Ibanez Prestige Keeps Breaking Strings

[Phaedrus]

Right on the bridge saddles - same strings every time (E, A, D - the wound strings).

I'm actually the bass player - this is my guitarist's guitar I'm talking about. He got it in Sam Ash in Las Vegas and he loves it - it stays in tune like a dream. The only time he has to tune it is when he replaces a broken string.

The strings are ball-end, but he's been securing them at the bridge by the screw-clamp, not the balls. Every time one breaks, he winds back at the machine head to give some string to secure at the bridge.

The saddles don't appear especially sharp, so it's unlikely that they're the culprits (isn't it?). He doesn't clean the guitar after rehearsal, so could it be sweat & skin debris sticking in the winds and corroding the core wire?

Our rehearsal room gets REALLY hot - could that be a factor?

It's driving him mad (understandably) and it's really tarnishing his experience with the guitar.

Any ideas?

The only marks on the guitar are "Prestige" on the front of the headstock, and on the back of the headstock a logo saying, "Team J. Craft - Japan", and a number - F0501011.

Thanks,

Mark

[Rick]

somewhere in this forum there is another thread started by me along the same lines.
i did 2 things but the most effective was to stop using ernie balls, since i stopped i haven't broke one string.

the other was to clean them more often

[Stew]

proper stretching and proper winding around the tuning peg also helps. None of this 30 wraps or 1/2 wraps around the post. My rule of thumb is wound strings thread through but leave ~1inch of slack before tune up and unwound E string ~2 1/2 inches >>>more wraps. Since i started with a mythodical approach haven't broken a string and if i cast my mind backm ~ 10yrs i am sure it was Ernie balls I used and constantly broke..but hey it may be a combination of this heavy strumming cause I did not know how to strum properly... interestingly the kid I sold my Yamaha cheopo electric to said he has broken 4 strings since about 1month ago yet i had the same strings one for ~ 1yr.

There are some good sites on how to restring guitar if you type restring electric guitar in google


Stew

[Stew]

Just notice important point in initail post....he unwinds at the tuning post >>>>slack so he can reattache at bridge. Presumably has locking nut?? This should be secured once guitar almost in tune and stretched...otherwise you unlock what happens?? the string where it was clamped in is now on fret side of nut with a weakened point whre it may break. Should try to not unlock unless complete replacement of string and therefore paly it for a while before lock that turkey down....hope this helps!

Stew

[Stew]

http://www.cbguitars.com/restringing.htm

I know this is for acoustics but if you ignore the bridge pins part and do everything at tuning peg end the same play and stretch far bit before lock nut then should improve things. Mind and have bridge tuners in such position can tune up as the strings will only stretch not tighten this will save undoing the nut and tuning up with tuners on headstock.

Also as Rick said clean regularily and when changing strings take time to clean fretboard with lemon oil.

Stew

[R/2e]

Two other options, String Savers, which are little bits of brass (I think) to go between the string and the saddle, or Graphtech now do saddles for Floyd Rose, though you'd have to check whether they fit Ibanez.

[Mike7771]

I have a Ibanez Prestige S1520 and I never break strings try D'Addario XL's. Before restringing cut the balls off the strings make sure the string is sitting deep into the saddle clap and don't tighten it too much. Hope that helps.

[Phaedrus]

Hi - we'll try D'Addarios. He's going to clean it more ofter - there is corrosion in the roundwounds at the saddles.

Can it be strung by the balls going through the hole that the clamp screw goes in - see pic.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Joey_Jo_Jo/rojtrem.jpg

We were dicking around earlier, and this certainly takes the tight angle out of the equation.

Thanks all,

Mark

[bloodandtears]

arggh no.. dont do it...

it sounds like your bridge needs attention..

[Stew]

Hi - we'll try D'Addarios. He's going to clean it more ofter - there is corrosion in the roundwounds at the saddles.

Can it be strung by the balls going through the hole that the clamp screw goes in - see pic.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/Joey_Jo_Jo/rojtrem.jpg

We were dicking around earlier, and this certainly takes the tight angle out of the equation.

Thanks all,

Mark

in answer no don't put string through this hole and as Mike said when you clamp the string firm but do not over-tighten

Stew

[Stew]

Mark

I would also check out that offending saddle again for a rough or sharp point it may not be obvious to the eye. you may need to get very light grit wet/dry to smooth it or as last resort replace that saddle.

Rich harris of www.jemsite.com and www.ibanezfreaks.com suggestes alos looking at the setup trem angle is it parallel? as the sPring tension amy be have and effect on the sTring tension. There is a good section in both these sites on methodical trem setup. Check these out and let us know what the setup looks like. Also does the strings seem stiff so rather than feeling like a set of 9's feels more like 10's on a Gibson Les Paul this amy also be a sign there is incorrect spring/string tension going on!

Keep us updated mate

Hope we can always be of help

Stew

[Phaedrus]

We put D'Addario's on on Thursday night, taking care with the tightness of the retaining clamp as advised, and set it up with the trem nice & level with the body. We gigged on Friday night and he had no problems with tuning and NO BROKEN STRINGS! Woohoo!

Thanks a million for the advice, guys - very much apreciated. :)

Mark & Roj

[Rick]

a result! :)

[Stew]

Glad to hear problem seems to be solved! Any futher problems lety us know

Cheers Stew

[Shep]

Lol. Ernie Balls, suck ass. D'addario rule.