View Full Version : string breakage possible soluton
(knock wood) put some pencil lead in the notches on the bridge and nut before putting on any new strings, and then i (per frets.com) oiled my machine heads in the tuners. played on friday night for 2 hours at a bar, and then by myself for a couple last night and no breaks. also, no ping during tuning of new string.
could the lubrication be the answer?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif still plan on getting mando checked out but there is a couple weeks wait.
another solution would be some teflon tape in the notches. It'll last longer than pencil lead, less messy. Sounds like the nut.
OlderThanWillie
Jun-13-2004, 4:47pm
It all depends on where the string breaks. On most of my failures it is the E string that lets go and when I pull the long end up I see that the break is usually somewhere other than at the bridge or the nut. Usually it's above the nut and below the tuner. I don't think lubrication is going to help much if the breaks are not at the nut.
teflon tape?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?
evanreilly
Jun-13-2004, 5:26pm
Teflon tape; plumbers use it!!
Also use some powdered graphite, apply carefully to string slots.
so, correct me if i'm wrong. this lubrication thing might have been my breakage issue?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif???
Keith Newell
Jun-13-2004, 11:44pm
To be honest with you, I have never had a string break in 17 years of mando playing that was not at the nut, bridge or tuner post. At the tuner post that indicates that you metal fatigued it by constant tuning. At the bridge or nut that means you have to tight a slot or a "V" shaped slot that causes it to bind. Needless to say if you break at the tuner post from constant tuning it could mean you have the above mentioned slot problems. I dont beleive in ever using lubrication. If there is a problem and you lube it you are treating the symptom not the problem.
Keith Newell
http://www.newellmandolins.com
FAIR ENOUGH! THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM (THE LAST MONTH OR SO, AND THAT IS WHY I AM CONCERNED. IT DEVELOPED MANY MONTHS AFTER NOT REQUIRING STRING CHANGES. THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT.
mandroid
Jun-14-2004, 9:23am
The ones that boil my kettle are when the loop breaks on a new string while youre putting it on.
I vote for 9 string sets with 3 E's
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
thank goodness i haven't had that happen. please don't wish another string on me.:;):
I have to defer to Keith, he is correct, you should get the problem fixed, but until such time, and if you won't or can't do it yourself, plumbers tape'll do in a pinch. (get it? pinch..chortle chortle...)