Been having an odd problem with the last 2-3 sets of strings...the high e is unwinding in the block! Causes no end of trouble keeping it in tune; pretty much wastes a whole set of strings

Guitar is an '08 American Deluxe, bought it new and have never done any weird/stressful adjustments, string gauges, or abuse. I do my own setups, and know enough of what I'm doing to at least know what NOT to do, and I haven't done any of that with this guitar (sorry Squire!) I use Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkies, and while I have no particular attachment to them, I try to stick with them because they're the only .09-.46 gauge my friendly local music store carries. All I can think of is that I'm pulling the string too tight when I install it on the guitar (locking tuners, kind of a necessity), or when I stretch them out. Odd though, since I'm not a burly guy, and I've got a pretty good feel for how much stretching a string needs. Also, while I've been known to use it for a few tunes, I don't use the whammy bar much, and don't do any bends beyond a step.

Any ideas? I don't want to keep burning through strings, and with a recital coming up I'd like to figure this out soon! Thanks in advance!

I'm personally not sure how that can happen other than to say, the strings just aren't manufactured very good. Never heard of that problem before.

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Sounds like bootleg strings to me. I'd bring them back to where you got them along with the package, or contact the manufacturer

Is the High E unwinding or is it snapping at the ball?

If it is snapping at the ball there could be a burr inside the block that the string is being cut on.

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No no and no

Hi StephensBPE: three sets in a row? That's very odd indeed.

Unless there's a problem inside the block on that particular string, like Nick suggests, then I guess there could be some sort of issue with a whole batch from the factory. New guy on the winding machine when they were doing top e's or something? I'm clutching at straws here, you can tell - because I've never come across such an issue, at least not repeatedly as you are describing.

What I have come across is people using a soldering iron to put a dab of solder on the wound bit just above the ball end to absolutely prevent this problem happening. Though I have never, ever needed to do anything like that myself: I'd assumed it was something left behind in the days of earlier and less reliable production methods.

Last thing: since it has happened several times I'd contact Ernie Ball's customer services department and mention it. At the very least they might send you a few replacement e strings as a gesture of good will...

Cheers - C

Try ordering strings online...you can get what you want AND order replacment single strings to complete the sets (High E is plain steel anyway - any will work).

Agreed.

A guy I knew years ago had this problem with his Strat. The strings constantly either snapped or unraveled not long after he installed them. Now this guy was a bit on the 'crispy' side and one of those obstinate types who felt that nothing could EVER be wrong with his "high end" guitar or ANY of its parts. He was also one of those types where whatever the OEM string set the guitar came with, he would continue to use this exact set with the reasoning that the particular manufacturer absolutely knew what was the best set for their particular model guitar. In spite of this reasoning, he firmly attributed the root cause of his string breakage to ALL strings on the market being unilaterally deficient at the ball end and so, the manufacturer (in this case, CBS Fender) should not be chastised.

What he did to remedy the problem was to take new sets of strings and pack the string twist coming up from the ball with a combination of Elmer's white glue and lint. Once the new set had dried with this concoction, he'd install them. FWIW, it solved his problem where he was more convinced than ever that it was the aforementioned defect among all strings and surely not his guitar's block.

You can't make this stuff up!!

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You dig?

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I've contacted EB, we'll see what they say, and will be going to check the axe for any burrs or oddities in the block.

Nikininja: It definitely is unwinding, one went on me last night (inspiring the original post), and I kept trying and trying to tune it--no dice. When I pulled it out, it was definitely unwound, the ball still attached.

Ceri: Interesting idea with the solder, I may do that anyway with the next few sets, out of paranoia if nothing else. I also appreciate the straws you're grasping at, helps me feel like less of a conspiracy theorist for daring think something could go wrong at a big company!

Martian: TOO weird! I suppose if solder doesn't work I'll try that...though really I should have probably just kept the set of strings that came on the guitar, since that's "what the manufacturer intended".

A couple of things to consider: The heat from soldering will weaken the tensile strength of your strings in that area. Also, the soldered twists may very well begin to act as files.

Let us know what EB has to say. Oh, and where's my manners? Welcome!

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You dig?

Hi StephensBPE: just in case you don't know, Forum user Martian is a very, very experienced guitar tech, production manager - and player. So take what he says seriously. He knows more than most of us put together:

On the other hand, the solder tip is in Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player's Repair Guide - and that fella ain't no slouch either!

We'll let them argue it out between them.

Whatever: if this issue happens more than once in a very blue moon something has to be wrong. We shouldn't really need to be doing anything to fix our strings before we've even used them...

Cheers - C

what some people do for this problem is to take a soldering iron and add solder to the wound area to prevent this.

Stephen

Please let us know what ErnieBall say about this.

I've had similar problems when buying bulk packs of stings. One of the strings will break if you so much as look at it funny. Same string throughout a box of fifteen sets.
Nothing like as bad as you're experiencing it though.
It could well be a problem at manufacture.


Also in the meantime why not try the SRV method of putting a small piece of rubber tubing over the string. Slide it all the way down to the ball end, then fit the string. (I think he used about 10mm of rubber stripped from wire)
Atleast then, should it happen again. You will see if anything has cut into the string inside the block.

Infact, I think I'm going to do that anyway, despite not having the problem. Just to see if any unusuall markings come up.

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No no and no

You would expect that if the block was burred the string would be snapping not coming unwound.

How do you notice it happening and how often do you play and change your strings?
Do keep on tuning all of a sudden feel the string keeps on giving?
Take a close up picture of the string ball end would be good.

Soldering the strings is just going to make it harder to work out what the problem is. I'd buy a set of D'Addario or singles and just compare the ball end.
If you do use rosin core solder (electronics) as acid based solder is what snaps strings.

Here is an interesting website
http://www.sfarzo.us/design_balls.html

If your local Ernie Ball should send out some free ones if the strings were defective.

Man that is insightfull.

I knew there was a reason I prefer bullets.

I'll have to bite the bullet so to speak and order some more. I'm bored of these diaddario's.

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No no and no

If your local music store just brings in one brand of strings it would be much cheaper for you to order multiple sets from another manufacturer or a large retailer.Sometimes that can work out to $4-$5 a set for premium strings or if you told the people atthe store your experience they may decide to bring in other brands.I have been using D'Addario strings for decades and haven't had any problems whatsoever with them.

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