Why does my G string keep breaking?

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,tshanley
Date: 17 Mar 10 - 09:20 PM

My Washburn 12 string keeps snapping g strings just between the tunning head and the nut. The guitar has a built in tuner besides I know what the string is suppost to sound like I'm tired of spending money on strings. the guitar is only a year old email me with a response [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,jeff
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 12:23 AM

The 'ping' sound is fron the string popping against small grooves in the nut as it's tightened. The grooves are caused by the force of even normal playing. I used to put a piece of string cover paper in the slot then tighten the string until it broke through the paper. Then I'd tear away the excess and the ping would disappear. Afterward when I had the time and money I'd have the slot dressed by my trusted luthier until the slot got so worn I'd have to replace the nut. Did this every couple of years when I was gigging 20-25 days out of a month.

Would venture the reason for g string breakage at the bridge has much to do with the force of one's strum. My problem was similar until I'd developed enough restraint in my attack. That plus I started letting the sound system do the work.

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,Bill the sound
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 09:05 PM

I once met a stripper that had the same problem

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 05:59 PM

This happened to me too. I had a guy in a music store replace the strings not two days ago and {POP} The "G" string broke again. (This was the same string that broke originally). Grrrr

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: Bounty Hound
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 06:40 PM

Just to point out, the core of a G string is thinner than the top E, the winding does not give it any tensile strength, so perhaps not suprising that G is the most common string to break.

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,G
Date: 14 Jun 10 - 06:55 PM

Quote:
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Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: John Hardly
Date: 09 Oct 08 - 10:54 AM

The G sting has a unique problem -- it is wound, but its core is no bigger than the two tiny strings beneath it. That would be okay (where breakage is concerned), especially as it is under less tension than those tiny silver colored ones, except that...

...the problem with the G string is that it IS wound and, as such, creates quite a bit more friction at both the nut and saddle ends.

And, as if the friction problem weren't enough, the windings (also finer than the windings of the other wound strings AND under MORE tension -- more pounds of pressure per square inch brought downward on the saddle and nut) themselves become driven into the softer material of the nut and saddle, thereby embedding the string in the soft material.

Ever notice how, almost unique to the G string, when you try to fine tune the string you will get no response to turning the tuning key...you will get no response to turning the tuning key...you will get no response to turning the tuning key...

...until finally, *PING*, the string's windings release from the nut and you go from one degree flat to six degrees sharp?

The finer windings, tiny core, soft material...

G strings are murder.
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or ...you will get no response to the tuning key...
...until finally, *PING* G string broken.

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 04:48 AM

Okay Kevin :-

I stood on the platform at Midnight
when they told me my Mom's dog had died.
I'd just gone there from the Taverna,
where I'd found out my Sweetheart had lied.
I was yodelling about all my sorrows
when a "PING" nearly took someone's sight!
Oh why does my G-String keep breaking
when it's Country and Western tonight?

Quack!
GtD

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 08:58 AM

>or ...you will get no response to the tuning key...
>...until finally, *PING* G string broken.

Usually what happens when I am twisting the wrong key.
-Glenn

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 15 Jun 10 - 09:26 AM

Seriously though folks....
Another thing to look at -- check the peg holes. I have seen that the G string, being small and fairly high tension, can form a slit into the side of the hole toward the bridge. If this gets bad enough it increases the breakover angle which in turn leads to more breakage.
On the other hand make sure the string is breaking where it passes over the saddle and not where it comes out from under the peg. If the latter then see if the eye splice is protruding out from the peg. If it does (and you are using the right strings) then the inner face of the inner bridge may be indented, allowing the string to come out too far. This is easily fixed with a small brass plate attached inside the body to reinforce the inner bridge. Or you can shade-tree the job by threading a #4 brass washer down the string to bear against the inner bridge (but then you have to feed the string up from inside the guitar).
-Glenn

Subject: RE: Why does my G string keep breaking?
From: GUEST,Jan Burda
Date: 17 Aug 10 - 11:14 AM

Simply put, the third (g) string has MORE TENSION than the others on a steel stg. guitar. Guild owners know this all too well, as Guild specs call for a longer scale length (More tension at std.pitch). With nylon strings, the fourth(d) has the most tension. Of course, sharp edges, poor installation, and heavy bluegrass g-runs can take a toll as well.
    Buy the way......plastic coated strings from any maker do not "last" longer, unless you are of the few that have very corrosive bodily fluids on your fingers. Strings lose their tonal quality due to work hardening. Change tunings often, play hard.....Help the string industry