Hi y'all. Im really picking up a great deal of useful infoand enthusiasm from the site ...But Ive got this problem that wont go away .I have now made 5 or 6 CBGs and a couple of Uke,s.
Although Im not a guitarist ( I play bass ) I sometimes (quite a lot )snap strings when first "stringing up".
I have tuned the CBGs open chords from references from the site .What I need to know is ,does tuning guitar strings to a different pitch than what it is designed for work .Does it put extra strain on strings and guitar causing the strings to break! Is there a trick to first tuning up ? Should I buy lights , extra lights ,mediums guages ?
Also Im buying string in sets of six ,what do I do with the strings I dont use.I know you can buy individual strings but it sometimes works out cheaper to buy the sets.Does anybody have a really cheap string site (I am UK based )
best wishes and Merry Christmas to all Clive
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This is a way to work around the problem which is a sharp edge on the hole in the tuner... easy fix... better is to properly dress the hole by camphering it with a nice bevel, no sharp edge...
Ricky Martin said:
I had a real problem breaking strings until a friend showed me what I was doing wrong. I put the string into the tuning peg and started tuning and snap. He told me to wrap the string aroud the peg a couple times before inserting it through the peg. Works for me!
I had a real problem breaking strings until a friend showed me what I was doing wrong. I put the string into the tuning peg and started tuning and snap. He told me to wrap the string aroud the peg a couple times before inserting it through the peg. Works for me!
Clive Palfrey said:
Thanks Crow , everything I hear is helpful, Clive
Crow said:
i've broken most of my strings when building and prototyping due to headstock design. i've found that the more string guides you use to alter the direction of the string, the more likely you are to get a pinched string and break when tuning up. also, in tuning a given string to a higher note than normal, i've broken plenty of strings in my trials.
now, i'm focusing on peg-forward designs, where the strings have fewer guides and corners to go around. i also choose strings that allow me to tune -down- to the pitch i want, rather than tune up.
just my two cents.
and the guys had a good point about possibly sharp corners on the string holes of the tuner pegs.
i've broken most of my strings when building and prototyping due to headstock design. i've found that the more string guides you use to alter the direction of the string, the more likely you are to get a pinched string and break when tuning up. also, in tuning a given string to a higher note than normal, i've broken plenty of strings in my trials.
now, i'm focusing on peg-forward designs, where the strings have fewer guides and corners to go around. i also choose strings that allow me to tune -down- to the pitch i want, rather than tune up.
just my two cents.
and the guys had a good point about possibly sharp corners on the string holes of the tuner pegs.
Thanks Tim , I think bulk buy is the answer..
Clive
Tim Fontaine said:
Hi Clive, Musicians Friend www.musiciansfriend.com sells bulk strings pretty cheap and you can order the gauge you want. They come in pkgs of 12 (that is 12 of the same string). I make 3 string CBG's so I just ordered 3 pkgs of the gauges I wanted and will have enough strings to do 12 guitars for about $20.00. Not sure if they ship to the UK. I also seen a guy on ebay selling sets of three for CBG builders.
Say goodbye to expensive broken string misery, use cheapstrings.co.uk
I buy quite a bit of stuff from him, usually the regular Martin Bronze acoustic sets and 3 packs of D'addarios. Almost 1/2 price of what you pay in the shops and postage is cheap (he's even dropped stuff in at my place, as he's based in Birmingham). He stocks loads of other stuff too, uke, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, tenor guitar (very handy for CGBs), also single strings, plus picks, capos & other stuff. Tell Roger I sent you!
If you are breaking loads of strings due to excessively high tension rather than a sharp edge or pinch point, then go for a lighter gauge. A common mistake is that people think thicker strings are "stronger"...they will carry a higher ultimate tensile load before failing...but tensioning them to a higher pitch than they are designed for will just break them well before they raise to the desired note.
Hi Clive,
Musicians Friend www.musiciansfriend.com sells bulk strings pretty cheap and you can order the gauge you want. They come in pkgs of 12 (that is 12 of the same string). I make 3 string CBG's so I just ordered 3 pkgs of the gauges I wanted and will have enough strings to do 12 guitars for about $20.00. Not sure if they ship to the UK. I also seen a guy on ebay selling sets of three for CBG builders.
i've broken most of my strings when building and prototyping due to headstock design. i've found that the more string guides you use to alter the direction of the string, the more likely you are to get a pinched string and break when tuning up. also, in tuning a given string to a higher note than normal, i've broken plenty of strings in my trials.
now, i'm focusing on peg-forward designs, where the strings have fewer guides and corners to go around. i also choose strings that allow me to tune -down- to the pitch i want, rather than tune up.
just my two cents.
and the guys had a good point about possibly sharp corners on the string holes of the tuner pegs.
Depending on the scale length your string's are designed take a certain amount of tention to ring out correctly, most string's are designed for a 25,5 inch scale. In general you can go 2 semitones per string up or down from the standard pitch in the same scale length with medium/light gauge string's (a set of 012 or 013's will do). So if your using the D G and b string you should be able to tune up to A (EAC#)or E (EG#B) without problem's.
If the scale of your guitar is larger than the scale the string's are designed for your going to have to tune down from pitch to G (GBD) or D (DF#A) wich are exactly the same as the tunnings mentioned above just lower in pitch, they work exactly the same so unless your playing along with a harmonica or like to sing in a specific key while playing it realy doesnt matter.
You're a baseplayer right? Use the leftover string's to make a 2 string bass or something :) or just use them to replace broken string's onyour cbg and see what you come up with in way's of tunning it. For example you could double the bass strings of a 3 string to EEB using the Low E , D (tuned 2 steps up obviously) and the B string from a set.
There are no rules in Cbg land concerning building, stringing or tunning (just unwritten bootleg law's) so just try stuff out untill you find what works for you. Be crazy and put the string's on in a different order it realy doesnt matter at all a long as your having fun.
Hope this helps and good luck on your builds ,Frans
what to do with those left over strings???? make Diddley bows and canjos....
If you're breaking strings a lot, might be a construction problem... if your nut is wedging the strings because the bottom of the string slots aren't rounded, then can bind and break the strings... Where are your strings breaking? If at the tuner, you might be using tuners with sharp edges to the string holes.... if so, campher the openings with a slightly larger bit (about 2Xs the diameter of the hole) and that should do the trick...
Replies
Ricky Martin said:
Clive Palfrey said:
Clive
Crow said:
Clive
Tim Fontaine said:
Clive
I buy quite a bit of stuff from him, usually the regular Martin Bronze acoustic sets and 3 packs of D'addarios. Almost 1/2 price of what you pay in the shops and postage is cheap (he's even dropped stuff in at my place, as he's based in Birmingham). He stocks loads of other stuff too, uke, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, tenor guitar (very handy for CGBs), also single strings, plus picks, capos & other stuff. Tell Roger I sent you!
If you are breaking loads of strings due to excessively high tension rather than a sharp edge or pinch point, then go for a lighter gauge. A common mistake is that people think thicker strings are "stronger"...they will carry a higher ultimate tensile load before failing...but tensioning them to a higher pitch than they are designed for will just break them well before they raise to the desired note.
Musicians Friend www.musiciansfriend.com sells bulk strings pretty cheap and you can order the gauge you want. They come in pkgs of 12 (that is 12 of the same string). I make 3 string CBG's so I just ordered 3 pkgs of the gauges I wanted and will have enough strings to do 12 guitars for about $20.00. Not sure if they ship to the UK. I also seen a guy on ebay selling sets of three for CBG builders.
now, i'm focusing on peg-forward designs, where the strings have fewer guides and corners to go around. i also choose strings that allow me to tune -down- to the pitch i want, rather than tune up.
just my two cents.
and the guys had a good point about possibly sharp corners on the string holes of the tuner pegs.
Bluesdog said:
If you're breaking strings a lot, might be a construction problem... if your nut is wedging the strings because the bottom of the string slots aren't rounded, then can bind and break the strings... Where are your strings breaking? If at the tuner, you might be using tuners with sharp edges to the string holes.... if so, campher the openings with a slightly larger bit (about 2Xs the diameter of the hole) and that should do the trick...
the best,
Wichita Sam
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