Help Me

  • Thread starter Thread starter RideTheCrash
  • Start date Start date
RideTheCrash

RideTheCrash

Member
This isn't really recording based but I'm hitting my head against a brick wall with this. I have a guitar sitting at my place from a friend, he just leaves it here. Well, I have another good friend of mine come over and we jam, and the guy uses the guitar that's there. He's busted the thick E string 3 times. Not the usual snap though. Near the bridge, the string is normal then it very thread like then goes back to the normal string thickness and the string is loose and unplayable. It just happened again for the third time.

I am putting these strings on correctly, I play this guitar all the time, so do other people, they never bust it like that...or even snap it. The guy's older brother is a bass player and claims I must be putting it on wrong, but I know I'm not, this is just driving me nuts. Probably the guy's technique, it's always in a power chord song. The strings are "D'Add..." I can't spell it, I'd have to go find the package and their "super light". Now I'm 15 years old and poor I can't keep buying packs of strings and the only place that sells strings separately is not walking distance (I don't drive yet).

So I don't know if the strings are too light (even though no one else busts them) or his technique is wrong. I'll take a picture of the string when i get the time, but please try to help! Thanks.
 
Since you are putting the strings on correctly, it must be your friend's technique. Either don't allow him to play it or more realistically make him pay to replace the strings. It is only fair since the guitar isn't yours (or his for that matter) That is why I rarely play other people's instruments.




clif
 
That's what I assumed, I mean when I used to jam with the guy who actually owns the guitar he had strings that were like 7 months old and we never snapped one. I can't just not have him play it, I literally own this thing, it just sits in my house for months on end. He's buying his own eventually but I mean, I can't cut him off.

Then I'm led to this thought... I've jammed with this guy since October, never busted a string. Got new strings on early January and that's when they started breaking BUT I think overtime he's played with more force or something. We bought a new pack, he busted that string, so I had an old replacement around so I put that on and I think it was a thicker type of string and that also busted but it wasn't as bad. Still I'd have to show you guys a picture of what it looks like, it's not as bad as the first time though.
 
It sounds from your description like they're unwinding. One cause of this could be that particular string's saddle on the bridge. Check it for sharp or jagged edges, which can VERY GENTLY be filed down (since you don't know much about this, just have the owner do it or take it to a shop). You could also try a different guage that might fit the saddle better.

Basically those light strings are wimpy. A player with any kind of right hand will break through them regularly. While it is sort of rare to break the low E, it does happen. Those wound strings will usually break by unraveling, so it's hard to tell where the break really occured.

When I'm playing hard I'll break a string every few hours....and I play heavy strings. Them's just the breaks. (no pun intended)

Have the dude buy you some freakin strings already. Those D'Addario lights are cheap...probably < $5 a pack if he looks around.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Well, I'll check otu the bridge. The guy who "owns" doesn't really, his mother's boyfriend is in a band and his guitarist is letting him borrow it for however long he wants. It's '92 Mexi Strat and it really needs some wiring work and a new volume pot, the guy who is borrowing I don't see a lot and he'd too cheap to something like that himself.

His mom's boyfriend put on the old strings so I don't know if they are the same ones on there now.

The strings you mentioned are the problem! The exact kind is what's on there, then I have another pack of them (E string busted). Except they are "Super Light", I just don't want him killing anymore strings. He will pay for the strings of course, he packed for the first pack of which he killed the E string.

The strings 8 bucks in Canada here, but that's not much. It just happened a few hours ago so I'll check out the bridge. Thanks.
 
Hopefully this works, attached should be 3 pics of the unwound string and the bridge.
 

Attachments

  • unwoundstring.webp
    unwoundstring.webp
    77.2 KB · Views: 102
I would try heavier strings, and more pick angle. I know it's not easy to tell someone to play differently than they play, but breaking strings like that is kind of hard to put up with. Definately try a heavier set next time.
 
Those older style Fender saddles are total ass. They should be replaced with Graphtech saddles. That and heavier strings will eliminate a LOT of breakage.
 
Definately a combination of techniqe and string guage is causing that.
Buy a set of .10's and tell your bud to chill on the strum.
 
I'm not surprised the saddle sucks, I was looking it over and there isn't much place to set the string in, just a small gouge...and it didn't even really still look right. If this was my guitar I'd replace the bridge, but it's not. Hopefully my friend will just buy his own guitar.

I asked him about it today and he said he was actually strumming a lot lighter. I dunno, thanks a lot.
 
Those type saddles end up with a groove from wear. Get a small file and round out the edges, don't go any deeper than it is but widen the groove and follow the profile, or radius of the saddle. It shouldn't take more than a few cuts.
Try using string gauge .052 - .010, these are known as "skinny top, heavy bottom", they should solve a lot of the problem, but my guess is it's a combination of string pinch in the saddle and heavy hand just cuts like a shear.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top