High E String Keeps Snapping!!

[bouncy]

Peeps, I'm using a strat, and over the past 1 and a half weeks or so? My high E string has snapped over 3 times. I'm really puzzled as my strings do last me quite some time, and the thing is that each time they snap, they are not even rusted yet. Any possible explanation?

 

[suckasucks]

exactly whats happening to me. but mine is breaking at the tip of bridge hole.

 

[bouncy]

same bro. Mine too exactly. Its snapping at the bridge joints near the hole

 

[df]

Bad bridge hole?

 

[leecs]

bend too high? Steam liao ah?

 

[bouncy]

I don't think its due to my playing style... I dont even bend the high E that much, and the thing is that a string used to last me alot longer last time, untill it snapped about 2 weeks ago, since then I've changed it 3 times

 

[suckasucks]

^i bend very high.. but yeah same prob. used to last me more than 3 days! using 11s btw.

 

[shyamalan]

maybe the contact point of the saddle it too rough.

 

[suckasucks]

^ both of are situations dont really involve the saddle.. the string breaks before the saddle. i just sanded my bridge hole using 1200 grit sandpaper, then used finishing grade 0000 steel wool to smoothen it last night. hopefuly it'll go back to normal...

 

[Indigo_blues]

maybe a rough fret?

where does it normally snap? At the bridge or the nut?

 

[suckasucks]

tip of bridge hole

bridge joints near the hole

 

[bouncy]

Bridge

 

[almondx]

Over time the strings will cut ruts into the tip of the bridge hole and those will be sharp hence the string breaks.

What you need to do is to chamfer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamfer) the bridge holes similar to what suckasucks did so the edges are rounded off.

 

[bouncy]

Don't know where the string snaps, but could be the string hole. I dont think its the saddle though I can spot groove markings as the way the string looks, it looks as if its snapped at the hole

 

[bouncy]

Does anyone know what the is the main problem? I can see a rather distinct groove marking in the hole of my high E string though, and the other holes do have abit of grooves, but not as deep as the high E one, perhaps its due to the thin diameter of the high E string that caused it. Most prob I'll send it to beez for a complete servicing as its in need to one anyway, but just want to know what is the most likely cause of the suddent and frequent snapping of string

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

A trick used by SRV's former guitar tech was to "cushion" the string at the tremolo block hole-to-string saddle area. If I'm not wrong what he used was very tough PVC wire cladding... like you buy a kind of stiff electrical wire of a smaller gauge... then you cut off a section and get rid of the copper wire. Once that is out, you just push the string through that cladding until the cladding is at the "break point", then tune up.

Hope you could give it a shot instead of sanding down your bridge, which might be chrome-plated and might rust eventually.

 

[suckasucks]

^ heard of that technique. i tried it with a very soft piece of plastic which didnt work, the plastic just split. any idea where to find the rubber tubing strong and thick enough? i'm using 11s but i think most tubings would fit my strings.

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

The thing about those tubings is that you gotta find the toughest, hardest, stiffest mofo you can get. Perhaps you could go through those cables stores at Sim Lim Tower.

 

[bouncy]

Hey, I just dropped by Ebenex, asked Beez for help. Man that guy rocks, he gave me some of those PVCs like Crawl mentioned, just about to fit them in. Sucka, u should drop by ebenex. Send my regards to Mr beezzz if u do, Thanks beez!

 

[suckasucks]

ok thanks for the info. maybe ill drop by soon. just a bus stops from my place..