This is not normal!!

[CommonCourtesy]

Sounds like an easy solution, coated strings cost a bomb though but one set to test out won't hurt.

[Toe-Knee]

They are more expensive but they last significantly longer so it's worth it.

[CommonCourtesy]

You reckon it'll solve the problem completely? I mean before strings were breaking every 6 months or so now I've had 2 in the space of 3.

And they always seem to break at rehearsals, never gigs. I sweat more than I play in rehearsals but then again I change the set the night before every gig (unless its a tour) and the set is only 30 minutes or so. Rehearsals are a few hours.

[Toe-Knee]

You reckon it'll solve the problem completely? I mean before strings were breaking every 6 months or so now I've had 2 in the space of 3.

And they always seem to break at rehearsals, never gigs. I sweat more than I play in rehearsals but then again I change the set the night before every gig (unless its a tour) and the set is only 30 minutes or so. Rehearsals are a few hours.

I cant say really but I had a similar issue with string corrosion and coated strings solved it. I was having sets last a week tops then coated generally last me a month or two.

The ernie Ball Cobalt are very durable too but they have a very defined sound and feel that some hate. They kinda make everything sound more metal and punchy/in your face.

[CommonCourtesy]

What guitar do you put them on? And do you sweat alot it goes into the saddles (if it has the LP style ones).

I'm looking more at the Titanium ones which are over double the price of the normal nickel ones. Will definitely get one set to try out though. Metal and punchy is good for what I do haha.

[Toe-Knee]

What guitar do you put them on? And do you sweat alot it goes into the saddles (if it has the LP style ones).

I'm looking more at the Titanium ones which are over double the price of the normal nickel ones. Will definitely get one set to try out though. Metal and punchy is good for what I do haha.

I do in summer its unreal. It's why I started straying away from regular strings unless i can get a good bulk deal on them as I don't mind swapping them out every week or so then.

I use coated strings of various brands on all of my guitars. They have various ranging from an edge zero II, Kahler, TOM (on my jackson) and various gibralter bridges.

All of them have corroded somewhat other than the Kahler as it's just super over engineered and the Edge zero as thats only a few months old.

The Gibralters are just tarnished but the TOM i've had to replace twice due to it getting all manked up. The Tom is the only one I ever have breakage issues on too.

[CommonCourtesy]

How often are you changing the coated strings then? I could live with changing every month if it meant no breakages. Usually change every night before a show. The LP is the main band guitar and is the one used the most frequent, the others not so much so I can manage with uncoated strings. Usually use the regulars for my 'clean' guitars, i.e. Strat and Tele.

Will get a pack this week and put them on for the gig I'm playing at the end of the month, interested to see how long I get out of them.

[FELINEGUITARS]

We see a lot more string breakage complaints these days than say 20+ years ago
But much of that is down to heavy palm muting, and a LOT of low string pedal tone playing, and possibly in some players cases less attention to maintenance and wiping down the strings after playing.

Another problem is that many of the cheaper guitars bridge saddle materials are a bit rubbish and tend to end up digging into the string , or getting all grooved up and covered in burrs (burrs=sharp edges)

going through the slots with a proper sized nut file (or a string warapped in 600 grit wet and dry ) can help smooth off these burrs
We use a great product called Mitchells abrasive cord

http://www.mitchellsabrasives.com/osc/

http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Sanding/Mitchell_Abrasive_Cord.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQxfoz_iKUs

[CommonCourtesy]

I think its more linked with sweat corrosion and playing style for me, cos I can't see a burr or rough edges in the saddle, its just this time the string broke within 2 weeks of it being put on which is strange. If one of the other 2 thicker strings break at next rehearsal then I have a major problem, is it possible to only switch the bottom 3 saddles to graphite and leave the other 3 perhaps?

[FELINEGUITARS]

You could switch out just one saddle if need be - just to get you past that problem if the saddle isto blame
Did you say it was a tunamatic?

[CommonCourtesy]

Wouldn't the tone be uneven though if you're mixing and matching?

And yes it is.

[gwEm]

I had this problem on an Epiphone Flying V even with coated strings.

The solution was to fit string saver saddles. The tone did change a bit, but not much and not in a bad way. No more broken strings. Used to break Es and As every couple of weeks, even with 11s.

[CommonCourtesy]

Well I just got a Titanium pack today, so the worst I can do is give them a go. If the problem still persists, then its got to be the saddles.

Quite strange though as I was only breaking strings every 6 months, and they weren't at shows. If I can avoid the string saddle savers then I will, not only cos of cost but sound too.

Saying that I could just jack it in and start playing a Telecaster haha.

[Alex]

String breakage is almost always a problem with a saddle edge (too sharp, too step) or a sharp edged tuning machine head. If it's a string fault it will already break when you put them on and stretch them out (hence you should always stretch them properly when you put on new strings). Another hint is where they break - if they always break at the saddle you've found the guilty part.
A .56 gauge string is a very heavy string and should withstand tremendous picking force.

Look where sharp and try to smoothen that out (carefully!) like felineguitars suggested. You can probably find online tutorials as well. If the string angle from the tailpiece to the bridge is very steep, you can also try top-wrapping, but I personally (and lots of people will disagree!) feel that top-wrapping affects the sound and feel in a way I don't like.

If it is a LesPaul than there are also some premium quality replacement parts for TOM style guitars; quite often they can also tune the sound nicely. I was amazed at the difference my aluminium tailpiece made.

[CommonCourtesy]

I had them cleaned and filed about 3 months ago and not had any breakages since. I've looked closely and there doesn't seem to be any burrs or sharp edges as far as I can see. I'm still putting it down to the sweating, which is seeping into the saddles where the palm does the mutes, however as I haven't gigged since August and they were a new set of strings its weird why they broke so soon.

Agree with you on the top wrapping, that's why I don't want to do it!

I had the tailpiece changed to an aluminium one, it gives more sustain and bite.