Possible bad batch of strings?

[ReynoldsSGfan]

I have been using Ernie Ball strings for a couple years now and have stuck on the RPS 9's. Recently I have purchased 6 packs of strings from a local music store and every pack of these strings I have broken the D string in less than an hour, I have never had this problem with Ernie Ball before I usually change my strings once a week and I have gone months before without problem. Is there any contact information? I saved the last string that broke and I have 2 more packs unopened out of the same batch I believe is there anything to do or do I tough it out?

 

[beej]

Best to email the customer service guys: [email protected]. They can take it from there and look into it.

 

[Colin]

very rare if this is the case. EB have a guy that tests the strings, very impressive to watch.

 

[TNT]

In addition to the above - I know this may sound stupid but just double check the "D" string route from Top to Bottom (thoroughly)
I'm pretty sure you'll find the culprit!

 

[DrKev]

I had a similar thing with my G-string on a strat many years ago. It was the guitar, not the strings. Where the strings are breaking is your clue. What happened was that pressure from the string tension was wearing notches into the the bridge saddles and the notches were causing the strings to break. Sharp edges can develop over time any where the strings contact another metal part. It's most troublesome on sharp corners, particularly on tuning posts and vintage-style saddles. A little light work with a needle file and 600 grit sandpaper to the points where the strings contact the saddles was a once a year job with my strat.

In my experience, whatever about a random string breaking here or there (which can happen to any brand of string, albeit very rarely), if a particular string is regularly breaking at the same place, it's pretty much always a guitar problem.


EB contact information is here. Hope it all works out for you!!

 

[ReynoldsSGfan]

That's fine and dandy for you guys.....But this is definitely the strings. I play two guitars it's not just one guitar that this is happening on. I keep my stuff mint and this is only the D strings I just broke another D string on my backup guitar a couple hours ago after the strings being on for 30 minutes. It's not my picking either as I have never had this problem before. You guys may say it's rare for it to happen which I believe it probably is rare but it is definitely the strings and I have 2 more packs out of the same batch, I am willing to send those 2 packs back along with the 2 D strings that I have broke.

Btw I checked the route and I did find the culprit....its definitely the string...The batch of strings were sent to Canandaigua, New York to Rossi Music by the way. I emailed customer support as soon as it was suggested I was waiting to hear back, but haven't yet.

 

[TNT]

Hey Reynolds,

Sounds like your handling it pretty well in spite of the frustrations. Seems like you have patience, and good perspective on the process. I can't speak for them, but 'm sure EBMM CS will resolve it.

 

[ReynoldsSGfan]

Just wanted to post a follow up. Ernie Ball contacted me back and were excellent to deal with, the customer support was amazing! Thank You Ernie Ball. So I got a couple sets of strings put one set on my back up guitar and one set on my main axe and these strings are excellent I am having no problems at all with them, like I said I probably had a bad batch which is perfectly normal for any company for stuff to slip by.

THANK YOU ERNIE BALL!

 

[TNT]

Yeah, a bad batch of Ernie Ball strings - that's something we other guys just dream about getting.

 

[6stringno7]

Seems like an isolated case. Maybe was a roll of wire with a bad spot for the D string it seems.

Does anyone know of EB having a problem with thiefs making counterfeit strings? A rep from another string manufacture said it was bad for them... I was told the counterfeits looked just like the real thing, except the strings being made with junk material of course.

 

[DrKev]

I would imagine that any major brand of anything has to deal with counterfeits. If you buy from a reputable dealer it shouldn't be an issue (because they'll get from the official distributors). If in doubt, on the Ernie Ball website you can look up the distributor for your country or region and ask them.

 

[JT3]

I have the same exact experience. I bought a dozen sets and the "D" keeps breaking. Earlier in the year it was the "G" on a doz. set purchase. They sent me some "G"s when I told them but they may think I'm a wacko if I try it again. This is very annoying. Buy the way, I bought the latest 12 sets from Music 123.com. Don't know if that was a good idea or not.

 

[TNT]

Will someone "please" tell me where I can get a "bad" set of EB Strings!!!!

I've been buying them for decades, by the case, and I've never had any such luck. I think I'm entitled to at least "one" in my life! Post it on ebay with a "buy it now"; price doesn't matter - I need that string!!

 

[Big Poppa]

this is why customer service complaints on a forum are hard to accept.....

 

[6stringno7]

I have used a lot of another brand of strings till a few years ago, I really do like EB , they sound better to me. Hard as it seems to get a bad string, I know the person that started this post and saw first hand the strings he was having the problem with. I did not believe it myself and was in denial till I witnessed it on two different guitars with just two or three songs played on the brand new sets of strings. I saw the strings that EB sent as replacement and he put those on, he played about two hours practice, then did an hour or so gig, and not so much a hint of excess string stretch, a far cry from the multiple packs he went through from the music store. I was impressed so much I will never buy any thing but EB from here on out. I can understand why someone would be skeptical about complaints on a forum, a lot of people want something for nothing. He was curious as to anyone else experiencing problems, seems to be ultra rare. No one should ever assume it will NEVER happen.

 

[Big Poppa]

Hey I dont doubt as much as I hate to hear it that there are problems it just happens. My comments about the forum is that I have people ready willing and able to fix the problem ...the down side is the people who pile on...now worries no issues just input!

 

[OU812]

I'd say 90% of string breaks happen cause of a burr in the saddle or maaaaybe something at the nut. I've never had a string break on me, no matter what brand I've used. Also, proper installation goes a long way...

 

[TNT]

Kramer, you just don't "BEND" them high enough!!! lol,lol,lol

 

[Mini-Danny]

I bought some Super Slinky Ernie Ball strings and when I put them on my guitar everything looked fine. But when I started to play the D string broke. The rest of the strings work fine. I don't think this is normal for an Ernie Ball string. Can it be that I've had a bad batch of strings or not? (Sorry for my bad English I'm from Holland)

 

[DrKev]

Sometimes strings break and as we've said here already, there are number of reasons why that could happen. Most of those reasons have nothing to do with the string. But one person makes an assumption (right or wrong) uses the term "bad batch" and everyone who ever beaks a string automatically jumps to the same conclusion?

If you break a string when putting it on the guitar, and the string is faulty (not an issue with the guitar) the store you bought it from will replace the string. (In Europe, it is the store's responsibility to do so.)

Mini-Danny, welcome to the forum! For what it's worth, English speakers are notorious for their shockingly poor second language skills - the Dutch make it look easy!