I filed saddle, am STILL breaking A strings

tzadik · #1 10-06-2006, 07:38 AM

GAH! Maybe I didn't file it enough?? I filed quite a bit though.... This is getting expensive. Anyone want to send me your A strings??!?!

Ideas??

vindy500 · #2 10-06-2006, 07:45 AM

is it smooth? get a new saddle

whitedk57 · #3 10-06-2006, 10:13 AM

Maybe buy a new bridge.

I have some LaBella flats that I didn't like. The tension was too much for my taste. I practiced on them for about a month before switching back to rounds. They're yours if you want them.

redneck2wild · #4 10-07-2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzadik

GAH! Maybe I didn't file it enough?? I filed quite a bit though.... This is getting expensive.
Ideas??

1) How close is the saddle to the tailend of the bridge?
If the string angle over the saddle is too sharp it may be contributing to the breakage. If so try moving the saddle toward the pickups.

2) Try a piece of shrinkwrap over the portion of the string that sits on the saddle. Radioshack sells different sizes shrinkwrap - find one that is slightly larger than the string. You can shrink the shrinkwrap using a cig lighter.

3) Wrap the portion of the saddle that the string goes over with very fine sewing thread - this may help reduce friction between the string and the saddle.

4) After every gig, slightly rotate the base of the string (maybe 30 degrees) so that a different portion goes over the saddle. If you use shrinkwrap, you can tell which part of the string has had contact with the saddle.

5) Rotate the saddle with one that is not giving you problems. Some saddles you could rotate and flip (maybe the D & A string) where the bottom becomes the top.

tzadik · #5 10-08-2006, 01:07 AM

....and tonight I broke a D string on the first tune! ARGH! At least my A- survived, I might have been screwed with only two strings left...

THANKS for the advice guys... think I might get a new bridge indeed if the shrink wrap doesn't help.

HMZ · #6 10-08-2006, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzadik

....and tonight I broke a D string on the first tune! ARGH! At least my A- survived, I might have been screwed with only two strings left...

THANKS for the advice guys... think I might get a new bridge indeed if the shrink wrap doesn't help.

What kind of strings are you using?

tzadik · #7 10-08-2006, 05:52 AM

Went through a bunch of DR Lo Riders and DAddarios and other more expensive ones. Now I don't even care because I break them so fast, so I just get the cheap ones. Neither lasts longer.

ehque · #8 10-08-2006, 08:25 AM

it might be your bridge. then again, i think it might be your playing style, tho methinks someone who has fingers that can rip up strings can also poke holes thru walls.

Steve · #9 10-08-2006, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzadik

Ideas??

Typically, a file is a cutting tool. Get some good fine sandpaper or emory cloth and go back over your work smoothing and de-burring.

It doesn't take much of a rough spot to eat up a string.

tzadik · #10 10-08-2006, 05:37 PM

Thanks - I actually do use a file and then I sand afterwards. I play hard, but definitely not so hard that I should go through strings like this. I'm going to file & sand the bejeezus out of it ONE more time.....

Beefbass · #11 10-08-2006, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzadik

Thanks - I actually do use a file and then I sand afterwards. I play hard, but definitely not so hard that I should go through strings like this. I'm going to file & sand the bejeezus out of it ONE more time.....

You have a Fender style bass? I would try a better bridge, like a Gotoh 201.

The American standard, and vintage types are pretty nice (my Pbass has the vintage style bridge with grooved saddles)but IMHO, the standard MIM, and Squier bridges are junk. Generally because they strip out(like the one on my brand new at the time MIM fretless did) or, as it would seem now, because it's causing your strings to break.

The Gotoh 201 sells for a decent price at www.warmoth.com

Hope that helps. Good luck in finding the solution to this very annoying problem.

HMZ · #12 10-08-2006, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzadik

Thanks - I actually do use a file and then I sand afterwards. I play hard, but definitely not so hard that I should go through strings like this. I'm going to file & sand the bejeezus out of it ONE more time.....

In the twenty years I’ve been playing I broke one Ernie Ball A string.
Badass bridges are good too.

Dr. Riddim · #13 10-11-2006, 01:19 AM

I've only ever broken 2 strings in my entire life - and both were DR's. Hi-Beams, they were. I contacted DR to let them know I wasn't happy and never heard anything back from them. I still own that bass and since switching away from DR I've never broken another string.

FWIW, I was talking with a couple of other bass players at my local GC recently and we all had had similar experiences with that one brand of string. The three of us are finger-style players doing non-string-punishing music. Between us we had about 50 years of playing experience.

I'd strongly recommend changing brands - unless, of course, you're playing your bass with a hacksaw or a carbide-tipped pick. Then all bets are off.

tzadik · #14 10-11-2006, 08:40 AM

Hah, but I DID change brands! I think I have 4 different no-name brands on the bass right now. I don't even know what they are. It doesn't seem to make a difference.

Played for two whole hours last night without breaking anything, woohoo...

The thing about changing the bridge is that we're talking about a $95 bass. For this kind of music, it's perfect. It sounds like crap but it slices right through. And, should it ever die on me, I can probably replace it almost anywhere in the world where we happen to be for (fairly) cheap. So if it were a bass I actually cared about, I'd pour inthe dough, but I hate to do it on this one... maybe I just need to get a couple more of them. Eh. I don't know. Going to experiment with shrinkwrap and graphite....

Dr. Riddim · #15 10-11-2006, 11:23 AM

Well shut my mouf...

Beefbass · #16 10-11-2006, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tzadik

Hah, but I DID change brands! I think I have 4 different no-name brands on the bass right now. I don't even know what they are. It doesn't seem to make a difference.

Played for two whole hours last night without breaking anything, woohoo...

The thing about changing the bridge is that we're talking about a $95 bass. For this kind of music, it's perfect. It sounds like crap but it slices right through. And, should it ever die on me, I can probably replace it almost anywhere in the world where we happen to be for (fairly) cheap. So if it were a bass I actually cared about, I'd pour inthe dough, but I hate to do it on this one... maybe I just need to get a couple more of them. Eh. I don't know. Going to experiment with shrinkwrap and graphite....

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