Hey guys I've got a question for you about my high e string. It keeps snapping when I bend. I can't get a 1 step bend out of the thing to save my life. I have a Stevie Ray Vaughan Strat, which has a floating bridge. The string keeps breaking at the saddle, and it's really only this string giving me problems. I took the guitar to Guitar Center to have the bridge balanced out, and ever since then I've had problems with it. I think it has something to do with the tension on the strings/springs, not a burr on the saddle or anything. To be honest, I don't know much about spring setup and whatnot, but I do know that I'm sick of spending so much money on new packs of strings just to get one e string out of them. Any suggestions to fix this problem?

Welcome to the Forum.

Sounds to me like a burr in the saddle. Either take it to a tech and have him check it out or get a piece of emery cloth and run it through the saddle to smooth it out.

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Hi There.

Can I ASSUME from your screen name that you are a Beaver?

(It's a good thing)

Ok, to the problem at hand, the first thing to ask is what brand/gauge of strings are you using?

Since we know it is breaking at the string saddle on the bridge, that is were you need to be looking. Either the saddle's string guide had a sharp edge or the strings are just weak and your overplaying them.

I have a new 2010 standard and the first thing I did was to set it up to play with D Addario 9.5 XL's. Years of playing and I have found these strings last and you can bend the heck out of them without them breaking all the time.

As to the saddle, you may need to polish the slot with a hard stone. If you do not have a hard stone, take the guitar to a Luthier and have them polish it for you.

I'm using Ernie Ball 10's, which is what the guitar was set up for at GC. The reason why I had to take it in is because I started messing with the springs in the back (I can't remember why) and ended up messing up the bridge's balance. So I took it in, had some poor guy fix the problem I created, and he said it was set up for 10's now (which is what I wanted) and that I shouldn't change string sizes. Throughout the fixing process, he attempted to break the very string I am having problems with multiple times in a way to test who-knows-what (he also reassured me that he was trying and did have a reason for it and that he would replace the strings). But the string wouldn't break. My bridge was floating way up at that point, which he managed to fix. He set it up for tens since I chose that size, but from then on I had problems getting a good bend out of it. I have looked closely at the saddle, and can't see a burr or anything. Also I've run my fingernail across it a lot to see if I could feel one, but no luck there. Should I still have it checked for a burr by a specialist or do these symptoms and guitar history point to tension problems?
Oh and... nope, not a beaver. I'm an Oklahoma State Cowboy.

Well, I had a 1 out of three shot at it.

Ohio State University.(Buckeye's)
Oklahoma State University.(Cowboy's)
And the one my kid goes to...
Oregon State University!(Beaver's)

Well, anyway, your are using good strings so it must be a burr or a sharp edge on the saddle.
If you bought this guitar new, then you could goof up the warranty by trying to fix this yourself, take it to a Luthier (I.E. NOT GUITAR CENTER)
I am very picky about who works on mine, I have a guy here in Portland that is a true factory trained professional, he is the warranty station as well.

Portland fretworks.
He is about one month backlogged right now.
When your are good, everyone will find out sooner of later.

Welcome to the forum Okie................. Mike

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Hi OSUguy1990,
Without seeing the guitar my guess is as good as the next but what you are saying sounds like the string thru-hole on the bridgeplate.
On a friend's daughter's strat clone, the treble strings were breaking:
primarily the E or B strings.

After studying the design, which is... originally fender's design, I noticed
the hole and followed the string coming out and through the saddle.
IF you look closely, the string bends at an angle as it leaves the bridge plate string thru-hole and into the saddle slot.
That bend is where the problem lies.

What is happening is the plate is acting like a metal shear and is simply
cutting the string.
The remedy is to chamfer the hole:
Buy yourself a T-handle "TAPERED" Reamer like the one in below link.


http://www.generaltools.com/Products/T- ... r-(18---38)__130.aspx

(You may have to copy/paste the link into your address box)

You will have to remove the tremolo block assembly from the body and then bridgeplate from the tremolo/bridge block.
It's child's play to me.

Remove saddle, and insert reamer at approximately 45 degrees with the T-handle pointing toward the neck and parallel with the strings and twist clockwise and counterclockwise (like you would turn a doorknob) until a spade shovel shaped chamfer (bevel) appears on the neck side of the hole.
A small jeweler's file is then used to "soften" the chamfered edge where the string is expected to seat.

What this process does is relieve the tension stress placed on the string at the point of exiting the bridgeplate string thru-hole. It is this "pressure point
of contact" that may be breaking your strings. Note how long the bridge end of the broken string is and I would almost bet it will land right about where that hole's rim is.

If you do this, while this is apart, I recommend doing at least the three treble string holes. The bass strings are heavier and "may" not need it.
You can do them too. be sure to note the intonation position of the saddles
as you will have to remove the saddle thus, unscrew the saddle intonation screws.

I did all six on my friend's daughter's clone and the treble strings lasted about 2.5-3 years with playing time every other day. These were Ernie Ball Regular Slinkies .010-.046.

Actually, what I just described to you could be a patentable design feature, I think but... it's a modification anyone can figure out and do themselves.

And before anyone suggest that Fender do this...., well, the time involved is
such that it may add another $40 on USA made units if done by hand.
Sure fender and other string companies make money selling strings but
I seriously doubt Fender would intentionally leave that feature out in order
to sell strings.

Hope this helps if you follow it.
Only my opinion - it's free and worth every cent.
I may have to do it on my new American Standard Strat which I am now awaiting to arrive sometime this coming week.