Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

[stef89]

If anyone could help me troubleshooting here.

My strings keeps breaking on the bridge on my stratocaster, the bridge is decked to the body (not floating). I also just filed down the bridge burr's that was there so all the bridge slots are free from burrs and they still break. My strings height is 2mm at 17th fret.

The bridge is the vintage type found on fender special stratocasters.

 

[CTN]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

Get a magnifying glass and inspect each saddle up close. File away any burrs or string grooves. You might need to grind or polish the surface smooth.. And make sure that the strings are pasing over a rounded surface not a peak on the saddles. Ie shape the saddles like a hilltop, not a mountain summit.

 

[stef89]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

Thank you for the input. The saddle pieces are nice and smoth all what you write here. But they still snap...

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

Big Bend's Nut Sauce

 

[stef89]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

Big Bend's Nut Sauce

Thanks for this.

Could some vegetable oil do the trick or do I need to buy this product?

 

[ginormous]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

Vegetable oil tends to get gummy, and that dulls the sound. If you don't have Big Bend, then mineral oil will do in a pinch.
Be careful about getting it on your finish, it will darken any natural stains.

I had this same problem with my home-made strat, on a Floyd-licensed tremolo.
The break angle (the angle of the strings coming from the back of the bridge over the saddle) was too steep. Popping E strings every night on a gig.
Check that, and lower the saddles as much as possible.

 

[tc]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

I would recommend against lubing right now. I've seen people lube all contact points to solve these kinds of issues, but that's just like putting a band-aid. A greasy band-aid on a sharp piece of metal. These things are designed not to need lubrication at the contact points. Once you make sure you're not breaking strings, then sure, put some vaseline and powdered graphite or whatever you want for some extra tuning stability.

If you're absolutely positive the saddles are smooth, then yeah, I'd have to agree with Ginormous. Check the break angle. Also, take a look at the contact point at the block/plate where the strings feed through.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

If it gets really extreme and nothing is working, you could switch to graphtech saddles.

 

[stef89]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

Allright thanks guys, yea the strings break constantly. And it gets costly to change thoes elixir every time..

Every strings exept low E string breaks.I will try lubing it, if it doesent work I will change saddle pieces.

 

[stef89]

Re: Strings keep breaking at bridge on a strat

Took the guitar to the luthier. Turns out the string holes behind the saddle was to small so he had to drill them alitle bit larger, by leaving them with a more gap.

Just an update if someone here has a similar issue once.