Breaking string with "string savers"

[rocknroll]

I have a strat (american traditional) and since the A string started to break almost new, i decided to replace the saddles with Graph tech's string savers. I gave it to a qualified person to install the saddles and do the whole setup thing. When i got it back i was playing a lot more than usual (because i heard that the string savers need "some time to start working") and therefore i also abused the tremolo like mad. Ok, after three days at the first rehersal a friend was playing my guitar and broke the B string!! mg: I had one B string left so i changed it ... but the next day i broke the e string and the D string as well!!!! :grumble: Now i am puzzled i mean, this really shouldn't happen with "string savers". Hmmm ... maybe it's the fender bullet strings (10-46), i don't know ... but before i had a major problem with the A string and now all of them are going to break? I also wrote Graph tech a mail and they responded:

The only other time I have heard of this, the customer slotted the saddle, thus locking in the strings and producing string fatigue and started breaking strings.

Slotted the saddle? What could that mean (i'm from Slovenia and although i speak English "slotted" could mean anything ...)?

Thanks for help and suggestions!

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Breaking string with "string savers"

Ive seen this issue before, swap to graphtechs and zero improvement. It´s usually caused by a burr on the lip of the tremolo plate itself.

What happens is that the string is inserted with no tension. Then it gets tension, and inherently tries to "kink" at the braeking points (string tree, nut, saddle lip and plate lip). These kinks immediately become weak points in the string. When tuning up, often the kink that was initially just at the plate lip moves up to the saddle crown, causing premature breakage at that exact point.

The solution to this is to grind any burrs off the lip with a dremel, or SRV used to put a piece of wire insulation over his unwound strings to cover the point where they exited the block.

If what I´ve said applies, the fault isn´t the saddles, but an incompetent tech that didn´t look at the bridge properly before replacing them

THe "Need some time to start working" is a bit of a joke, though. String savers are a self lubricating graphite compound that requires no notable break in time , neither as a saddle nor as a nut.

BTW "slotting " the saddle means exactly that, putting a slot into the saddle. Completely senseless on a strat saddle, but absolutely necessary on a Tune-O-Matic

 

[Bludave]

Re: Breaking string with "string savers"

I have string savers an a variety of guitar. Strats, Teles, Les Pauls.......even a 335. Since I have changed to these my string breakage has diminished in a huge way. When I do break a string which is very rare it is usually a result of the string itself. The last few strings I broke, after examining them was the ball end unwound. In one case I had loosened the strings 3 or 4 times doing a neck adjustment on a Strat, so that was a contributing factor.

I would say to look closely at the broken strings and confirm where they are breaking. They could be breaking someplace other than the saddle

 

[The Kernel]

Re: Breaking string with "string savers"

I would say to look closely at the broken strings and confirm where they are breaking. They could be breaking someplace other than the saddle

I have string savers on my strat, and the only place where I break strings (and it's rare) is at the tuning pegs. Also, be careful about "really using your whammy bar." String savers won't really help if you abuse your strings.