Low B string breakage while installing

[Basswalker1]

Pros, I have been playing over thirty years and are having a melt down or something, but I just broke my second brand new low b DL bass string. This is frustrating as you know what. I give the strings enough length, crimping before cutting and at the point of slowing winding the winding breaks. What the heck is going on?

 

[Michael Manring]

You might have a little nick in the nut or bridge, Basswalker1. That tends to happen occasionally and they can be hard to see. If the breakage is at the headstock I'd suspect the nut, if it's at the other end the bridge is more likely the culprit.

 

[funk_in4]

You don't state specifically WHERE the string is breaking, but if it is right at the tuning machine post, you may have to either change scale length selection or move to a different brand. This is primarily a problem with smaller tuning machine posts...the string winds around okay, but the main body of the string ends up winding around the post (rather than the tapered portion)...because the post is so small, the string is too thick to make a tight enough bend, and the core wire gets broken as the string is crimped around that narrow radius. I have this problem with my Sadowsky 5 string bass- D'Addario long scale strings are fine but any super long scale B strings break immediately at the post upon install. You can check first by taking the loops out of the new string and then holding the ball end right over the spot in the bridge where it will reside. Then stretch the string to the machine head that it will be mounted on, and see if the windings taper before that point. Note that this applies mainly to 3/8" posts- 1/2" posts are usually fine.
sorry for the novel- good luck!
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[Joshua Phelps]

Crazy, wasn't aware you could break that string. Kinda always thought you could tow a car with a B.