High e-string breaks - stupid question :)

[Scald]

Hey Folks!

I am new to the mandolin and got mine today from an internet store.
the overall quality of the instrument seems to be quite good and also the sound is satisfactory. although i have encountered a big problem ...

whenever i started tuning the instrument i noticed that it required a lot of strength to get the strings up to the right pitch (a lot of strength compared to my guitar). well, i thought it had to be like that and i successfully tuned the G D and A Strings ... but when I started tuning one of the high e-strings - it broke. Alright ... so I left the other string an octave lower - thought it might had to be like that.

ok, after learning some chords, I wanted to take a look at this zepplin-song (battle of evermore) and immediately noticed that the remaining E-string definitely had to be an octave higher ... I listened to some mandolins on the internet and it supported my theory. what i concluded was that the broken string might have been of lower quality - so i tried tuning the other one - and it broke as well ...

this might sound very stupid to you guys but i would be grateful for some advice. are there other factors which might have influenced the "accident"?;-) (maybe Bridge? how shall i adjust it (there are two wheels)?).
I only know one other instrument (guitar) and i have used my electronic tuner (440hz) ... was that alright?

please help me;-) I cannot wait to finally play the instrument.

[Crowder]

Could be a rough spot on your nut or bridge, on the tuning peg, or even the tailpiece (where the strings hook on to the instrument). Also, if you're really inexperienced, there is always the chance that you are tuning to the wrong pitch. The G string pitch should match the G string on your guitar, and you can tune successive courses of strings to the seventh fret of the lower course.

[Stephanie Reiser]

If string is properly tuned to the correct octave, the breakage points either to the nut, the bridge, or the tuners. WHere did the string break? A clean break at the post usually comes from a string being balled up or a poorly machined hole in the post. If a short length of string remains, your problem is at the nut. A tapering notch at the nut can scissor and bind the string as it is tightened. If this happened, widen the bottom of the slot, taking care not to deepen it. A long length of string remaining points to a problem at the bridge. Perhaps it is too tall, or a problem with a slot, or too crowned? The string angle behind the bridge may be to steep. It is odd that both string broke. You sure you have the right octave? What diameter are you using? Could the strings be old?

[Walter Newton]

FWIW the mandolin open E strings should be at the same pitch as the high E string on your guitar fretted at the 12 fret.

[12 fret]

You didn'r mention whether these are the strings that came on it or if you have had breaks when replacing strings. If they're the ones that came with it they were likely old and of unknown origin. Unless it consistently breaks strings while tuning, its probably just the strings. If the mandolin came w/o tension on the strings, the bridge could also be out of place.

[earthsave]

If tuning to the right pitch, look for sharp edges at the hole in the tuner or anywhere else the string contacts. Definitely notice where it broke, that'll help narrow it down quickly.