String as dead as a dodo :/

TelePaul said:
Ok. For a minute there I was like 'fuck!'
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What, you thought my guitar was made of marshmallow? :)

Anyway, I've tried playing the 6/7/8th fret and I can visibly see that the string is clearing the fret above so I can't work out what's causing it :/
 
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this may or may not be the reason, but...

i had a similar problem on a completely different instrument (acoustic bass guitar). ran out of ideas/suspects but someone suggested the frets.com website with its "buzz diagnosis" pages.

one unlikely suspect there was a LOOSE TUNER. Since I've already tried another string (and by the way the stock lighter-gauge string wasn't dull, but the heavier new string made the problem manifest) I thought I'd check..

sure enough ALL tuners were loose on the bass. I tightened them - both the little screw on the back of the headstock and MOST IMPORTANTLY the hex-nut on the front. That was it! It fixed my problem.

I've checked my other guitars, acoustic and electric after that and sure enough, they were also all loose. They seem to be loose when we buy our guitars and they're easy to overlook, especially if they don't cause a problem.

THIS CAN ONLY BE NOTICED WHEN THE STRING IS REMOVED!
 
Just removed the string, tightened everything up on the tuner (was already pretty much tight) and restrung. No dice :(

I've even raised the saddle height almost 1/4" now and no difference. I'm out of ideas. I guess it's either the string or the saddle!
 
On closer inspection it does actually sound like the string is dull when it's open as well. It didn't seem like it at first, but I think it is.

Any further thoughts? Muttley? :)
 
Interestingly, the bridge was on backwards. Must have been something I did a long time ago and didn't put right or something that's always been that way.

The flat face of the saddles was facing outward along with the adjustment screws. I thought it was a little odd so I searched for some close-ups of Les Paul bridges and I was right, it was on backwards.

I've corrected that little error now but it sure hasn't cured the problem though! :o
 
i don't think that's a problem, the saddles on tune-o-matics can be reversed and often are, to accomodate intonation.

will you already try a new string?! The suspense is killing us? ! :rolleyes:

P-J said:
Interestingly, the bridge was on backwards. Must have been something I did a long time ago and didn't put right or something that's always been that way.

The flat face of the saddles was facing outward along with the adjustment screws. I thought it was a little odd so I searched for some close-ups of Les Paul bridges and I was right, it was on backwards.

I've corrected that little error now but it sure hasn't cured the problem though! :o
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Gear_Junky said:
i don't think that's a problem, the saddles on tune-o-matics can be reversed and often are, to accomodate intonation.

will you already try a new string?! The suspense is killing us? ! :rolleyes:
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Hehe, I can't till Tuesday. I have absolutely no cash to buy a new set till then and my old ones aren't long enough to refit. I trimmed the ends after getting them all set :(

Plus none of them are the same size as the G string I'd be replacing so I'm not sure it'd prove anything would it? Only think I can think of doing is replacing with another G string from another set of the same strings.
 
Well, I threw caution to the wind and restrung that string. I used the old 'D' string from my previous set since I've gone up quite a step in string diameter (although have compensated by tuning two full steps down!).

It seems to be fine now, but it is a wound string rather than the unwound G I had.

If I offer the two strings up against each other they look identical in diameter, but I'm not sure.

Any ideas how to proceed? I'd like to try and get this guitar to accept that G string to save me buying two sets each time I restring :)

Does anyone think it's worth buying the same set again to see if it's just a bad string or is the likelyhood slim to none?
 
P-J said:
Well, I threw caution to the wind and restrung that string. I used the old 'D' string from my previous set since I've gone up quite a step in string diameter (although have compensated by tuning two full steps down!).

It seems to be fine now, but it is a wound string rather than the unwound G I had.

If I offer the two strings up against each other they look identical in diameter, but I'm not sure.

Any ideas how to proceed? I'd like to try and get this guitar to accept that G string to save me buying two sets each time I restring :)

Does anyone think it's worth buying the same set again to see if it's just a bad string or is the likelyhood slim to none?
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In which case it is almost certainly the saddle slot or a bad string. Try a new string of the gauge you want and if the problem returns you need to look at the saddle slot. There isn't enough change in tension to effect the neck relief with just that string as a difference. Also it is incredibly rare to have a bad unwound string so I'd suspect the saddle slot. Glad your getting somewhere with it.
 
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1. Get in your car
2. Drive to the music store
3. Buy a new set of strings
4. Put them on
5. See if it's better

No offense meant but this is the first thing I would have done before anything else.
 
danny.guitar said:
No offense meant but this is the first thing I would have done before anything else.
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None taken, but as I said only four posts above, I don't have a penny till Tuesday. Plus the fact that I'd changed gauge by quite some way and wanted to seek advice first.
 
muttley600 said:
In which case it is almost certainly the saddle slot or a bad string. Try a new string of the gauge you want and if the problem returns you need to look at the saddle slot. There isn't enough change in tension to effect the neck relief with just that string as a difference. Also it is incredibly rare to have a bad unwound string so I'd suspect the saddle slot. Glad your getting somewhere with it.
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Thanks mate, I'll try that out when the wages get paid. Would you suggest getting it done professionally or is adjusting the saddle slot something I could attack with suitable tools? I'm generally pretty decent at practical work like that but perhaps you know of horror stories or real 'gotchas' I should look out for.
 
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