bend it slightly under tension over and over until it becomes disillusioned with the life you planned for it. And now I've seen it - what great photography!

I suppose the next generation of changers will have string carriers that don't bend the string, but will they sound the same?
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

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

That's really cool. After a while, I think a lot of players can hear when strings are going to break soon. I usually change the 3rd & 5th string in between full set changes to keep them from breaking. If I hear one getting bad, I can replace it in time. I hardly ever break strings.
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Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Great pictures! I usually hear it in time to change the weakened string, but I have never seen it that clearly before.

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

Cool photos, Martin.
Iain, check out this thread that shows the the 600 and 700 series William guitars which come pretty close not bending the strings . They are pulled almost horizontally.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=288371&highlight=williams+changer

Lamar's also have something similar :

What I don't understand is that Kline's have the string bent in a similar fashion as on most other guitars but rarely break strings. They are keyless though.

Ross Shafer · From: Petaluma, California

The Lamar and William's changers are pretty different from each other in the way they pull the string. The Lamar linear changer (he offers a standard changer as well)...pulls the strings in a linear manner with no bending. The Williams changer does bend the string like most steel guitars, albeit with what is reputed to be a more string friendly finger shape than many brands.

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Here's a tip for string problems. Keep nut rollers and changer lubed and change strings once a month. Also checkout the tension with raises/lowers that connect to bellcranks. Sometimes if there's to much pressure on a string it won't last and make sure pullrods are as straight as possible from changer to a bellcrank. Finally check all of your strings to see if any have rust spots or bends. PSG's are kinda like vehicles, they need to be checked and serviced regularly. Eliminate problems before they come up at the worst time. Works for me. Good luck.

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

Ross, thanks for pointing out the differences between the Williams and Lamar.

Billy, how does one "checkout the tension with raises/lowers that connect to bell cranks"
I think I've read somewhere that there should be some slack in the rods when you pull and push the plastic pieces at the end plate. Most of mine have very little slack; they seem to tight..

Is this what you mean:
http://steelguitar.com/adjustments.html#

Thanks, steve t

Dwight Lewis · From: Huntsville, Alabama

My 2 cents: My experience with string has shown me that when a string is twisted,stretched and then picked to vibration, rubbed to sustain that vibration, failure will come sooner or later.It depends on the amount of twist for one,one reason keyless guitars break strings alot less than keyed guitars( because the string is only stretched not twisted and stretched).Some people have a habit of taking a string out of the package and winding the entire string on the tuning peg(i have seen it done many times, trust me)if you hold onto the string you could feel the twist. Keyless are immune to this twist.

TBC
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I'm betting that, under the string, there's a rough spot that's stressing the string by interrupting the curve.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

I don't know the reason but I can't remember last time I broke a string, probably a year ago. I don't know if my technique has changed or maybe string material now is much better. I used to break strings left and right, almost every other day and now I very rarely break one and my guitars get a lot of playing. I have been using Jagwire, D' Adderio, Emmons SIT's and Live Steel and found them all to be same as far as breakage which is almost never. Ernie Ball's are a different story, they do break, for me anyway. The G#'s last about a two weeks with Ernie Ball strings.
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Malcolm McMaster · From: Beith Ayrshire Scotland

Henry, got to agree with you, can't remember last time I broke a Jagwire, used to go through a stack of Ernie Balls, had to replace G# every fourth gig or it would break on 5th, often broke a couple when trying to change sets (G#), just snapped before coming into tune.Thanks Danny, your Jagwires are brilliant.
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MSA Millenium SD10, GK MB200, Sica 12inch cab, Joyo American Sound Pedal/ Jay Ganz Straight Ahead amp, Telonics 15inch in Peavey cab, Digitech RP150, Peterson tuner.Hilton volume pedal.Scott Dixon seat and guitar flight case.

Malcolm McMaster · From: Beith Ayrshire Scotland

oops sorry double post.
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MSA Millenium SD10, GK MB200, Sica 12inch cab, Joyo American Sound Pedal/ Jay Ganz Straight Ahead amp, Telonics 15inch in Peavey cab, Digitech RP150, Peterson tuner.Hilton volume pedal.Scott Dixon seat and guitar flight case.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Steve T, thanks for showing those. Yes, the Williams seems to be conventional but kinder and the Lamar is on the lines I was thinking.

I have had my strings (a mixture of Ernie Balls and Rotosounds - not specialist PSG strings) on since I finished building my guitar 14 months ago. I am interested to know which string will break first and where, but I'm still waiting and I practise most days. My keyless nutless tuner that I keep boring on about is obviously very gentle. Also, the changer fingers have a top diameter of 1". I copied a lot of key dimensions from my old pull-release D10 but I now realise that a lot of fingers are smaller, like 3/4", which can't be as kind to the string.
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

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