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I’m doing the initial setup of my L-00 and I keep breaking my Low E string.

This is the second broken string and although I have one other of the correct gauge and another of a smaller gauge, I figure before I break those, I should get some advice on how to avoid doing it again.



The first time I hadn’t filed the nut slot. I had started it with an Exacto saw but that was as far as I went. I was thinking there was some tension at the nut so I started to file the slot and break the back angle to relieve tension. Both times the string has broken at the tuner just as it is coming up to pitch.

The tuners are Grover Sta-Tite. I suppose it is possible that there is something at the string hole causing it. It does feel a bit rough at one side of the hole. The sting is breaking at the core though and the wound part is staying intact. I swear I’m not over tightening it.

Either way I’m confused.

Thanks for any tips.

John

See if you can get a small round file in the tuner hole, there's probably a small burr that is breaking the string or the edge is just to sharp, gotta soften that edge some how.

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I had the same trouble recently with the G tuner in a set of "Wilkinson" tuners. I had to file the edge several times before it stopped breaking strings. Wish I'd tested it with junk worn out strings after filing each time--I would have saved myself some $ and vexation.

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I've got a hunch Rod True has your solution nailed. If it were the treble e-string, I'd suspect too many tightenings and loosenings....but not with the low e-string.

Abrasive cord is great for breaking the edges inside the string hole.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/Special_tools_for:_Nuts_and_saddles/Mitchell_Abrasive_Cord.html

Different sizes, but the abrasive cord is generally cheaper from Lee Valley:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... at=1,42500

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From the picture, it doesn't look like it is breaking at the point that it exits the hole; it looks like it is breaking in the middle of the second wrap. If that's true, then I doubt it is a burr at the edge of the hole.

Another possibility is that your nut slot is too narrow and deep, and the slot is trapping the string a little bit. If so, then the string tension between the nut and the tuner can be much higher than the string tension between the nut and saddle. A little turn of the tuning machine can increase string tension a great deal over the short distance between the tuner and nut, if the string is binding in the nut. That problem can cause breakage even in very thick strings, and the breakage typically looks just like what you have there. (Don't ask me how I know.) The solution would be to file down the top of the nut so that no more than half of the string diameter sits below the top edge of the nut, and make sure the slot is wide enough to accommodate the string.

Good luck.

I haven’t tried anything since I posted this.

There is a burr at the hole in the tuner. I’m going to file this hand hopefully that fixes it. If anything the nut slot is shallow. My original worry was that the angle was too sharp where it breaks over the nut. Since it looks like it is breaking at the second winding, I suppose this could be a possibility still.

I picked up some extra single strings so I’ll have a couple more chances this afternoon.