Live gigs - need a road warrior guitar or mods to current

[jangle]

I do love my vintage designs/reissues (VOS SG, '57 Strat) but they are giving me fits onstage. I've never been a string-breaker but have lost several on both guitars last two gigs.

I admit that looks and 'classic model cred' are important but then so is getting through a set or a show with strings and tuning intact.

I am now seriously considering entering the uncharted waters of The Other Guitar Brands especially if there are roller nuts and graphite saddles involved (and assuming these will provide a buffer against travel, heat/humidity changes, etc. associated with live gigging).

This is prior-year Top 40 stuff and classic rock, not metal or other material that necessarily calls for aggressive playing.

[Hubaxe]

Vintage look on stage is part of the show. I personaly won't go other guitars, but do some smart upgrades to the current ones.
My 79 LP deluxe is upgraded, because it's a player, not an investment.
Same with the other ones.

Put some Graphtech nut on your existing ones, smooth the edge of the saddles (likely on LP/SG) if necessary and strings should not break. If you have a Strat with the bent steel saddles, nothing wrong should happen.


If you're using 008, then forget all my text above

Edit: Since I'm using pure nickel strings instead of steel plated strings, the tuning stability increased dramatically! Now I use the trem bar without fear on my Strat (and it's a vintage style trem..)

[bclaire]

First off - what string(s) are you breaking?

My two cents:
new strings before each gig.
get a back-up guitar for your main guitar.
check out your playing style - are you playing really hard on the breaking string?
maybe go up a string gauge and drop down a half step...

I was breaking D strings for quite a while so I got second guitars for everything I was using. But my playing style was chugging pretty hard on those strings so... that was the cause. It also didn't matter what guitar I used - I broke D's on everything...

[jangle]

I'm using 10s on all...

I switch between an SG and a Strat...I suppose the thinking is one can deputize for the other but in a perfect world they have their roles.

I am breaking the G and Ds during strums not lead breaks. I admit that the strums may have been digging in because our live sound/onstage mix is such a mishmash right now.

I did go new strings on one guitar and as luck or fate would have it the guitar that did not get a change (because I didn't think they needed it) was the one where the G broke.

What to smooth saddles with? Sandpaper? Emery paper? Fine file?

[thelatrobe33]

I would suggest starting by getting some Graph Tech String Saver Saddles for both guitars.

Also, you may want to look at the Strat Plus models from '93 on. They came with locking Schaller tuners, no string trees and LSR roller nuts. They're the best Strats they ever made IMO, particularly when it comes to tuning stability.

[Hubaxe]

I'm using 10s on all...

I switch between an SG and a Strat...I suppose the thinking is one can deputize for the other but in a perfect world they have their roles.

I am breaking the G and Ds during strums not lead breaks. I admit that the strums may have been digging in because our live sound/onstage mix is such a mishmash right now.

I did go new strings on one guitar and as luck or fate would have it the guitar that did not get a change (because I didn't think they needed it) was the one where the G broke.

What to smooth saddles with? Sandpaper? Emery paper? Fine file?

Fine file is faster than sandpaper, just smooth the cutting edge. Take care to keep the slot enough to hold the string correctly.
Well if you play 10's, then maybe Billy gave a better answer. Push up the volume and strum lightly.

[a.hun]

Fine file is faster than sandpaper, just smooth the cutting edge. Take care to keep the slot enough to hold the string correctly.
Well if you play 10's, then maybe Billy gave a better answer. Push up the volume and strum lightly.

Where are they breaking? Always the same spot? If so that's where your problem is.


Andy.

[irish_admiral]

Andy beat me to it.

There could be a rough spot or a spur causing the snap. If it's going in random and different places, it's more likely your playing style.

I can count the amount of strings i've broken since I started playing on the fingers of one hand. I lent one of my acoustics to another guy the other day, and he snapped two strings in three days. Don't tell me that's the guitar!

Be careful when you're filing nut slots to not take out more material than the absolute minimum, as you can lower the action at the nut by accident otherwise.

Last thought is to try the old trick of putting pencil lead graphite into the nut slots to help make them slick when they tune. Might help. Can't hurt.

[ironlung40]

what about your tailpiece height and string angle over the rear of the bridge, are the strings touching there and/or breaking there too?

If so raise that TP and get the strings off the bridge.

[a.hun]

Raising the tailpiece on Gibsons changes the tone (and string tension) quite a bit. I far prefer them tight on the body myself!

Also is it possible you have the bridge pieces on backwards? See here:
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showpo ... ostcount=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

None of that helps with the Strat I know, but again if it was always happening at one place that's where I'd be looking. I don't have string breakage problems myself but then I'm not an aggressive strummer. Only problems I've ever had were sorted with a quick file on the guilty rough edge.


Andy.

[jangle]

Raising the tailpiece on Gibsons changes the tone (and string tension) quite a bit. I far prefer them tight on the body myself!

Also is it possible you have the bridge pieces on backwards? See here:
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showpo ... ostcount=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

None of that helps with the Strat I know, but again if it was always happening at one place that's where I'd be looking. I don't have string breakage problems myself but then I'm not an aggressive strummer. Only problems I've ever had were sorted with a quick file on the guilty rough edge.


Andy.

I was a on a similar thread at TGP with the same paranoid question. As it turns out my A and E ARE backward but according to that thread this is occasionally necessary.

[a.hun]

I was a on a similar thread at TGP with the same paranoid question. As it turns out my A and E ARE backward but according to that thread this is occasionally necessary.

Yeah occasionally, if you can't get enough travel to intonate them correctly the other way around. May be why...


Andy.

[mesa/boogieman]

ESP has a couple of guitars with the Evertune system. I've read very good things about that as far as tuning stability.

Honestly I don't think you can go wrong with just a regular ol' Standard Stratocaster. They're tough as nails.

[a.hun]

Honestly I don't think you can go wrong with just a regular ol' Standard Stratocaster. They're tough as nails.

True. And Teles are as tough as really big nails!

LPs etc are delicate flowers in comparison.


Andy.