Floyd Rose and String Breakage

[heavydutysg135]

I just finished playing a show at my school and am extremely embarased because I had two strings break at key times throughout the show . As you know, it is not fun to string a floyd in the set once, but twice is unexceptible. The strings were Ernie Ball Slinky regulars (10-46), and I changed them and streched them the night before. Do you guys think that the strings break much easier when the floyd is blocked as opposed to floating. I don't feel comfortable playing this guitar at shows anymore. Does anyone have any recomendations to fix this problem on floyds. Does tonepros make anything like graphite? Any help is appreciated.

[JammerMatt]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

I haven't noticed any problems with mine. However, I don't do real heavy wanging anymore, just the occasional dive bomb. I don't crimp the clamps on either end to a very high degree either. Were you "whammying" like no tomorrow?

-Matt

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

I just finished playing a show at my school and am extremely embarased because I had two strings break at key times throughout the show . As you know, it is not fun to string a floyd in the set once, but twice is unexceptible. The strings were Ernie Ball Slinky regulars (10-46), and I changed them and streched them the night before. Do you guys think that the strings break much easier when the floyd is blocked as opposed to floating. I don't feel comfortable playing this guitar at shows anymore. Does anyone have any recomendations to fix this problem on floyds. Does tonepros make anything like graphite? Any help is appreciated.

I don't break strings normally on my Floyd equipped strat..I always use a product called "Nut Sauce" between the strings at the bridge saddles and where the strings come out of the locking nut...This helps relieve friction problems...My floyd and all of my strats have the bridge floating.You shouldn't have to use graphite with your Floyd and you need to look around and make sure you don't have burrs or any sharp metal contacts that the strings have to deal with?

John

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

Big Bends Nut Sauce...This stuff really does work!

http://www.guitaristonly.com/

[some_dude]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

I used to break strings when I used 9's. Since I switched to 11's I haven't had a problem.

My suggestion? Never play a performance with a Floyd equiped guitar without having a backup guitar handy onstage.

[heavydutysg135]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

I guess that murphy's law is correct. I need to bring a backup guitar, or else my guitar will find out and stuff will break. However I still would like to address the problem if possible. I don't think that the nut lube will help the problem because once the string is on it is locked at the base and the nut. It doesn't slide so their is no friction for the lube to lesson. I have the trem blocked, so I cannot stretch the strings I can only dive bomb. It seemed like I broke less strings when the trem was floating. Maybe it is because there is less play since I tightened the strings. I know that there are string saving graphite bridges for les paul style bridges and also strat style trems. Is there anything similar for a floyd rose. It seems like the problem where the string clamps into the trem. Any more ideas?

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

What kind of a Floyd is it??
If they break strings it is mostly the D and G that snaps, the D has the most tension to deal with so it usually goes first.
I play with 0.09's and very little trouble, they only snap when I am really aggressive, but then they all snap Floyd or no Floyd, and that would be 0.10's to 0.09's
If the saddles have deep grooves....they will eat your strings, you can sand them smooth again but the surface of the chrome is broken and the groove will return soon again.

[Zerberus]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

1) You should be shot for playing a gig w/o a backup axe, particularly as an owner of 3 guitars

2) carefully inspect the saddles for burrs. If there are any, some "rub´bing " with 600+ grit wet+Dry paper will smooth them out. Apply powdered graphite or nut sauce to suit afterwards.

And no, Tonepros doesn´t make anything for Floyds, nor anything in Graphite (thank god, did I mention that they´re STRONGLY affiliated with WD Music products ).

I think you mean Graph-tech, but they also are not licensed to make anything for floyds. But with the plethora of fretboard radiuses out there (not to mention the dozens of slightly different Liensed Floyd copies), that´s good that way. You´d almost certainly end up grinding down or shimming up saddles every time you install them

[goth_fiend]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

i just thought i would chime in by also adding that you may have overtightened your stinglocks, i had this problem on my floyd equiped guitars for quite sometime(which is not good when your playing in front of 2-500 people and all 4 of your guitars strings break! thank god i have trem setters in them!

[MattPete]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

Did you block the floyd, or loosen the springs so that it rests on the body? I did that (leaned it back flush to the body) to my Kramer Pacer. I gave a little more warmth and body to the tone. However, I started breaking strings left and right. So, back to floating it went.

[Leather Rebel]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

It may be a setup issue with your Floyd Rose. If the tremolo has too much angle where the string breaks over the saddle, this could be an issue. Also, like others have said, if the saddles have burrs or deep cuts where the string has worn into them, those will definitely break them quickly. Maybe you had a bad package of strings. Has this been happening for a while?

[heavydutysg135]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

thank you for the replies. The floyd seems like it is setup perfectly. It is flush with the body (a pro set it up after blocking it). I don't think that the strings were bad because I have never had problems with ernie balls in the past, and this was a brand new set. I just blocked the trem and tightened spring tension.

[Benjy_26]

Re: Floyd Rose and String Breakage

Check for burrs in metal. When someone brings me an axe that eats strings, that's the first thing I check for, and usually, that's what it is. A nice, polished saddle will usually not break strings.