Reinforced Ball End strings

[JeffB]

Anyone besides Ernie Ball make strings with reinforcement at the ball ends?

I bought abunch of DM nicksteels recently and unfortunately they kept popping at the loop on the plain strings. Never had this issue ever with them. I assume it is the trap tailpiece on my 335 roughing them up a bit, but the weird thing is that I finally got so mad I threw a pack of Slinkys on , and after 3 weeks, no issues. So, not sure if its a DM problem, a trap problem, or what.

Just wondering if anyone else makes something heavy duty as I generally kill slinkys too quickly

 

[wolf5150]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

If you've got any soldering skills, just put a drop on the windings.
SRV's tech always did it .
I copied the idea years ago..works great

 

[kirbyg]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

D'Addario makes some in their XL line.I've never used reinforced strings so I wouldn't be able to give you any insight in comparison the the Ernie Balls.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

maybe you could file/sand the tailpiece a bit?

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

I have never ever had this problem in any guitar, and didn't even know such strings existed.

I concur with gibson175: fix the root cause of the problem

 

[whatshisname]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

I've had this problem, but never with Ernie Balls of any kind. It's funny that one of the only companies (that I know of) that makes reinforced ball ends, is the one that I don't have problems with their normal strings. Dunlop is another brand that I think is great.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

If you've got any soldering skills, just put a drop on the windings.

+1. I did this when my main guitar had a Kahler.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

I've never used anything other then D'Adarrio xl115's. They work beautiful for me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

It's the sharp edge on the tailpiece and also the string. I had that problem on my les Paul and D'addario 9's. I started threading my string backwards and wrapping it back around, and also using GHS boomers which seem to not break.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Reinforced Ball End strings

There is not a ton of metal in that region on a trapeze,.so I would not be comfortable using a file...I will probably try a polishing string and some polishing compound next time I am the hardware store.

Funny that the Slinkys hold up for 3 weeks with no issues, and the nicksteels sometimes only last 3 days before popping a loop. In general I find the nicksteels much more durable when it comes to breaks than slinkys, and have so for 20 years. But I have had a few quality issues with Blue Steels too in recent months...?....