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Post subject: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 7:12 am
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Hello Folks..

I keep breaking my high E and G strings. This was the 7th high E string that I snapped off this month.. I have tried everything to keep it from braking; cable insulation, 3-1 oil, Nut sauce and have always smoothed it out with very very fine sandpaper after every change.

Does anyone use graphite saddles? Any other magic saddles?

And smokers think THEY have a expensive hobby..


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 7:26 am
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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 7:30 am
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I have done that and applied lube on every string change this month, it keeps breaking.

I really want to keep the original saddles, but I cant have the fact that they break on me!


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 7:36 am
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Is the point where the strings break actually on top of the saddle, or is it further back where the strings emerge from the tremolo top plate?


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 8:12 am
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On the saddle..


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 8:26 am
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Might be time for some Graph-Tech's......

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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 8:45 am
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Do you have any experience with the graph-techs?

I know for a fact that Philip Sayce uses Graph-techs for his e and D string.. It says on their Graph-techs site that you lose high-end with the "original" string-saver saddles.. Graph-tech has some other "traditional" saddles that claims that you retain the original tone.

I must order them regardless.. Applying for a music-university and I cant risk breaking strings when I have to perform infront of the judges..


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 8:56 am
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No, but I've never broke strings so consistently in the manner you've described.

The Graph-Techs are but one possible solution to the issue at hand.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 10:06 am
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I had exactly the same problem you described develop several years ago on my '72 Strat. G and high E snapping right over bridge saddles. Used to buy lots of singles to have on hand.
Saddles had developed a slight groove right where the string crossed them, and its edges were sharp enough to eventually break the string.
I got a set of replacement saddles (DiMarzios, I think), and just replaced the lot. They were cheap enough, and retained the same look and sound as the originals.
I look upon bridge saddles as replaceable items, that eventually just wear out.


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 4:29 pm
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Saddles are pretty cheap. I think i'd order some replacement stock saddles first since you're concerned about stock tone. There could be a defect you aren't seeing with the naked eye. Or the defect could be further back, down the curve where you haven't had access to smooth with the abrasive you tried.

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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Sat May 16, 2015 4:33 pm
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I wonder if you've thought to measure the stub that's still in the bridge block. It occurs to me it may also be a sharp corner in the hole of the plate.

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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 6:43 am
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While I have never tried graph tech saddles (always seemed more like a gimmick to me), I do have to agree with some of the other comments here in that I'd be looking for what's actually causing the problem. Honestly I've owned many Strats of various pedigree and lineage over the years (including the 10 currently in the arsenal) and I've never had this kind of problem with even the cheapest of my Strats (at least nothing that couldn't be attributed to the strings themselves).

It's quite possible that you could have a sharp edge or two on either a saddle or the bridge plate (for that matter, I wouldn't rule out the trem block either). If you do in fact have a sharp edge, "lube" isn't going to help...if anything I suspect it could even make the problem worse (i.e. think "cutting oil"). If this should turn out to be the problem (a sharp edge or two), you could either file the sharp edges or just try a proper set of stock replacements...I might even try just replacing the 2 saddles that are causing the problems (one of the reasons many of us have "spare parts bins", LOL).

One thing I would add to that...since the OP said the breakage occurs on the E and G strings, while I can't speak for others, it's been my experience that these are the two strings that many people bend more than others. The reason I mention this is that while we're looking for sharp edges, don't just look at where the string sits, but look for sharp edges around the sides of the saddles as well. I could be wrong, but I got a shiney penny that says most of the broken strings happen while the OP is doing bends...could be he (she) is just pushing (pulling) the string into a sharp edge.

I might also take a VERY close look at the brake angle on the saddles as well...a great many of the problems with Strats, including breaking strings, can often be related to a poor setup. Not saying this applies to the OP specifically, however a great many people really don't understand the importance of a proper setup. Remember - a cheap guitar can still play very well with a proper setup, however even a $4000 Custom Shop instrument is gonna play like total crap with a poor setup...it really does make all the difference.

Another thing I might consider is possible issues with sweat as well. Again I can't speak to the OP specifically here, but I suspect that a great many of us tend to rest our right hand on the bridge as we play (at least I know I do). It's worth remembering that some folks sweat more than others and everyone has a somewhat different body chemistry as well...it's not impossible that the OP could just be causing the strings to rust a bit more at the bridge (I hope that makes sense). On the issue of rust, I would quickly add that it's been my experience that some brands of strings do tend to rust quicker than others (D'Addario comes to mind)...considering guitar strings are generally rather inexpensive, it -might- be worth trying a different brand (or two).

Last but not least, if these strings are in fact breaking during string bending, I might suggest that it's simply time for some heavier strings. As I said recently in another thread, back when I used .009's, yea...I was hell on E strings (even broke a few B's and G's). Since I moved to .010's, I don't break nearly as many as I used to...just the difference of 1 gauge made a huge difference.

I don't really have any specific problem with graph tech saddles (again other than seeing them as something of a gimmick), however the simple fact is that bent steel saddles have been around since the advent of the Strat...long before graph tech was ever around. Honestly, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo many people have used bent steel saddles for so long, that I'd really be looking for the actual problem instead of trying to find a "magic" fix.

As always, just my own opinions...please use them only as you see fit.


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 8:01 am
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lomitus wrote:
On the issue of rust, I would quickly add that it's been my experience that some brands of strings do tend to rust quicker than others (D'Addario comes to mind)...considering guitar strings are generally rather inexpensive, it -might- be worth trying a different brand (or two)


As a long time user of D'Addario strings (EXL-110 and EXL-115) I can honestly say that I've never had problems with strings rusting.
And I don't wipe them down after playing.
I don't do anything special to prolong the life of the strings on my guitars, and I don't change them all that frequently.
I might put 2 or 3 fresh sets a year on either of my Strats, and other guitars don't get a new set until there's string breakage, which means that a set can stay on for a very long time indeed.

I fully agree with your comment about properly investigating why the OP's strings are breaking with such regularity.
If it were my guitar I'd have dismantled the bridge to inspect it for sharp burrs on the block and baseplate, and if the problem were solely due to the saddles I would have replaced them, probably with the same type new parts as fitted originally.

One thing that the OP could do is post some pictures of the guitar bridge with the instrument strung - there might be something peculiar about the setup that isn't being mentioned.


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 8:51 am
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Instead of replacing the saddles, you could easily move(swap) the two saddles to strings that are wound.

If you're getting grooves in your saddles imo it comes down to metal hardness;
strings being a harder type than the saddles will result in the saddles wearing.
Or
If your strings are breaking easily they may be to soft or to light a gauge vs the hardness of the saddles.

x2 on the sweat issue, not everybody produces toxic runoff but some of us do.


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Post subject: Re: Keeps breaking strings.. Saddle replacement?
Posted: Mon May 18, 2015 10:29 am
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stratmangler wrote:
lomitus wrote:
On the issue of rust, I would quickly add that it's been my experience that some brands of strings do tend to rust quicker than others (D'Addario comes to mind)...considering guitar strings are generally rather inexpensive, it -might- be worth trying a different brand (or two)


As a long time user of D'Addario strings (EXL-110 and EXL-115) I can honestly say that I've never had problems with strings rusting.



I'm sure that in my case it's probably more of a body chemistry issue than anything, but I've NEVER had a set of D'Addario's last for more than a couple of weeks. In fact once I tried them on my Seagull acoustic (that was all the local music store had in .010's that week) and they rusted in -1- day....granted it was an outdoor gig on a VERY humid day and I vividly remember being drenched in sweat by the end of the gig....but 1 day? Those strings had gotten rather crusty in just a single afternoon. Yikes... I know others have had great success with that brand - I have not.

In any case, the point was that yes, many people do have different body chemistries and since different brands of guitar strings can have different alloys, for the cost of a pack of strings, if all else fails it's not going to hurt anything to try a different brand (regardless of what the OP may be using).


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