Keep breaking strings on a Floyd Rose

[sdn25]

If strings break consistently at the same spot, that spot is where the problem is. There's a burr or sharp angle touching the string at that point. Polish it out.

Thing is right, I polished that and it still broke, it’s not just one string, it happens on the high e,b,g and d unfortunately. All the saddle points are as smooth as smooth gets, yet they break. All these make me think it might be a faulty batch, because before I had only crusty d’addarios and I used to abuse the crap out of them and not break. This breakage syndrome only started like 2 months ago. I’ve gone through 3 sets of elixirs.

 

[sdn25]

The first thing that comes to mind is that you're possibly over tightening the lock blocks (highlighted below). They just need to be snug. Do not crank them down hard against the string.

After that I would have to say something is wrong. Assuming you bought the bridge new, contact Schaller and give them every possible detail. It may very well be a warranty issue if you bought the unit new.

You should not have to sand, file, or lubricate anything to keep your strings from breaking. Generally speaking you should be able to practically beat the shit out of things while playing so I don't think it's your technique.


View attachment 110782

I’ve had over tightening issues in the past and learnt from it, I now only tighten using the long end of the wrench only just enough to where I can’t move it any further with 2 fingers. Is that still too tight ? I also don’t think its an issue with the bridge because I’ve had another set of saddles on this bridge and the problem still persisted.

 

[Kutt]

I’ve had over tightening issues in the past and learnt from it, I now only tighten using the long end of the wrench only just enough to where I can’t move it any further with 2 fingers. Is that still too tight ? I also don’t think its an issue with the bridge because I’ve had another set of saddles on this bridge and the problem still persisted.

Yes that sounds like you're tightening correctly. It also sounds like you have past experience so that's good to know.

You may very well be on to something with the Elixirs themselves being the problem. I use GHS Boomers (10 gauge) and I have a few axes with Floyds. Never had an issue with them breaking. I don't need to tell you but order a well known brand and have another go at it.

I'm curious what the results are. Let us know.

 

[sdn25]

I’ve had over tightening issues in the past and learnt from it, I now only tighten using the long end of the wrench only just enough to where I can’t move it any further with 2 fingers. Is that still too tight ?

Yes that sounds like you're tightening correctly. It also sounds like you have past experience so that's good to know.

You may very well be on to something with the Elixirs themselves being the problem. I use GHS Boomers (10 gauge) and I have a few axes with Floyds. Never had an issue with them breaking. I don't need to tell you but order a well known brand and have another go at it.

I'm curious what the results are. Let us know.

For sure! I ordered some daddario coated strings to see how they perform.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Doesn't matter if it's one string that breaks or all six. If they break at the same spot every time, whatever's in contact with the string at that point is the culprit.

 

[Kutt]

There is one way to pseudo-scientifically check for burrs but it requires some effort. You can cut a very small, short piece of shrink tubing to size (very short) and install them over the strings at the point of contact. Cut it small enough so that it doesn't wedge between the lock block and saddle, but only long enough so that it lays over part of the saddle where the burrs might be, and slide them over the strings.

If there are no burrs then the shrink tubing will not get marred. Like I said takes some extra effort but just wanted to put it out there. The other takeaway is that if the breakage continues or it takes longer to break with these installed then it's more evidence of burrs.




Here's a fulcrum style bridge with some tubing installed. Roughly the same idea as to what you can test on your Floyd.

 

[paul-e-mann]

So I have this Schaller lockmeister 6 on my Charvel, the bridge is only about 4 months old, no visible wear except some sweat marks, but I keep breaking strings at the saddles. I read that the saddle may have burrs etc but the surface is shiny. Context: I break a string almost every 4 days, its got to a point where its really driving me crazy. most common culprits are the E,B,G and D string. Any guidance on what I could do would be amazing. I use elixir 9-42s.

Try some nut lube or vaseline at the bridge point where the strings touch metal. I'm an aggressive player and broke alot of strings until I changed to 10 gauge and the problem went away.

 

[paul-e-mann]

The first thing that comes to mind is that you're possibly over tightening the lock blocks (highlighted below). They just need to be snug. Do not over tighten them against the string.

After that I would have to say something is wrong such as burrs as mentioned above. Assuming you bought the bridge new, contact Schaller and give them every possible detail. It may very well be a warranty issue if you bought the unit new.

You should not have to sand, file, or lubricate anything to keep your strings from breaking. Generally speaking you should be able to practically beat the shit out of things while playing so I don't think it's your technique.


View attachment 110782

Thats a good picture! My strings always broke right over "M" not even a point where the strings were touching anything, the problem went away when I changed to 10 gauge strings.

 

[sdn25]

Try some nut lube or vaseline at the bridge point where the strings touch metal. I'm an aggressive player and broke alot of strings until I changed to 10 gauge and the problem went away.

Did the lube stop your 9 gauges from breaking often ?

 

[paul-e-mann]

Did the lube stop your 9 gauges from breaking often ?

No thats an afterthought now. My solution then which was a dumb one was to leave my strings long so when they broke I didnt need a new string, I would just relengthen the broken string and put it back in the bridge. Switching to 10's was my permanent solution.

Look at Kutt's picture, where exactly are your strings breaking?

 

[sdn25]

No thats an afterthought now. My solution then which was a dumb one was to leave my strings long so when they broke I didnt need a new string, I would just relengthen the broken string and put it back in the bridge. Switching to 10's was my permanent solution.

That’s exactly what I do now, I leave excess to re string the broken one.

I break mine between M and N.

 

[paul-e-mann]

That’s exactly what I do now, I leave excess to re string the broken one.

I break mine between M and N.

So you said it only became a problem when you changed brands of strings, did you go back to the old brand?

 

[sdn25]

So you said it only became a problem when you changed brands of strings, did you go back to the old brand?

Honestly I don’t quite remember if it was the string brand change, I’ve been using elixirs for about 3 1/2 months since I live in a tropical climate and regular uncoated strings had to be restrung every 2-3 weeks cus it got crusty as hell. I’ve had occasional string breakages a while back but over the last month and a half I’ve had at least 1 break every week. These strings were from a set of 3 elixirs I bought together. I have currently a different brand of strings on order to see if it in fact were the strings because at this point I’m burning money if I have to keep buying more elixirs lol.

 

[Deftone]

I keep having this problem myself, and I normally never break strings. Not to mention tuning issues, and my fingers turning black.

Not only that but I keep seeing threads like this. Someone else clued me in.



Google search:

counterfeit guitar strings

 

[sdn25]

I keep having this problem myself, and I normally never break strings. Not to mention tuning issues, and my fingers turning black.

Not only that but I keep seeing threads like this. Someone else clued me in.



Google search:

counterfeit guitar strings

I buy my elixirs from a local authorized retailer here. They don’t rust for me and hold tune well. It’s just that they keep breaking. I feel like it may have been a flaw for that batch during manufacturing.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I buy my elixirs from a local authorized retailer here. They don’t rust for me and hold tune well. It’s just that they keep breaking. I feel like it may have been a flaw for that batch during manufacturing.

Just for grins, see if some lube in the breakage area helps, dont need anything fancy vasoline will work if you have any, my luthier recommends vasoline as a guitar lube.

 

[Deftone]

I buy my elixirs from a local authorized retailer here. They don’t rust for me and hold tune well. It’s just that they keep breaking. I feel like it may have been a flaw for that batch during manufacturing.

I get that. I bought various EB strings from all different sources. Ebay, Local Music Store, and MF online and i labelled all of them. I'm hoping this will help me get good quality but it seems that they are all having issues on all different guitars (I have 22 guitars). I don't know how far this problem goes but it seems to keep resurfacing.

FWIW: I am a retired Aerospace Engineer and in Aerospace we received yearly training on Counterfeit parts. All parts down to the smallest components. We had issues with metals that were supposed to be certified but they are garbage. Your strings might be made in the USA straight from the MFG, but the steel they are made with is Chinese garbage. It's truly an epidemic. It's not just about profit, it's a wartime tactic to destroy your enemies' economy.

 

[sdn25]

I get that. I bought various EB strings from all different sources. Ebay, Local Music Store, and MF online and i labelled all of them. I'm hoping this will help me get good quality but it seems that they are all having issues on all different guitars (I have 22 guitars). I don't know how far this problem goes but it seems to keep resurfacing.

FWIW: I am a retired Aerospace Engineer and in Aerospace we received yearly training on Counterfeit parts. All parts down to the smallest components. We had issues with metals that were supposed to be certified but they are garbage. Your strings might be made in the USA straight from the MFG, but the steel they are made with is Chinese garbage. It's truly an epidemic. It's not just about profit, it's a wartime tactic to destroy your enemies' economy.

I presume most string makers will receive the same steel right ? If so wouldn’t all brands be facing similar issues ? I hope this doesn’t become like the tube industry where NOS strings are better than new strings

 

[Deftone]

I have no idea where string makers get their material but China is the largest producer of steel in the world.

https://www.steel-technology.com/articles/top-largest-steel-producing-countries-in-the-world

I 1st saw this issue 10 years ago with Titanium Tubing for a Missile Defense Program. Exact same pedigree material we never had issues with all of a sudden is cracking and breaking. A Quality Engineer manager discovered that the material was coming from a different source and was allowed to be re-certified without testing.

It's not just strings it's everywhere.

https://www.americanmanufacturing.org/blog/dang-the-chinese-made-bay-bridge-continues-to-fall-apart/

 

[Deftone]

Failure Analysis 101: You've exhausted every other possibility on the guitar. It's likely to be the material. With the number of YouTube vids and search results on Counterfeit Strings, dating back a couple years at least.... how unlikely can it be?