Strange String Breakage On A Jazzmaster

3manstack

Ive had a Jazzmaster for the past year or so and up until recently Ive never broken a string, however a few weeks ago I put a new set of strings on and the high E just unwound itself around the ball area at the bridge.

I put a new one on and it never seemed to tune properley (always going flat) while the rest of the strings stayed perfectly in tune, and yesterday it just didnt want to tune up past D. I carried on tuning and the string broke, again around the bridge area of the string (but not where it comes in contact with the bridge, just over the tremolo plate). Do you reckon it was just a few dodgy strings?

I know its a fairly long scale guitar coz I dont get too many winds from the high E on the tuning peg post. I use D'addario's by the way.

Any advice is appreciated.

Cheers

Tav

I think unwinding at ball end sounds like a problem with the string rather than the guitar...but not tuning past certain pitch or it slipping out of tune sounds like you haven't put enough turns of string on the machine head. Is it not the same scale length as a Strat or Telecaster? Ideally you should have at least 3 turns of string on the machine head and more on the smaller gauge strings. How many turns did you have?

3manstack

I think I can get about 3 turns on the machine head, only just though. I wonder if certain makes of string are longer than others?

Pacomc79

It was a crappy string, but you may try this stuff all the same.

http://www.guitaristonly.com/


check the bridge it could be a little out of whack and it could have a nick thats cutting into the nickel. Next time, put the string on and pull it taught but not up to tune, stretch the string at the bridge and at the nut shaking it a little back and forth, then bring it back to taught. Then tune it up to tune.
Next time that happens, tune everything down 1/2 or one whole step, then wait 5 or 10 minutes and pull it all up to standard. It works for me.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/reference/techsheets.html

read the method at the taylor site for restringing, it's the best one available.