I recently got an Atlas AC200 and love it. My only problem is when I changed my strings , the ends were stuck in the pinless bridge. Has anyone encountered this and what is the remedy. I dont want to "dig" them out.
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rdute4 |
String ends stuck in bridge |
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Hi all, new guy question here,
I recently got an Atlas AC200 and love it. My only problem is when I changed my strings , the ends were stuck in the pinless bridge. Has anyone encountered this and what is the remedy. I dont want to "dig" them out.
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Shane Rowse |
#1 | |||
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I run into the same thing with my AD200. I've changed strings a few times and it's gotten a little easier as natural wear opens up the holes a bit,
but it's still an issue.
What I do to remedy it is that when I take the strings off I grab the string with a needle nose pliers about 1" or so out of the bridge and push the string through. Got to be careful that you don't whack the top of the guitar with the pliers, of course. The strings are rigid enough that this works well with all but the top two strings, and usually works well enough to get by with those. A couple times I put on extra lights and the top two strings didn't want to push through - the string would bend instead. To get these out I took a chunk of light string, bent a little "hockey stick" angle at the end and slipped it through the ball end loop of the stuck string. Took a little doing, maybe 3 minutes work. Once it was threaded through I pulled it through far enough to grab it on both sides of the ball and gave a tug - out it came. Hope this helps.... |
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admin BGMF |
#2 | |||
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We'll have a section to respond to these issues soon I hope. Sorry about your trouble, glad that wasn't me. Not sure if I'd be patient with that
kind of thing. I guess when u push with that needle nose some light painter's type tape on the top would add a level of extra protection for you. Hope you
worked it out.
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Shane Rowse |
#3 | |||
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The first couple times I did this I put a towel down on top of the guitar around the bridge to protect the top in case I slipped. I've gotten confident and
don't do that any more, but it's a good idea at first when you're learning how to do it.
I hold the pliers so that the jaws are parellel to the bridge. Basically, it just lets you grab the string and gently push it into the hole, pushing the ball end out of it's socket. It's not a sudden, forced push, just an easy gentle shove.... |
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Chris Osowski |
#4 | |||
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You know, I just realized what the cardboard thingies are that came with all my c-25's! I guess they don't include them for their other bridge
designs. I'll try finding one and posting a picture in case you want to cut something similar out for yourself. To tell the truth, I've never used
one and even though I've had some minor difficulty getting the strings out it does seem to get easier over time as was suggested earlier in this topic, I
think the wood gets softer the ends of the holes from the drill or mill and eventually wears away to the harder stuff. I use di'addarios and I've
always thought I could get a wire through the rings and pull if I needed to. I'll try posting a pic, but the water is melting here and boating season is
starting!
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slejhamer |
#5 | |||
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If I recall correctly, on the old forum was a post about Martin SPs being especially "sticky" in the Breedlove bridges. I had a set of SPs on my
Atlas and it was indeed difficult to remove. Maybe the Martin bead things are slightly larger?
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Chris Osowski |
#6 | |||
Here's what I've gotten with mine, if
it'd fit your bridge I'd send you one right away... maybe you could cut something similar out to match your bridge?
OOPS... I'd forgotten how pretty those pacifics are!!! (Gotta post one more )
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Shane Rowse |
#7 | |||
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Re. Slej's post re. Martin SP's, as it happens those are the strings I've been using and which tend to stick for me. The original
D'addario's came right out when I changed strings the first time....
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brownacid88 |
#8 | |||
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DAmn thats a nice guitar, I'm going to need a new keyboard now. Sparks are coming from all the drool on it.
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Brian Hague |
#9 | |||
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My experience w/my AD25SR is that it's a Martin problem - their ball ends are bigger than other strings I've used (hard to find a clean way of saying
that). I've tried DRs and Elixirs, but came back to the D'Addarios and they all slipped out with ease. With the Martins, I used the tricks others
have mentioned: needle nose pliers, or slipping another string through the ball end, always with the top and bridge protected. But I'd just switch strings
unless you're in love with the Martins.
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Bltprf502 |
#10 | |||
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I keep a safety pin close by when changing strings on my AD 200/SM. It gets easier over time. However, if they get stuck I can open the safety pin and engage
the tip if the pin in the metal loop hole of the string bottom. I have pryed many out of the bridge with out incident. Give it a try. It worked for me...
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glvaughan |
#11 | |||
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OK, call me cranky, but I'm sitting here spending way too much time trying to engineer my string removal. I've owned and played a lot of acoustic
guitars over the years and never run into this problem. Yeah, I can use a safety pin or needle-nose pliers, but I wish I didn't have to do any of these
things. This is a really poor design that I wish Breedlove would address, both for new guitars and for us investors.
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MandoSquirrel |
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Sorry I can't help, my Breedlove's a mandolin, & non-original bridge, at that, but Welcome to the forum, anyway.
Mandolins;
Breedlove Quartz KO(sold! awaiting delivery of Cascade! ); Victoria,
B&J New York ; cheap Romanian Mandola; Flatiron by Gibson pancake(currently untunable, after "repair"attempt ).
Guitar: Guild D-25NT. |
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Drew Perkins |
#13 | |||
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I've noticed this problem as well and even noted it in a post on the previous forum. As the previous poster noted, Martin strings have bigger ball ends and
have the problem. I don't have this issue with the D'Addario or other strings.
I am having a problem with breaking strings though...not sure what the deal is there. Also, my local store replaced my Fishman jack for the second time. The original is no good. |
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slejhamer |
#14 | |||
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Drew: where are the strings breaking? At the saddle? Nut? Could be a burr somewhere is causing it; I noted in another thread that my micarta saddle had
chipped, and I can imagine it digging into the string and causing breakage.
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