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Did I just damage my guitar?

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(@pilot7)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 64
Topic starter  

I was trying to play a song that told me to tune my A string to G. I must have tuned it the wrong way. Not sure what I was doing, i'm about to fall asleep. I kept tightening it and tightening it then I heard a long creak and a loud pop. The string snapped. What are the chances I damaged my guitar doing this? I looked in the peg hole and see no damage, not do I see any visible damage on the outside. Is there likely internal damage? Or did the string break and save my guitar? Its an acoustic steel string.

Is over tigntening strings the way bridges get pulled off?


   
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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

It's possible, but not likely that you caused some damage. Restring the guitar and give it the once-over twice, if everything looks good then you likely didn't do any damage at all.

Depending on how your guitar is built, over-tightening could damage your bridge, but it's not likely.

Take a good look at the nut and bridge when you restring it .. but most likely everything is fine.

Also take a look at your action. On guitars with inexpensive necks, over tightening can screw up your action ...

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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(@pilot7)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 64
Topic starter  

i just restrung it and it seems to be fine.... sounds normal and it is holding its tension. The bridge appears to be ok, I thought I saw a tiny tiny gap in it right after it happened, but I cant find it now, and it has more tension on it now so id think it would have made it worse if there was one.

If my bridge comes off can that be fixed cheaply?


   
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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

I REALLY doubt your bridge will come off.

If it does I have no idea what it would cost to fix -- would depend on a lot of different factors .. not least of which is how it was attached in the first place and what happened to it when it came off.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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(@pilot7)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 64
Topic starter  

k, would overtightening a string make a dent in the wood where the metal ball at the end of the string sits? (in the body) Or are they stout?


   
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(@reasonableman)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 71
 

k, would overtightening a string make a dent in the wood where the metal ball at the end of the string sits? (in the body) Or are they stout? Possibly but I doubt it. There is already quite a bit of tension in a tuned string even so it wont affect the guitar as the hole distance isn't part of the string that vibrates.


   
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(@nicktorres)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 5381
 

If you are tuning A to G, you need to tune down.

I wouldn't recommend playing tuned an octave up, but it shouldn't hurt one string.


   
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(@reasonableman)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 71
 

Oh and by the way it took me 3 high e-strings before I realised I'd tuned one of my guitars an octave too high...


   
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(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

If my bridge comes off can that be fixed cheaply?
The last time I had an acoustic bridge done was about 20 years ago... the bridge had cracked, and a hand-carved Rosewood replacement, with mounting, ran $75 at Wooden Music in Chicago (no longer in business, though)

If your bridge should come off and everything is intact, I'd guess it's in the $30-50 range today.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@gizzy)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 109
 

Yes, Tuninng A to G should be tuned down by loosening the string down to G, Your guitar should be ok I have broke strings in the past and never had damage to my guitars.

:D


   
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