My new Les Paul seems to be breaking a lot of strings lately, and i'm pretty sure that the cause is burrs on the bridge saddles. Only the high E string has been breaking, and every time, it breaks right at the saddle. I can't really spend a lot of money on a new bridge, especially since this one seems to be of good quality. I'm pretty sure that there is a standard fix for this problem, but since i've never had to deal with this problem, I don't know the fix. Could someone please enlighten me???
Just take some sandpaper and lightly smooth out the saddle right where the string sits. You can probably feel if it is rough at the seat.
I don't think that I can get sandpaper where the strings sit, since the saddles have a notch where the string goes.
I don't think that I can get sandpaper where the strings sit, since the saddles have a notch where the string goes.
Fold the paper in half and just lightly run the fold through the notch. Then do in front and back of the notch.
OK, this sounds like it would work. I'll try it tomorrow. Would 600 grit sandpaper be appropriate?
OK, this sounds like it would work. I'll try it tomorrow. Would 600 grit sandpaper be appropriate?
600 is good. It does not take much to smooth it out.
xg5a
I can relate to this. This year I bought a used 98 LP Studio from a friend. I love the guitar, but also had problems with the bass E and D strings snapping at the saddles everytime. The saddles looked notched in several places and felt rough.
You may have seen my joke Christmas thread. I ordered a replacement saddle from Music 123 (about $5 cheaper than Musician's friend). Cost me $48 including shipping.
Right away I noticed these saddles are fairly soft. So a notch is going to form. The problem I see is that it is real easy to have the string in a different location everytime you put new strings on. So you can end up with several notches, and a rough saddle.
My solution is just to simply be very careful and always make sure the string is in one location each time I change strings. That way, even if a notch develops, it will only be one single one. That looks to be a problem on these bridges.
I know that doesn't help you now, but you may decide to buy a new bridge soon. I am glad I did, haven't broken a string since. Looks better too.
For now, do what Nils said. If you sand it very lightly, it may stop this problem.
Here is where I got my new bridge at Music 123.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
I can't really get the sandpaper in the grooves. The grooves were put there when the bridge was made. They're not from the strings. THerefore, they're deeper.
Since the guitar is an SX Les Paul, I can't really see spending $50 on a new bridge. That's 1/3 of the price of the guitar. Then again, the guitar doesn't FEEL like it was $150, so maybe I could spend the money. How about those separate saddles that you can get from Stew-Mac that have a synthetic material on top? How would that work?
You don't really have to get in the slot just the outer edges of the slot. Fold the paper and use the folded edge.
I have graphtech (sp?) saddles on the original bridge of my LP Special and they are really nice. I think I paid $23 for them somewhere like StewMac
