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Brand new E string broke on tuning peg while winding.

Dorado Pulido

Dorado Pulido

Feb 4, 2019
97
121
41
Southern California
#1
In the process of putting on a set of DR Fat Beams tonight, my E string (105) completely snapped it's core right at the tuning peg while wrapping. I have never had this happen before on any instrument. Have you ever had this happen? Could it be a bad/old set?
Anyways there goes $24 :thumbsdown:
 

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#3
Dorado Pulido said:
In the process of putting on a set of DR Fat Beams tonight, my E string (105) completely snapped it's core right at the tuning peg while wrapping. I have never had this happen before on any instrument. Have you ever had this happen? Could it be a bad/old set?
Anyways there goes $24 :thumbsdown:
Click to expand...

What was the bass in question? IIRC, the full-thickness winding length on DR's is 38". While a bone of contention, I don't like any portion of this "hitting" the machine head post as it may result in string failure. In my Shangri-La universe, all strings transition to taper & tail between the nut and machine head.

Riis
 
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#6
Dorado Pulido said:
In the process of putting on a set of DR Fat Beams tonight, my E string (105) completely snapped it's core right at the tuning peg while wrapping.
Click to expand...

What bass are we talking about here? How fat/skinny are the tuner posts? I've used DR strings on Fender basses where some of the full winding on the E wrapped around the post without breaking. The skinnier the tuner post, the more problematic it becomes when the full winding has to wrap around the post.
 
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#7
Yes, I've had a new string break while winding. It happens... manufacturing and quality control aren't perfect in any case. When it happened, I contacted the manufacturer and they always sent a replacement string. No muss, no fuss, and, best of all, no "there goes $24". :thumbsup:
 
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#8
Zooberwerx said:
What was the bass in question? IIRC, the full-thickness winding length on DR's is 38". While a bone of contention, I don't like any portion of this "hitting" the machine head post as it may result in string failure. In my Shangri-La universe, all strings transition to taper & tail between the nut and machine head.

Riis
Click to expand...
It is a shortscale Edward's with Gotoh tuners. I think the problem is because it's short, the tuning peg is before the final taper. Not sure how to avoid that.
 
#9
Dorado Pulido said:
It is a shortscale Edward's with Gotoh tuners. I think the problem is because it's short, the tuning peg is before the final taper. Not sure how to avoid that.
Click to expand...

As far as I know, Fat Beams don't come in "short scale" as such. Are you trying to use a "long scale" set on a short-scale bass? If so, THAT is where the problem is.
 
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#10
Dorado Pulido said:
Have you ever had this happen? Could it be a bad/old set?
Click to expand...
Yes I've had this happen. Had them break at the tuning peg like yours, and at the bridge. Sometimes it's user error, other times its just a bad string.

Change enough strings and you're bound to come across a dud. Companies manufacture so many strings that some small percentage of duds will make it out of the warehouse.
 
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#12
The only time I EVER broke a bass string was actually also at the tuning peg and it was a B-string on my 5er. Like the OP, I did it while installing brand new strings, and before I even got it tuned to A. Coincidently (or not) it was also on a set of DR Fat Beams. (I went back to the store that I bought them at and they replaced the one B-string out of a new package that they had on the shelf).

I have a note in my phone reminding me of ALL the strings I've tried on all of my basses (I'm a little OCD), and whether I liked them or not... and if not, why. DR Fat Beams are one of the ones with a big "X" beside it because of the breakage. The rest of the "Xs" are only because I didn't like that specific set of strings with a specific bass for whatever reason, usually longevity.. sometimes tone.
 
#13
Dorado Pulido said:
It is a shortscale Edward's with Gotoh tuners. I think the problem is because it's short, the tuning peg is before the final taper. Not sure how to avoid that.
Click to expand...
HOW short? Measure from the nut to the 12th fret and double it. Be sure it's around 30", and if it is, start searching for short scale bass string sets.
 
#14
Dorado Pulido said:
It is a shortscale Edward's with Gotoh tuners. I think the problem is because it's short, the tuning peg is before the final taper. Not sure how to avoid that.
Click to expand...
Maybe try a make that does offer short scale sets - and provides a ball-to-silk spec so you can measure on your bass & be sure.
I'm pretty sure I've gotten away with windings at the post a few times. But I do notice it's all silk (or taper) at the post now on every bass in my collection, so there's probably a reason.
 
#15
michael_t said:
As far as I know, Fat Beams don't come in "short scale" as such. Are you trying to use a "long scale" set on a short-scale bass? If so, THAT is where the problem is.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. In 2011 I bought a Birdsong cBass from Scott Beckwith. It came strung with a regular set of Curt Mangan light nickel-wounds. I've owned five short scale basses since then, and strung them all with them. No problems ever.
 
#16
I've had it happen twice over many decades, also with a DR fat beam that was being installed correctly, and once with a dean markley blue steel for some reason (Ugh, they sound so bad, young me was so dumb.)
 
#17
Dorado Pulido said:
In the process of putting on a set of DR Fat Beams tonight, my E string (105) completely snapped it's core right at the tuning peg while wrapping. I have never had this happen before on any instrument. Have you ever had this happen? Could it be a bad/old set?
Anyways there goes $24 :thumbsdown:
Click to expand...

I have had this happen, but maybe only a few times in decades of playing. I'd say it is very rare, but likely due to a defect in the string, or possibly a twist in the string that put it under additional stresses as you tightened.
 

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