»

[Diesel]

My new(ish) Strat (USA, factory settings, no whammy bar usage) keeps busting 'B' strings at the bridge - about one a week. Bizarrely it does the same with 'A' strings on a forthnightly basis.

I've been using 9's a lot recently. Average use is two hours an evening - 4 hours a day at weekends. I play mostly blues-based hard rock & some metal.

Any tips, hints etc would be appreciated

Ps - my Ibanez SA320 is on the original strings and it's a year old!!! Similar usage up until I got the Strat.

DZL

something wrong/sharp/incorrectly filed on the bridge i'd IMAGINE...had a similar problem on one of my old bass's, it seemed to snap strings for fun! now that's an expensive problem!

but yeah, probably time to change those ibanez strings too

[Monk Rocker]

Yeah, about time to change the strings on the Ibanez!!

What kind of picks do you use and how old are they? Old, sharp picks are no good. I used to snap alot of strings and just by making sure I had new picks helped alot.....

[Jeid]

Originally Posted by five years

something wrong/sharp/incorrectly filed on the bridge i'd IMAGINE...had a similar problem on one of my old bass's, it seemed to snap strings for fun! now that's an expensive problem!

but yeah, probably time to change those ibanez strings too

As this man said, its probably something sharp in the bridge saddles. Get them filed down.

This used to be a common problem for me.

And dude, change those Ibanez strings for fuck sake!!

[Jan]

Check the bridge saddles, check for anything sharp on the nut aswell...

[voodoo_chile]

I have this as a recurring problem, so every month or so I take the strings off my bass, check the saddles for burrs and file them down appropriately, takes a while but I've only got one bass....

apparently rubbing a pencil over the saddles can reduce any friction as well.

Originally Posted by voodoo_chile

apparently rubbing a pencil over the saddles can reduce any friction as well.

Yep, the graphite is good for reducing friction.

Or you can use vaseline if you have it handy.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by DustyDeviada

Yep, the graphite is good for reducing friction.

Or you can use vaseline if you have it handy.

I really, really hope we're talking about strings here

Thanks for the advice, I had suspected that there was a possible burr in the 2nd & 5th string saddles as the strings are snapping at exactly that point.

Whilst I'm here, any recommendations for good quility strings I've been using fender bullets.

DZL

Originally Posted by dieselfeet

Whilst I'm here, any recommendations for good quility strings I've been using fender bullets.

I only use d'Adarrio 10s and hardly ever break strings. That said, I hardly ever use a plectrum. But you'll get loads of different answers.

alright knopf.

whatever the ernie ball power slinky hybrid 11's are actually called is what i use if i can be arsed to change guitar strings...usually not as i'm a bass player