Slipping 'A' String

[KenL]

I was recently lucky enough to find a 2003 Martin 00-18VS. It's a 12-fret slothead.

But I've noticed that every time I take it out to play, the A string has gone flat. Not just a bit flat, but quite a bit flat. The other strings hold tune very well.

I should mention that it did not do this with the strings that were on it when it arrived. It started after I replace those strings with Elixir PB Lights.

Its bridge has been slotted, and it has solid ebony pins. My first thought was that the ball hadn't seated properly with the bridge plate. But that problem wouldn't continue for 10 days, right?

But then I noticed, yesterday, that the other end of the string, the cut end, no longer protrudes from the tuner's post. When I changed the strings, I left about 1/4" sticking out, like I always do. But now that string end is flush with the hole.

So obviously the string is slipping on the post. This is despite the fact that I got a good 4 wraps of the string around the post.

The other strings are perfectly fine.

I'm puzzled by this. Anybody else ever have this problem?

[John Arnold]

I see it occasionally with coated strings. When I install strings, I use needle nose pliers to put a sharp 90 degree bend in the string where it starts the wrap around the post. After the first wrap, which is the only wrap that is above the free end of the string, the free end is bent up away from the peghead. After tightening, I cut the string by laying the cutters on the end of the tuner post.

[hubcapsc]

I've never seen strings that would rather unwind from
the string post rather than come up to tension... until
the first time I put strings on my basket-case j-35. It
had more than one problem, but one problem I could
address quickly without help from a tech was to replace
the ratty worn-out tuners with some golden-age replacements
from stewmac. Unwinding off the post no longer seems like
an issue...

Anywho... I guess Martin put better tuners on your
guitar than the now ancient ones Gibson put on my
1942 econo-guitar, maybe there's something wrong
with your A tuner?

-Mike

[KenL]

John, that's a good idea. When I get around to it, I will pull that string off, put a bend in it, and then put it back. That might do the trick.

hubcapsc, I'm looking for a good excuse to replace these tuners with a nice set of Waverlys with ivoroid buttons. Those would look really nice, I think. No hurry on that, though.

Thanks, guys.



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[runamuck]

I'd say you need more wraps.

[KenL]

Originally Posted by runamuck

I'd say you need more wraps.

It could be that simple, you're right.

Those photos, though, are with the old strings. When I put the new ones on, the A string had a good 4 solid wraps.

[phavriluk]

Without altering anything, mark the end of the string near its entry at the tuner post, and slippage can be observed when (if) it happens. And put an inspection mirror on the string end art the bridge. Simple as the string not being seated against the bridge plate?

[KenL]

I had an idea. I had an ancient set of NOS Elixir polys in my string drawer. So I removed the slipping string and put on the old Elixir, taking care to cut it quite a bit longer. And I bent the end with pliers. I got 5 good wraps around the post, one on the outside and the rest on the inside.

Played it for a bit, and that old string sounds just fine. I'll give a couple of days to "play in" and we'll see what happens with it.

I'll let you guys know.

[runamuck]

Another possibility is that your string was not seated properly under the bridge pin. Could you have not pulled the string all the way up before pushing the pin in tight?

[KenL]

Just to wrap this up, I wanted to let you guys know that I cut that replacement string a little bit longer and put a bend in it as suggested by John. So I ended up with 5 wraps around the post, one on the outside and four on the inside.

And it's holding tight. Problem solved.

So for the next several months I'll be playing with 5 Elixir Nanos and 1 Poly. How's it sound? Fantastic! I love this little thing.

Thanks for the input, much appreciated.