• From: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-05-20
  • Posts: 12

Topic: Guitar String Help

Lads,

I've been having somewhat of a string problem, and I'm just posting to see if I can get any input/suggestions from you guys. My problem is that I find myself breaking too many guitar strings in such a short period of time (maybe once every week or so). I currently use Ernie Ball 11's, and I've been using Big Bends Nut Sauce on all of the string contact points - so, bridge saddles, and the guitar nut.

With this, I'm still breaking strings far too often for my liking. I'm thinking it COULD possibly be the saddles on the bridge. It's a Les Paul, but the bridge was replaced with a piece that has "rollers" rather than your average saddles. Of course, all of my strings are breaking at the bridge point as well, whether it's the G, B, and the E strings just snapping, or the A and D strings unraveling/unwinding.

I do tend to REALLY pick in to the strings when I'm playing, so I'm thinking it might be that. Are there any guitar strings out there that are known for withstanding aggressive playing? Or maybe would going up a string gauge help? Or maybe I need to replace the bridge, haha. I just don't really know anymore, so I figured I'd ask the JB community for some suggestions before taking it in to a music store to get it checked out.

Thanks guys, I'd appreciate any response I can get on the topic.

Curtis

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  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Guitar String Help

if you had an ABR-1 bridge, I'd suggest the Graphtec saddles. I use 11's on my strat and can't break a strings with the graphtec saddles on it. Crazy nice.

I don't know about your roller saddles unfortunately.

11's should be fine. Have you ever tried tropwrapping around your tailpiece? Could help.

Otherwise, you could just take your guitar into a technician. You'll need to tell him/her about your heavy attack because your guitar may simply not be setup for it currently. Might cost you $40.

For me, if a guitar ever gets into a habit of breaking strings, I take it in to get setup. That fixes it until/unless there's a change in the seasons/humidity dramatically changes.

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  • From: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-05-20
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar String Help

NPB_EST.1979 wrote:

if you had an ABR-1 bridge, I'd suggest the Graphtec saddles. I use 11's on my strat and can't break a strings with the graphtec saddles on it. Crazy nice.

I don't know about your roller saddles unfortunately.

11's should be fine. Have you ever tried tropwrapping around your tailpiece? Could help.

Otherwise, you could just take your guitar into a technician. You'll need to tell him/her about your heavy attack because your guitar may simply not be setup for it currently. Might cost you $40.

For me, if a guitar ever gets into a habit of breaking strings, I take it in to get setup. That fixes it until/unless there's a change in the seasons/humidity dramatically changes.

Yeah, I've been top wrapping. I think I may inquire about getting this ABR-1 bridge with the Graphtech saddles you've mentioned. I've always heard good things about Graph Tech. I think my best option here is to take it in to get inspected from a Tech, as it may be easier to diagnose if someone could actually get a good look at the guitar and its current setup.

Thank you very much for the response, good sir. I appreciate it.

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  • From: West Sussex
  • Registered: 2011-05-17
  • Posts: 307

Re: Guitar String Help

You shouldn't break strings on a half decent roller bridge.

And strings unravelling are another issue entirely.

What does your break angle look like?  How long do you keep strings on the guitar?

I'm not convinced it is quite so simple.

  • From: Ridgeland, MS
  • Registered: 2009-08-12
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: Guitar String Help

Agree with Chris. Something's not right....

  • From: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-05-20
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar String Help

Chrisuk wrote:

You shouldn't break strings on a half decent roller bridge.

And strings unravelling are another issue entirely.

What does your break angle look like?  How long do you keep strings on the guitar?

I'm not convinced it is quite so simple.

Well, as to the quality of this roller bridge, I'm not too sure how it would compare with another. I just found this most recent string breaking incident fairly odd as I've only had the strings on for the past 3 days, with only roughly 3 hours or so a day of play time. It's just a new set of Elixirs (tried them because of the anti-rust coating to see if my strings would last longer).

As for the break angle, I'm not sure exactly what you mean?

Thanks

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  • Registered: 2011-03-03
  • Posts: 75

Re: Guitar String Help

Must be dropping a lot of money on those, I'd go have someone look at it before buying any more strings or new parts. Save in the long run.

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  • From: West Sussex
  • Registered: 2011-05-17
  • Posts: 307

Re: Guitar String Help

If your rollers are smooth and spin freely then there shouldn't be a problem there. 

Sometimes with a roller bridge the rollers sit quite high so it's possible to have a lot of bend over the roller - that is break angle.
On my top wrapped LP the angle between the main string and the section to the tailpiece runs at about 12 degrees.  Before it was top wrapped I could get this up to 20 degrees without decking the tailpiece (At that point the strings were skimming the back of the bridge body.) Some folk suggest 15 degrees is a good angle to aim for.

Are your strings breaking at the bridge or the tailpiece?  (Ignoring the ones that unwind that is just poor quality control - I have had a couple of EB strings do this.)

C.Dauphney wrote:
Chrisuk wrote:

You shouldn't break strings on a half decent roller bridge.

And strings unravelling are another issue entirely.

What does your break angle look like?  How long do you keep strings on the guitar?

I'm not convinced it is quite so simple.

Well, as to the quality of this roller bridge, I'm not too sure how it would compare with another. I just found this most recent string breaking incident fairly odd as I've only had the strings on for the past 3 days, with only roughly 3 hours or so a day of play time. It's just a new set of Elixirs (tried them because of the anti-rust coating to see if my strings would last longer).

As for the break angle, I'm not sure exactly what you mean?

Thanks

  • From: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-05-20
  • Posts: 12

Re: Guitar String Help

Ah, ok. I understand now. In that case, the break angle isn't very big at all. And yes, they're breaking at the bridge, right on the roller. It very well could be the rollers themselves as I think this bridge was fairly cheap - it was purchased off of eBay just to replace the original bridge I had on there (original was somewhat rusty and had some sharp edges on it)


Chrisuk wrote:

If your rollers are smooth and spin freely then there shouldn't be a problem there. 

Sometimes with a roller bridge the rollers sit quite high so it's possible to have a lot of bend over the roller - that is break angle.
On my top wrapped LP the angle between the main string and the section to the tailpiece runs at about 12 degrees.  Before it was top wrapped I could get this up to 20 degrees without decking the tailpiece (At that point the strings were skimming the back of the bridge body.) Some folk suggest 15 degrees is a good angle to aim for.

Are your strings breaking at the bridge or the tailpiece?  (Ignoring the ones that unwind that is just poor quality control - I have had a couple of EB strings do this.)

C.Dauphney wrote:
Chrisuk wrote:

You shouldn't break strings on a half decent roller bridge.

And strings unravelling are another issue entirely.

What does your break angle look like?  How long do you keep strings on the guitar?

I'm not convinced it is quite so simple.

Well, as to the quality of this roller bridge, I'm not too sure how it would compare with another. I just found this most recent string breaking incident fairly odd as I've only had the strings on for the past 3 days, with only roughly 3 hours or so a day of play time. It's just a new set of Elixirs (tried them because of the anti-rust coating to see if my strings would last longer).

As for the break angle, I'm not sure exactly what you mean?

Thanks

"follow @curtisdauphney on twitter!"

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  • From: Ridgeland, MS
  • Registered: 2009-08-12
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: Guitar String Help

Get a Faber ABR-1 bridge.
http://cvgshop.com/faq.php?cID=1

  • From: West Sussex
  • Registered: 2011-05-17
  • Posts: 307

Re: Guitar String Help

wharris wrote:

Get a Faber ABR-1 bridge.
http://cvgshop.com/faq.php?cID=1

They are nice pieces of kit and I bet will improve the tone as well.