Instantaneously Dead Strings???

[FishingBen]

Okay I don't know everything about setup and haven't done and seen it all so here's the situation and a question. I decided to raise the action and re-set the intonation on my Les Paul Black Beauty to use it for some slide work. I took the old strings off. I cleaned the guitar with a damp towel. Then I finish cleaned it with some Lizard Spit. I raised each bridge post a full turn and a half I put my new strings (D'Adarrio XL's sealed in the package) on the guitar. I strung them up to 440. Then I went about moving the saddles and setting the intonation (per Dan Erlwine's instruction) with a my TU-2 which I have done before successfully. I put some GHS FastFret on the strings and started to play with a new coricidine bottle type slide. The strings went dead in a Very short time and the G string in particular was lifeless to the point of... "Oh my gosh...what have I done?" Soooo... What have I done? Before I change the strings and go through this again I want to figure out what I did wrong so I don't repeat it. Any insight into this phenomenon would be appreciated.

[Bradd]

:jo Did you stretch the new strings? Just tug on them then retune, repeat a few times.

[magnido45]

+1 on stretching the strings a few times...like Bradd suggested...tug on each string slightly at the 12th fret a few times...retune...also, since you raised the action, you may also need to raise the pickups if there is a loss of volume...

[RussB]

The only time I've had a string go "instantaneously dead" was if it broke! :)


Did you raise the tailpiece so the strings only contact the bridge saddles, and not the back edge of the bridge?

[shihanderek]

I agree with the above recommendations. After playing for 25+ years, I have never had a set of strings (particularly sealed) that were dead out of the package. Good luck

[PerfectStranger]

http://forums.maxima.org/images/smilies/+1.gif

[FishingBen]

I Know its weird. I've never had it happen before. Its not a string stretch/tuning issue. I know to stretch em and then re-tune. This is like just a deadish, muted, kinda lifelessness, in the strings especially the G. I can't explain it any better than that. No they're not touching on the bridge I've got a Tonetail top wrapped on it and its not in any kind of bind. I'm gonna work on it over the weekend and i'll update on Monday. THX

[mistercoffee1]

See if it's like any of what you see in this thread. In particular, look at post #30 at the bottom of page 2.
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=433437&highlight=d%27addario&page=2

[Structo]

Did you raise the tailpiece so the strings only contact the bridge saddles, and not the back edge of the bridge?

That's my thought as well.

[geekocaster]

did you raise the pickups in proportion to the raised action?

[FishingBen]

Good link! But no, I ordered em from Musicians Friend last week. They musta just died! I've never had a set die this quick. I just assumed I did something wrong or harmful during my setup changes. Well looks like its good I got 9 more sets. PS No I did not raise the brdge anywhere near that high. One turn of the wheels.

[French Fry]

happened to me recently with a set of d'addario half rounds. Been using them for years. Just one package was a dud.

[Seegs]

my guess is that you just got a bad/defective set of strings...I had this happen with John Pearce acoustic strings...put em on and played for about an hour...put the guitar away and the next day totally dead and lifeless...

Chow,
Seegs