String "wear" on a tenor guitar

[Bernie Daniel]

I have experienced string wear on both of my tenors (guitar and banjo) that is unlike anything on my mandolin family instruments (I do not think I have ever had this happen with a 6-string guitar either).

On the wound stings (C&G) at the point that is directly above frets (mainly frets 1 through 5) -- in the winding is being worn through-- so at these places I can see the core wire. This is obviously from the wire meeting the fret repetitively.

I can understand why it does not happen the the mandolin as the force of your finger pressure is spread over roughly twice the area -- i.e., two strings.

But the strange thing is that I do not encounter this wear phenomena on the regular 6 string guitar.

I am using a D'Addario J66 string set -- the C & G are 80/20 bronze windings over plain steel. I use J63's on the banjo which are nickel plated steel windings -- same thing is happening.

I assume that this means I am pressing too hard on the strings --- I guess I can easily change strings more often. But I wonder if others experience this?

[Jock]

I have experienced string wear on both of my tenors (guitar and banjo) that is unlike anything on my mandolin family instruments (I do not think I have ever had this happen with a 6-string guitar either).

On the wound stings (C&G) at the point that is directly above frets (mainly frets 1 through 5) -- in the winding is being worn through-- so at these places I can see the core wire. This is obviously from the wire meeting the fret repetitively.

I can understand why it does not happen the the mandolin as the force of your finger pressure is spread over roughly twice the area -- i.e., two strings.

But the strange thing is that I do not encounter this wear phenomena on the regular 6 string guitar.

I am using a D'Addario J66 string set -- the C & G are 80/20 bronze windings over plain steel. I use J63's on the banjo which are nickel plated steel windings -- same thing is happening.

I assume that this means I am pressing too hard on the strings --- I guess I can easily change strings more often. But I wonder if others experience this?

Picking tunes on the guitar, repetitively or playing many tunes in the same key over a period of time, would result in the same type of ware, IME. A question of changing strings more regularly, or changing brand.

I never experienced this type of damage on guitar prior to changing to elixor's for their longevity. Previously I'd change my strings after every gig or there abouts, elixor's made me lazy and as the strings were on much longer so I guess there was more opportunity for this type of damage. Very occasionally I notice a little flattening on my tenor banjo's strings, a string change usually follows soon afterwards.

[Malcolm G.]

Bernie,

Is the wear in the first 3 frets - closer to the nut? If higher up, it may have to do with bending the strings - either intentionally or because you press down on an angle, causing a sawing action twixt string and fret.

I play a great deal of nylon string guitar, and restring the wrapped strings end-for-end before the wraps wear through. Unfortunately this isn't an option with steel strings.

[Bernie Daniel]

Thanks for the comments.

After I wrote the query I got to thinking about the fact that I play the tenor a totally different way compared to the 6-string.

The big axe is mostly for chords and the only real "picking" is runs between those chords. On the tenor much less chording (except to ornament or end a phrase) and almost all picking of individual notes -- I think Jock was onto the same thing in his comment. It all makes sense.

Wear mostly on 2,3,4 and 5 frets. Turning nylon strings end for end -- great idea!

But I agree it would not work with steel strings you could jury rig a loop but the part that is wound around the tuners would be very brittle and ready to break I guess.

I will just have to change strings more often -- which is no big deal on a tenor guitar. :)

[allenhopkins]

You can experiment with different brands to find one that has a more wear-resistant formula for string windings. There are plastic-coated strings like Elixir that you could try, although I'd assume that if you're wearing through metal, you'd wear through plastic pretty quickly.

Some mandolin strings are mona-steel wound, and probably have greater resistance to wear. And I concur that those strings fretted frequently for melody notes get the most wear at the most-used frets. My guitar strings don't wear through the windings, but the wound strings do get flat spots above certain frets, not above others, showing my playing proclivities.

[Bernie Daniel]

"...although I'd assume that if you're wearing through metal, you'd wear through plastic pretty quickly."


Agreed! On a number of occasions I have tried to make a point of developing a lighter pressure -- but I don't know how you do it because there is nothing gauge it on.

I wear frets out pretty fast too -- it's obviously related.

I assume I am pressing on the strings much harder than is required -- but I think it is a natural reflex that might be impossible to control? :(

[allenhopkins]

Some have lighter touches, some heavier. Don't think it's "impossible to control," if you devote attention to it when you play or practice. We can unlearn habits if we take the time and effort -- of course, that does to some extent diminish our carefree spontaneity when we're playing. I tried for awhile to cure myself of resting my little finger on my mandolin's surface, but finally tired of the effort and went back to my "bad habit."

You could move to a lighter pick, and consciously try to play softer; perhaps try getting that "muted string" sound by not pressing the string firmly to the fret. You sacrifice some volume and clarity, but you do add to your palette of sounds.

Do you find that by fretting with a great deal of pressure, you sometimes "bend" the notes a little sharp? That's a good indication of excess force being applied to noting the strings.

[toddjoles]

No ones asked yet, so here goes. How often do you change strings? From the string change, how long does it take for the wear to be noticed?

[Bernie Daniel]

How often do you change strings? From the string change, how long does it take for the wear to be noticed?


That is an important consideration of course. I can't say exactly both the guitar and banjo have had the same set of strings for about 4 months but I do not play them every day either so my feeling is that this wear is happening "faster than it should". But I can't prove that. For sure they are wearing MUCH faster than my mandolins, mandolas or mandocello.

The guitar is a '36 TG-1 (or TG-00 not sure) and the banjo is a '29 TB-3 and both have nice wide fretting surfaces. So I should think the pressure in pounds/square inch on the strings should not be excess -- but again I'm guessing.

I think the problem is me.

[Dolamon]

Bernie, one thing which wasn't stressed in this thread, which is loaded with great observations ... the age of the guitar? I have a marvelous Regal from the late twenties which just ate the wound strings on an almost daily basis. Really annoying to play.

I started to explore the instrument and found two things - the strings at the nut end were just slightly too high and went a bit sharp when fretted in the first three frets. Okay - that's easy to resolve. I adjusted the groove depth and then used graphite to smooth the groove surface (old soft pencils get new life - News at 10). When I chanced to run a finger nail across the old bar frets, it hung up at several positions. HMMMH - curious.

I have some micro polishing pads and cloths at home. I used blue tape to protect the fretboard and very softy polished the frets with a 600 grit pad, then finished the polish with a 1000 grit, followed with a 1500 grit. Amazing difference and the strings lasted about three times longer.

This is covered at Frank Ford's web site: Frets.com ... be ready for some great reading. He's added a few hundred more pages and he is a stickler for precision.

[Bernie Daniel]

Dolamon -- thank you for the most interesting comments and thoughts on things to look for. Sorry I did not see your post until today.

I've not been on the Cafe sight as much in the last few months -- busy with my latest fasination -- the fiddle. But I can feel that this experiment is about over and I'll be concentrating on the mandos and tenor guitar again soon. My fiddling is still killing spiders and centipedes in the house.

But I have not done a detailed fret by fret examination of either the tenor guitar or banjo -- and I will do that. Thanks again.