Dead E String..........perplexing!

[strat6866]

I have a great 60th Anniversary Strat, beautiful 3 tone sunburst with rosewood neck. Looks to have all the American Standard appointments and the guitar plays great! The neck is wonderful, practically plays itself.

I recently put a set of Fender Fat 50s in the guitar and now the Low E string sounds dead.....just plunky and horrible. I have adjusted the pickups up and down, adjusted the string height, adjusted the trussrod, and even tried the old neck adjustment trick with the loosening and tightening of the neck screws. NOTHING, still dead sounding.

As I type this I realize the only thing I haven't tried (to my knowledge) besides replacing the pups, is changing the strings. (which i will now do).

Any thoughts on this? Could the E string just be dead? They are very new but I guess they can come that way. I guess the pickup could be dead too. Help!

 

[Zexcoil]

Change it.

See if the winding unraveled.

This happens to me a lot. I just had a D on a set of DR Blues do this prematurely.

 

[mad dog]

The low E is the first to go on my strat. Goes dead way sooner than I'd like, but that's the way it's always been, regardless of string brand.

 

[GreenKnight18]

Chances are that having all 3 pick ups not getting the low E are almost impossible. Hope the string change works.

 

[KazJY]

Did you (over) stretch the strings after putting them on>?

Once, I was stretching the strings and re-tuning, and I pulled the E dead. It gave a bit more than normal.

 

[trisonic]

Jeez, change the strings already!

Sound so smart don't I? I'm the dweeb that changed strings and couldn't figure out why one string would not intonate. started moving everything on the guitar around, no change. Changed the strings again - same problem. Turns out I had several sets with the same bad string in each set (from same batch of manufacture).
In the end I changed string makes................now stick with SOB.

Best, Pete.

 

[strat6866]

It seems like sometimes the most simple solution is the correct one. So simple that we think "No way it could be that! Must be something else."

I am going to try a string change when I get home. If that doesnt work I will probably try a pickup change.

Jeez, change the strings already!

Sound so smart don't I? I'm the dweeb that changed strings and couldn't figure out why one string would not intonate. started moving everything on the guitar around, no change. Changed the strings again - same problem. Turns out I had several sets with the same bad string in each set (from same batch of manufacture).
In the end I changed string makes................now stick with SOB.

Best, Pete.

 

[bunny]

What about the string slots in the nut? If the slot is too narrow, the string may sound weird even fretted. I would also check if there's any sign of rust under the string on the saddle or dirt in the slot.
Start with changing the strings anyway. Be aware of defective strings, it's possible even to run into a bad batch. I saw several dozen sets of quite expensive strings, all with dead D string.

 

[strat6866]

I thought about a possible issue with the nut but the string sits nicely in the slot and as best I can remember it played and sounded fine before I put new pickups in and new strings. So my guess is that it is one of these two.

What about the string slots in the nut? If the slot is too narrow, the string may sound weird even fretted. I would also check if there's any sign of rust under the string on the saddle or dirt in the slot.
Start with changing the strings anyway. Be aware of defective strings, it's possible even to run into a bad batch. I saw several dozen sets of quite expensive strings, all with dead D string.

 

[gitarzilla]

Be sure to check that the bottoms of both saddle height adjustment screws are both tight against the bridge plate. Also make sure that they are adjusted so that the saddle is level (best evaluated by looking at them from the bottom of the guitar).

Make sure that the nut slot is canted forward so that the string rests on a point rather than laying across the whole width of the slot.

Make sure the string is wound tightly going down the post so that you have enough down pressure against the nut.

Pickup height or lack thereof is important too. I'd start with the bass side of all 3 pickups set just about level with the pickguard and then slowly adjust them up slightly paying attention to any deadness, lack of sustain, weird tuning artifacts, etc. If you get any of that, then back 'em down a little.

If all else fails, swap the old pickups back in and see what happens.

I've got both an American Series Strat that I use for utility stuff -- slide, alt tunings, etc. and I've got a nice 56 CS reissue that I play more regularly. Both maple/ash. I had a SD Twangbanger in the American Series Strat that sounded so killer, I wanted it in my 56 RI. Made the swap and it was dreadful. Couldn't swap it back fast enough. Some guitars may not get along with some pickups for some strange reason. Good luck.

 

[jaycee]

Gotta be the string. Keep us posted.

 

[strat6866]

The Verdict is in............................it was a dead string. It wasn't very old at all so it must have come that way.
At least my guitar got a good setup before the string change.
Thanks for all your input.

 

[R Weaver FX]

Change it.

See if the winding unraveled.

This happens to me a lot. I just had a D on a set of DR Blues do this prematurely.

The DR Pure Blues have done this to me as well.

 

[strat6866]

I tried DR strings once and they seemed to die very quickly.

 

[DownByLaw]

Dunno if this may be true on your year, but I've found on my '93 strat plus deluxe, as well as my Chandler Metro, that there was paint between the trem block and the trem. Removing the paint from where the block contacted the trem was a noticeable improvement.

Patrick

 

[mc5nrg]

Loosening the strings and retuning repeatedly to do various tasks can kill strings in general. If you happen to be using strings with a round core and slotted post tuners it is smart to put a 90 degree bend in the wound strings before you chop of the excess and stick the short nub in the hole.