Mickguard Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 I picked up a great old MIJ Strat last week, since then I've been playing it nonstop. Tonight I brought it to band practice for the first time....and broke three strings! They're all breaking off where the string leaves the sustain block --you can pretty much see the grove worn into the bridge (the former owner must have loved this guitar, it's been well-played). I'm guessing I can use my dremel to smooth things out, but I figure I'd check here first in case anyone has dealt with this and knows a better way. I'm definitely going to get a tremsetter for the guitar though--as soon as you break a string, the guitar's completely unplayable! Luckily I had a back up guitar with me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted March 22, 2005 Report Share Posted March 22, 2005 Im not sure if its the same problem, but I know Stevie Ray Vaughan used to have trouble with strings breaking at the bridge and it was a contact issue with something... (perhaps it was a bit further up, a smidge behind the saddles), but either way, his tech used these little rubber casings (almost like wire insulation on the where the contact was happening on the higher strings to stop the breakage. Useless to you perhaps, but I thought id say it anyway. Its amazing what you learn from a Dan Erlewine book I beleive he described it as a "labour of love" - Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Im not sure if its the same problem, but I know Stevie Ray Vaughan used to have trouble with strings breaking at the bridge and it was a contact issue with something... (perhaps it was a bit further up, a smidge behind the saddles), but either way, his tech used these little rubber casings (almost like wire insulation on the where the contact was happening on the higher strings to stop the breakage. Useless to you perhaps, but I thought id say it anyway. ← No, not useless. I'll read up on SRV--- the contact is with the bridge PLATE (the part that screws onto the sustain block. Since the guitar is old, it looks like the strings have worn grooves/burrs in there. Interesting that he used rubber--I would have chosen a more slippery material, like teflon tubing if I can find it... Another thought I had would be making a little concoction using baking soda, lots of graphite and a little CA...I did that for a nut once, and ended up with a really hard but slippery material. But I don't see how I can get that neatly into this area... Seems strange to me that after 50 years no one has come up with a product to eliminate this problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 since the problem is where you say I would just go in with the dremel and smooth the slots up a bit. That should fic your problem. Sand it with a REAL fine greit sandpaper because even a small scratch could break your string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 I picked up a great old MIJ Strat last week, since then I've been playing it nonstop. Tonight I brought it to band practice for the first time....and broke three strings! They're all breaking off where the string leaves the sustain block --you can pretty much see the grove worn into the bridge (the former owner must have loved this guitar, it's been well-played). I'm guessing I can use my dremel to smooth things out, but I figure I'd check here first in case anyone has dealt with this and knows a better way. I'm definitely going to get a tremsetter for the guitar though--as soon as you break a string, the guitar's completely unplayable! Luckily I had a back up guitar with me... ← You didn't say, but I guess you're using the trem a fair amount? Bending the strings a lot? I don't know. I've played strats for a long time and I've never broken strings like that. But anyway, have you tried Big Bends Nut Sauce? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 Why not replace the saddles with some that are made to keep strings from breaking. Here's a few. Graph Tech Strat Saddles Phantom String Locks FerraGlide Saddles American Deluxe Bridge Saddles I'm sure Brian can get these also. Some of those cheaper bridge saddles have too many problems with string breakage, in my opinion it's just better to replace them with better parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 But the strings aren't breaking on the saddles. idch, are you positive that it's breaking at that point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 (edited) Well, it's not the saddles --I just replaced those with new saddles, but the breakage is clearly at the hole as the string leaves the plate to go the saddle. I spent the afternoon (well, the last couple of hours) cleaning those up--there were pretty bad notches in the metal on all the strings that broke (D, G, . I used my mini-drill, then some 2000 grade sandpaper. They look much smoother now. But I still don't trust them. So I took it step further...(thanks to the SRV tip): I found a piece of thin clear tubing, so I slipped a piece of that onto each string (Except the low E and A, since they were too fat to go through). Now the string doesn't touch the metal, it rides against the plastic....You barely see it and it doesn't come onto the saddle, so it shouldn't affect the tone...well, we'll see. I used this rather than another because it was fairly rigid, not hard plastic, not soft like wire tubing> And I went even further still...I made my own Nut Sauce (I should have figured that existed...now that I know about it, I'll definitely pick some up). My recipe: Graphite (from a very soft-leaded Diversey Rock-a-Bowl pencil I have here) + one small drop of machine oil. The machine oil turns the graphite into a nice sludge. I fill all the nut slots with that, and also coated the saddles with it. Okay, it's messier than the Nut Sauce (got a nice looking grey nut now!), but it should help...(I also have some under the pivot too). I don't use the trem that much --I have the tension set pretty tight, so dive bombs are right out. Not my thing anyway, I prefer a Bigsby -type shimmer, the occasional surfer chord. We'll see how this works. Worse comes to worse, I'll replace the bridge altogether ( I got an excellent deal on this guitar, most likely because the previous owner got tired of breaking strings all the time ) Oh yeah, I do have Graph Tech stuff-- on this guitar I have string trees, and I might have a trem nut cut for it one of these days. I use their saddles on another guitar, but those change the tone a bit, which works for that guitar, but not for this one. Edit: Heh heh, I've been looking through that Nut Sauce site ---they sell "String Sleeves"! Wow, $5 for a piece of tubing! And if you look at the original nut sauce formula--well, 10 to 1 that's a mixture of graphite and machine oil...anyone willing to bet? Edited March 23, 2005 by idch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 How are you gonna tell, by taste test? lol I misread your original post by the way.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 How are you gonna tell, by taste test? lol ← Heh heh...actually, if you read through the guy's site a bit, he's pretty honest about what he's selling. In fact, on one page he sums up my situation pretty well, I hit those strings pretty well... As for how do I know if the string are breaking at exactly that point --well, because the strings were getting caught in the notches! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 And I went even further still...I made my own Nut Sauce (I should have figured that existed...now that I know about it, I'll definitely pick some up). Oh God, I just got finished picking myself off of the floor! That has got to be the funniest thing I've ever seen on the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 And I went even further still...I made my own Nut Sauce (I should have figured that existed...now that I know about it, I'll definitely pick some up). Oh God, I just got finished picking myself off of the floor! That has got to be the funniest thing I've ever seen on the forum. ← Oop, I just read that again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stray_Cat Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 If you have vintage bridge check out this bridge. Best in business according to others and will also improve the tone of your guitar . www.callahamguitars.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 If you have vintage bridge check out this bridge. Best in business according to others and will also improve the tone of your guitar . www.callahamguitars.com ← I've seen those, yeah. Seems to me just more hoodoo-voodoo. Anyway, I seem to have solved the string breaking problem-- the tube sleeves really help. Tuning is really stable too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 You can send a cheque - PM me for details great to hear its all going well now though! - Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stageleft Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I know I am late to the party here (story of my life) but another thing you might want to check out are the strings by these guys: http://www.kerlymusic.com/ They are a local company (to me) that is just starting up. They sell strings that are coated from the ball end to the bridge to prevent breakage. They are also really nice strings. Relly nice people too, met them at a show, and told them I did work on guitars and the hooked me up with all kinds of free samples. Worth checking out. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I know I am late to the party here (story of my life) but another thing you might want to check out are the strings by these guys: http://www.kerlymusic.com/ They are a local company (to me) that is just starting up. They sell strings that are coated from the ball end to the bridge to prevent breakage. They are also really nice strings. Relly nice people too, met them at a show, and told them I did work on guitars and the hooked me up with all kinds of free samples. Worth checking out. George ← Well it's a good idea. Although I'm wondering whether the fact that the coated part of the string rests on the saddle has an effect on the tone? I like that Saddle Juice idea too... Have you tried the strings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stray_Cat Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 (edited) If you have vintage bridge check out this bridge. Best in business according to others and will also improve the tone of your guitar . www.callahamguitars.com ← I've seen those, yeah. Seems to me just more hoodoo-voodoo. Anyway, I seem to have solved the string breaking problem-- the tube sleeves really help. Tuning is really stable too. ← http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24908 read this for sme more hoodo-voodoo explanations Edited March 29, 2005 by Stray_Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stageleft Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Idch, Yes I've tried the strings, and I love them I also have two guitarists I do work for that swear by them. As far as them affecting the tine, i don't think so, but I am far from an expert on such things. I have some guitars strung up with those, and some with the other strings I use, but I know guys that won't use anything else. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted March 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24908 read this for sme more hoodo-voodoo explanations ← Excellent! He actually WEIGHED all the sustain blocks in his guitars! And he was 'suprised' to discover that his pickups measured 6.3 k and NOT 6 k! Surprising how **** people can be. For me the main issues are: Will it stay in tune long enough to finish a set? And will I get through the set without breaking any strings? After that, well, this 'tone' thing...come on...every stage is different, every day is different... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Churchyard Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24908 read this for sme more hoodo-voodoo explanations ← Excellent! He actually WEIGHED all the sustain blocks in his guitars! And he was 'suprised' to discover that his pickups measured 6.3 k and NOT 6 k! Surprising how **** people can be. For me the main issues are: Will it stay in tune long enough to finish a set? And will I get through the set without breaking any strings? After that, well, this 'tone' thing...come on...every stage is different, every day is different... ← Incredible... Wonder if he invests all that time also in tuning his amps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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