Breaking strings on Fender guitars

[uOpt]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

I think this had been going off-base.

The strings do not break with the string saver saddles. They break with the original metal saddles. You don't like the sound of the saver saddles (neither would I).

Just try different metal saddles. Higher quality, some AVRI or Callaham or something.

You see, from my observation you might have fallen into a mental trap. You have not one but two guitars that have the strings break. So that might have made you feel too secure that there is something fundamentally wrong, and that this is not a case of by coincidence having two guitars with too crappy saddles. But that is a coincidence that does not have a very low probability. In your case I would keep the opinion open of just blaming the original hardware on both guitars.

Did you ever say specifically what these two guitars are and what bridges and saddles they have?

 

[Chad]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

I think this had been going off-base.

The strings do not break with the string saver saddles. They break with the original metal saddles. You don't like the sound of the saver saddles (neither would I).

Just try different metal saddles. Higher quality, some AVRI or Callaham or something.

You see, from my observation you might have fallen into a mental trap. You have not one but two guitars that have the strings break. So that might have made you feel too secure that there is something fundamentally wrong, and that this is not a case of by coincidence having two guitars with too crappy saddles. But that is a coincidence that does not have a very low probability. In your case I would keep the opinion open of just blaming the original hardware on both guitars.

Did you ever say specifically what these two guitars are and what bridges and saddles they have?

Pretty sure you're the one taking this off the reservation as from what he's typed it sounds like a technique issue. Did you miss the multiple times where he said he has already replaced the original metal saddles with new metal saddles?

Probably the reason the strings don't break with the string SAVER saddles is because they are string SAVER saddles. They are designed to reduce breakage and are endorsed by hulk-style players like Dick Dale.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

Pretty sure you're the one taking this off the reservation as from what he's typed it sounds like a technique issue. Did you miss the multiple times where he said he has already replaced the original metal saddles with new metal saddles?

Probably the reason the strings don't break with the string SAVER saddles is because they are string SAVER saddles. They are designed to reduce breakage and are endorsed by hulk-style players like Dick Dale.

A properly round metal saddle should be much worse than a plastic saddle. This is why this makes so sense.

 

[Kleegort]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

its not burrs its technique. Why is every string breaking except the biggest, strongest one?
cuz thats the hardest one to bang around and break.
if you had a burr on every saddle (extremely rare)
they would break any and all strings. but they arent all breaking.
they are breaking cuz you strum too hard. But not so hard as to break the low E.

you keep saying, "but on my lp I dont break strings"
that is irrelevant. Youre trying to isolate why strings
on this guitar are breaking.
Its 100% without a doubt technique.

 

[Kleegort]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

I have to disagree here. If you want to get tuning to be stable and not have the guitar go out of tune while playing it for a while, stretch them out when stringing up. I do this every time I restring and have for over 25 years. String breakage is a non-issue for me.

Explain this then:

put a new set of strings on, stretch them, play them until they are 100% stable
Now remove them. Now put them back on.
Why do they act like new strings again?
Because when putting strings on
you need to press down near the tuner to get the slack out of the wrap. Thats it.
Thats all you are doing when stretching but you are also doing damage for no reason.

Its not the newness of the strings that cause them to be unstable, its the slack in the wrap.
This is why old strings act the same as new ones when you first put them on.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

A vintage Strat and vintage Tele bridges you can have metal saddles that are completely round on the top with a pretty large radius. If the strings didn't break with the plastic saddles you can make this work with metal, no matter what the playing is like. This is different than e.g. a TOM on a Les Paul where you don't have the option of low radius round saddle top.

The OP urgently needs to post more specific information, especially pictures of all the saddles tried so far. Otherwise this will get nowhere.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

I guess that is why I never stretch them- with locking tuners, there is no wrap. To the OP...I'd rather deal with the tone of String Savers than break strings all the time. They would work for now, and eliminate that problem while you work on technique. This way, no matter what the issue, you are covered.

 

[HotHead]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

This may be a long shot, but do you have your saddles really far back on the bridge? If so, maybe it has to do with the break angle of the string below the bridge.

 

[stef89]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars



Pictures of the saddles and bridge.

 

[stef89]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

This may be a long shot, but do you have your saddles really far back on the bridge? If so, maybe it has to do with the break angle of the string below the bridge.

They are not breaking behind the saddles, right on top of the saddles is where they break.

But yes as you can see, the saddles are pretty far back.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

Neck angle is wrong. With that much angle over the saddles, I'm not surprised you're breaking strings.

Set the bridge saddle height adjustment screws so that they are in the middle of their range, which will lower them and decrease the break angle. Then, reset the neck angle, using shims if necessary tor achive the proper action.

Re-check the saddles' curvature with the proper radius gauge.

Using a fresh set of strings, reset the string length for proper intonation. Loosen the strings and apply a small dab of the Big Bend's Nut Sauce to the saddles; retune.

This should fix your breakage issues.

And whoever is doing your setups isn't doing you any favors.

Good luck.

Bill

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

....Could just be those soft saddles.....My Tele has that much angle as well.....I do not break strings very often.
Gibsons are shortscale and does not have as much tension as the Fenders....
Get some harder steel saddles or what ever tickles your fancy......and maybe play less hard on that thing??

 

[stef89]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

Neck angle is wrong. With that much angle over the saddles, I'm not surprised you're breaking strings.

Set the bridge saddle height adjustment screws so that they are in the middle of their range, which will lower them and decrease the break angle. Then, reset the neck angle, using shims if necessary tor achive the proper action.

Re-check the saddles' curvature with the proper radius gauge.

Using a fresh set of strings, reset the string length for proper intonation. Loosen the strings and apply a small dab of the Big Bend's Nut Sauce to the saddles; retune.

This should fix your breakage issues.

And whoever is doing your setups isn't doing you any favors.

Good luck.

Bill

I have set the saddles high thats why the angle is so steep. I cant stand playing with low action. Action is 2mm at 12th fret.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

Sorry to say, but you say no burrs, but there's burrs. They can either be at the saddle or the bridge plate. Take a Q-Tip and run it lightly over each saddle and the bridge plate where the strings come through. I bet you'll see some snagging.

^

this

 

[stef89]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

Im seeling the guitar, problem solved.

Hello Gibson.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

So...Gibson is problem solved
Ehehe

 

[stef89]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

Good ol Gibson!

 

[uOpt]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

The TOM on a typical Gibson has sharper saddles, so...

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

"Fender strings"
D'Addario is prolly a more right name for them!

 

[stef89]

Re: Breaking strings on Fender guitars

I am bumping this old thread because changing strings did not solve the issue. Graphtech string saver saddles solved it..