Tuning problem after string breaking

Joe Buczek · Post by **Joe Buczek** » 11 Jul 2006 9:40 pm

Today the 4th string on my Williams S-10 broke while I was playing. After installing a new string (same gage), the C pedal and LKL raises worked just fine, but the LKR lower of E/Eb did not lower the string anywhere near Eb (worked perfectly before the string broke). I found that I could lift the changer finger gently with my finger and get the string to lower to about the right place. I tried a little 3-in-1 oil, thinking that either the nut roller or changer itself needed a bit of lube, but no luck.

I've read a number of posts here on the forum about similar problems and the only thing I haven't tried yet is tweaking the return spring tension. Can anyone help? I have a gig Friday night and I'm worried I won't get this figured out by then!

Thanks!
--Joe Buczek
Williams S-10

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 11 Jul 2006 9:44 pm

Maybe a piece of the broken string is stuck in there.

Joe Buczek · Post by **Joe Buczek** » 11 Jul 2006 9:47 pm

Nope. Broke neatly in two pieces around 8th fret...[This message was edited by Joe Buczek on 11 July 2006 at 10:47 PM.]

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 12 Jul 2006 3:32 am

You say "the same gauge"
Are you sure ?
Did you put a micrometer on it or a 'Vernier Gauge' ?
It has been known for the wrong gauge string to get into a packet.
a tool that every player should carry is a Micrometer, for those occasions where a string is needed and gauge is unknown.
After 50+ years of playing I find I can feel the difference of just 1 'thou in the gauges of the PLAIN strings just by holding them, but feeling the 2 'thou differences in the wound strings still eludes me.

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Steel players do it without fretting

[This message was edited by basilh on 12 July 2006 at 05:18 AM.]

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 12 Jul 2006 4:05 am

Joe, check the pull rod's position in the pull finger. I've had the rod "pop" out of position when a string breaks. There's definitely something wrong with that particular pull if the other changes on that string are OK.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 12 Jul 2006 6:05 am

The Williams has a retaining clip that should keep the rod from skipping to a different slot in the puller ("bell crank"). If that clip is missing and the rod did change slots, it would have exactly the effect that you describe.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Jim Bob Sedgwick · Post by **Jim Bob Sedgwick** » 12 Jul 2006 10:08 am

If that is the problem as b0b described, the wire off a loaf of bread will hold the rod until a replacement spring clip can be obtained. (works great by the way). Buy some duct tape, bobby pins, rubber bands and string and you can fix ANYTHING!!!

[This message was edited by Jim Bob Sedgwick on 12 July 2006 at 11:09 AM.]

Joe Buczek · Post by **Joe Buczek** » 12 Jul 2006 12:19 pm

SOLVED!!

The string was an .011, not an .014! It was brand new and in a package marked ".014", but when I measured it on a dial caliper, it was an .011. I installed a real .014, everything worked great, just as it had before the old string broke. HURRAY!!!

Thanks, forumites, for all the great suggestions. I never suspected the string was mis-gaged in a new package, but I guess it happens (now that I've seen it!).

Best,
--Joe Buczek

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 12 Jul 2006 12:27 pm

it's amazing what a 50 cent string will do to a multi thousand dollar guitar..

t

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 12 Jul 2006 1:04 pm

Delighted for you, It has happened to me ,

as I said

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>You say "the same gauge"
Are you sure ?
Did you put a micrometer on it or a 'Vernier Gauge' ?
It has been known for the wrong gauge string to get into a packet.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I didn't know that a 'Dial Caliper' was the terminology. Now I do.[This message was edited by basilh on 12 July 2006 at 02:06 PM.]

Larry R · Post by **Larry R** » 12 Jul 2006 4:57 pm

Ok, what brand of string was it that was mismarked?

Larry R

Joe Buczek · Post by **Joe Buczek** » 12 Jul 2006 8:18 pm

The mislabeled string was an Ernie Ball string. I bought four spare singles each of a couple of gages from a local music store a while ago and the string in question was one of them. Not shrink wrapped or sealed in any way, so who knows how this happened. I wouldn't automatically blame Ernie Ball.

The lessons I learned here were these:
<ul>
[*]pedal steel guitars are incredibly sensitive to string gages</li>
[*]strings are not always what the package claims they are</li>
[*]it pays to own a tool of some kind to verify string gages when problem arise</li>
[*]the Steel Guitar Forum and pedal steel community are wonderfully supportive!</li>
[/list]
Got to chalk this one up to experience. Learned a lot and probably won't be fooled this same way again any time soon.

Thanks once again to everyone and especially to Basil Henriques who scores a big "I Told Ya So".

Cheers to all,
--Joe Buczek