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Post subject: Breaking Strings Could Picks Be The Culprit?
Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 4:59 pm
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I've posted here and there to get answers and have learned a few stuff thanks to everyone. Ok so I checked my saddle they seem smooth enough
I was informed by Ninja that it could be the moisture from my hands and the lubricant that corrodes my strings...hmmm maybe well this is my confession hehehe! I use grease to lubricate friction points is that awfully unusual? well mechanics use grease to minimise friction yes?

Further more I think its safer I guess it doesn't move easily all over the place. I mentioned in another forum that once I used machine oil that travels down into the spring hold and that has backfired. It crossed my mind that we shouldn't use very fluid lubricant like sewing machine oil not only that it might make ur springs slip worse still it might flow into our pin screws that holds the trem to the body whoah! I suddenly recalled my trem pin that pops out from my Kramer long time ago. I poured in too much lubricant at the base of the saddle so I thought it wd help the saddle to return. Anyway that was pure naivety those days.

Hmmm a lil off topic just thought have to let that one out. Ok back to the issue of picks. I remembered using steel picks and breaking strings quickly when using them coz the metal picks are so hard. With this in mind a few days ago I kept my heavy picks and bought medium picks and so far haven't broken any strings. Frankly I don't think that heavy picks were the main cause, metal picks maybe but for wateva reasons the medium picks helps to neutralise the situation. Ofcoz the medium feels less comfortable for me. What say u bout picks causing string breakage?

Oh yeah I remembered using thin picks when I 1st started with an acoustic guitar, that time I thought it was THE pick coz it felt comfortable brushing the strings with it but now I think thin picks is a joke. Do any of you use thin picks? :)


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Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 6:07 pm
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I've used Fender extra-heavy 351 tortoise-shell picks for the last 35 years and I seldom break strings.

Arjay

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Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 8:12 am
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Quote:
What say u bout picks causing string breakage?


Unless you have a brutal picking attack, I think unlikely.

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Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 10:22 pm
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Miami Mike wrote:
Quote:
What say u bout picks causing string breakage?


Unless you have a brutal picking attack, I think unlikely.


Or you use sharp edged metal picks.

I used to use agate picks, never broken one.

I use aluminum picks on my 12 string, and never had an issue.

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Post subject: Re: Breaking Strings Could Picks Be The Culprit?
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 11:09 am
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Aldeen wrote:
What say u bout picks causing string breakage?


Stop using razor blades as picks. :lol:

Off topic: I've always thought the game of "Frisbee" would be much more interesting if razor blades were imbedded around the circumerence of the disc. J/K

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 8:22 pm
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well string breaks if you use too much force on them.. so its definitely not the picks.. its the one who holds the pick...

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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 3:49 am
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+1


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Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 3:47 am
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The cause of string breakage isn't the pick but can be the tremolo/bridge plate. The hole in the tremolo/bridge plate drilled at 90 degees. This angle allows the string to dig into the plate carving a slot as though the string were a saw. This may be seen as or called a "burr". You may be able to
see this little "burr" through the saddles, perhaps not. Depends on the saddle design you have.
I've removed the saddle and using a tapered reamer, I fillet'd (chamfered) the leading edge of the string feed throughole on G B & E trebles and my strings lasted at least a year longer than what I was experiencing before the modification.


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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:45 am
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It depends where your strings are breaking. If it breaks in the tuner it could be a burr in the tuner hole. Or in some cases with sharp edge holes, on tuners you may need to smooth them out with a needle file and some emory paper. Same goes for the string holes in the tremolo plate.

If at all possible try not to use any liquid or wet lube that can soak and damage the wood. Some people use graphite dry lube in the nut slots for smoother operation (same stuff for lubercating locks).

Also, if you use extra light gauge strings and bend the heck out of them, you may want to switch to a light or medium gauge strings. And, if you switch to alternate tunings a lot especialy the open G on acoustic guitars, which requires the wound G string to be tuned up and down eventually causing fatigue on that string and breakage.

I use a needle file to round out the 90 degree angle in all my strat tremolo plates. This helps prevent string breakage at the trem. For the acoustics I just by extra G strings in bulk.


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Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2010 4:31 pm
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Since no one brought it up, the answer to your question-
Yes, it could sometimes be your pick,
if you play with the pick edge on occasion, it can create a nick (or groove)
on the edge of the pick.
If you don't notice it on the next tune, you can "snag" the string on a heavy attack and "boing", you're reaching for your back-up.

Run your thumb along the edge of your pick, if you can feel a notch then
toss it & use a new one.
I've snapped Gs & Bs on sets of .10s by having a worn (notched) pick.


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