String pop on its own?

So randomly, the wound C string on my uke just popped off on its own. I wasn't playing it, and just had it sitting here on the couch next to me when it just snapped. I always replace all my strings when I replace one, so I am off to restring (thank goodness for those UPTL Gotoh tuners, less turns to make)! I am glad I bought some spares last week (Fremont Soloist low g with Southcoast HML-RW on the other three). I only have one set of Southcoast on me though since I am out of town - hopefully it won't happen again before I get home Monday night. Memo to me, travel with two sets, not one as a backup.

Anyone ever had a string just snap on its own before?

Edit update: Son of a %#}%#~! Just tried to put on the new strings - A string snapped and cut my finger. Tried putting back the old A string, it snapped too! I called a local music store and they have Worth and Aquila so I will pick up a set of Worth tomorrow morning. Hopefully those don't snap too!

Yep. It's always a surprise when you open a case/gigbag and one string is off the board. On the ukuleles it's always been a wound string.

wickedwahine11 said:

Son of a %#}%#~! Just tried to put on the new strings - A string snapped and cut my finger. No uke until I get home Monday.

Click to expand...

Sounds like time to try D'Addario, Martin, or Aquila, I.e. something you can find at Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc. where you are. Long time til Monday. :rulez:

Jim Hanks said:

Sounds like time to try D'Addario, Martin, or Aquila, I.e. something you can find at Guitar Center, Sam Ash, etc. where you are. Long time til Monday. :rulez:

Click to expand...

Dude, the thought crossed my mind. Any strings are better than no strings. Finger still hurts like hell and still bleeding...but all I can think of is how am I gonna not play until Monday? Hmm, what songs don't require an A string?

Yes, I was just sitting in my music room, reading a book, when POP a red, low G Aquila on my KA-Lai Pinapple went. I wasn't even touching it, and I hadn't been playing it. ld:

wickedwahine11 said:

Hmm, what songs don't require an A string?

Click to expand...

Bach's Air on a G String, for one.

I haven't had any Aquila reds last except for bari 3rd strings. The others all popped anywhere between minutes and two days after being strung, regardless of whether I pre-stretched or not, or tightened gradually. I've never had a similar experience with any other strings on any other instrument.

Wound strings tend to have a shorter lifespan than plain ones.

My experience with classical guitar is that the D string (highest tension of the wounds) is always the first to go. It's always frustrating to open a case and find a popped D string on one of my CGs. I tend to go thru 2-3 sets of basses for every set of trebles on a CG.

But yeah, any strings you can find where you are is better than not having your uke be playable with no other alternatives. If nothing else, it will make you appreciate your preferred brand of strings even more.

You have brought home an important point. I tend to take my ukes and their strings for granted. But I think I'll start carrying extra strings with me when I go somewhere just in case.

Nuts too sharp or narrow. Does your strings squeak when tuning?

nongdam said:

Nuts too sharp or narrow. Does your strings squeak when tuning?

Click to expand...

Hmm, it is the Moore Bettah - no problems before this. The C and G in the past might have squeaked but I don't think the A ever did. I think Chuck set it up extremely well so I think it is just a bad string (pardon the pun) of luck to snap three strings in ten minutes. Luckily the local store has Worths so I am going to buy a pack tomorrow. Hopefully that will tide me over until I can go back to my Southcoast/Fremont setup when I get home.

wickedwahine11 said:

Hmm, it is the Moore Bettah - no problems before this. The C and G in the past might have squeaked but I don't think the A ever did. I think Chuck set it up extremely well so I think it is just a bad string (pardon the pun) of luck to snap three strings in ten minutes. Luckily the local store has Worths so I am going to buy a pack tomorrow. Hopefully that will tide me over until I can go back to my Southcoast/Fremont setup when I get home.

Click to expand...

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the ukulele (my MB was exquisitely built and I'm sure yours is too), but just to be safe, before you replace the strings, feel the edges of the holes on the posts of the tuning machines that you thread the strings through. I had a string pop on a new custom ukulele because one of the edges was a little sharp and would cut into the string as I tightened the string by turning the tuning machine.

Aloha Staci...where is the string breaking ??? above the nut???

The first time this happened to me, it really surprised me. Now it's a little alarming but expected. It's always the D wound string on my baritone. You can often see the oxidation marks where it touches the fret (especially the 2nd fret) and sooner or later...pop. Never had this happen spontaneously on any of the little guys.

mds725 said:

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the ukulele (my MB was exquisitely built and I'm sure yours is too), but just to be safe, before you replace the strings, feel the edges of the holes on the posts of the tuning machines that you thread the strings through. I had a string pop on a new custom ukulele because one of the edges was a little sharp and would cut into the string as I tightened the string by turning the tuning machine.

Click to expand...

As expected, the uke is flawless (as if we did not already know that). I don't feel anything sharp on the tuning posts. I still think it is a fluke. Chuck did a marvelous job on this and his work is impeccable. The wound C string might have been worn (perhaps)? I have no idea about the new A but maybe trying to put the old one back on -- maybe it was weak after having been stretched before. I have had that happen once before.

mm stan said:

Aloha Staci...where is the string breaking ??? above the nut???

Click to expand...

I wish I had paid attention when they were on Stan. I got them out of the trash and tried to line them back up. It appears to be above the nut or around there on all three but I can't be entirely certain as they had been removed.

I want to make it clear that I don't believe there is anything wrong with the ukulele (which is perfect in my eyes) or the quality of the strings (which are consistently excellent as well). I just started this thread to see if anyone else had the string snap on its own (as I never had) and to pout about my bad luck since I could not play my uke - which I adore - until I find a set of strings while I am out of town.

To the uke maker and string manufacturer - I certainly am not disparaging the quality of your merchandise, I feel both are amazing. The strings are great, and anyone that knows me knows I think this uke is perfect. I just seem to have a black cloud over me at the moment. For what it is worth, my new phone is not working right now - and strings (even not my favorite brand) are easier to replace than an iPhone at the moment.

I've been told by a luthier that the UPTs can break strings if the string gets double wound on those small spindles. But I've never had that happen to me.

probably a bad set of strings...I would let Dirk knows as he'll want to know the details. Also, when you buy a new set, I'm sure he'll send a few extra A strings.

I just happened to have 2 sets of A strings that were really flat. I put on another brand of strings and intonation was good. I told Dirk about the situation and did some research on that batch to make sure there was no quality control issue. Being a fan, I bought more strings and he sent me extra A strings and thanked me for pointing out the issue.

This is a forum and I think it's good to point out these things so that we can all learn together. We know you had no intent on stirring the pot as we all know you love your Uke and we all respect the builder and the string maker. Good luck

I've had a string just pop, bang, while my MM baritone was on the wall. I heard it from the other room. I figured it was the higher tension of baritone ukuleles and the string itself, which can have flaws. It never happened again on the same ukulele after a year with a new set.

So trying to keep up with what is going on here, first your C string just snapped. Then you were replacing all the strings with new ones, and the brand new A string broke. So you were replacing the brand new A string with the old one, and it broke. Is that right? Also, is this your new uke that you just got last month? This is too bad. I'm hoping that when these strings are breaking, that they are not scratching your new uke. I am not implying in any way that it is the uke that is the problem, but I would be getting hold of Chuck and asking him. He has a lot more experience with his ukes than anyone else, and he might know exactly what is going on.

Bummer. Has not yet happened to me (and I use primarily the infamous Aquila Red strings, which some people seem to break easier than egg shells).

Out of caution, you might have the nut double-checked that there are no sharp edges.

I went to play my fav uke yesterday and my A string was snapped.looks like at about the 2nd fret. it was from a Southcoast linear set on a baritone tuned to C. these are relatively low tension as the Favilla they were on has a 19" scale. it happens.

Doc_J said:

I've been told by a luthier that the UPTs can break strings if the string gets double wound on those small spindles. But I've never had that happen to me.

Click to expand...

Ahhh, good to know, thank you. I can only get Worth or Aquila locally today but I will be aware of that when I string it with one of those -- and when I return to my Southcoast when I get back home.