Help with wrap around bridge on my Custom a Shop Les Paul Special double cutaway

[Fran_in_London]

Can someone please recommend the most suitable strings  for a wrap around bridge please?

i keep getting strings breaking at the point where the string comes over 

Am I using the wrong strings I like the Ernie Ball M-Steel 10-46

What do you suggest

Thanks in advance 

Fran

[merciful-evans]

Hi Fran,

I've not heard of this issue before. I cant imagine that there is anything wrong with your string choice. Is it just the unwound strings?

Are strings breaking at the 'bend' point? Where they bend back on themselves after emerging from the holes? If so, are the strings still partially entwined at that point (I would think not)?

Does the break point on the bridge feel too sharp? 

Pictures might help. Probably best to use a 3rd party hosting site. 

In the short term maybe you could try to protect the strings by cutting some electrical wire sleeving into short pieces to protect the strings at the break-point. It shouldnt affect the sound or function in any way.

 

[Fran_in_London]

Hi there and thanks for the reply. Now about the string breaking this has happened on 3 occasions twice on the plain G strings and last time on the low E. the thing is that at the break angle point the string has wrappings to secure the folded part coming from the ball end which is not ball as we all know but a small brass ring. It is at that point that the Ernie Ball M-Steel have failed. Now it is important mentioning that the 3 plain have a silk wrapping over the steel wrapping. the silk gets shredded on the first day exposing the metal wraps and it degenerates from there. 

See attached pics, these strings are just new and you can tell that some of them are already under stress at the break angle. Also note there are no sharp edges on that bridge it all goes around smoothly its just the way the strings seem to get stressed when going around. 

Your tip to use electrical wire core is actually a good idea, I have some shrink wrap cables I can use for that purpose. 

Many thanks for your kind help.

Fran

[merciful-evans]

Hi Fran,

Nice shot. I can see very well now. Not used these strings myself, but they look like they should be tough, but maybe there is something about the design that doesnt suit your bridge?

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try a different set to compare. I have used regular Ernie Ball, also the Cobalt versions. My preferred ones though are the Paradigms. Perhaps some uncoated strings would be the first thing to try?

I had hoped another user with a wrap around bridge would have chimed in before now. There are some v experienced users here. Lets know how you get on whatever you try. Good luck

ME

 

[Fran_in_London]

Thanks I am  familiar with the Paradigms as I trued them on different guitars I shall ave a go on this Gibson next and see if they make a difference

Cheers

[clayville]

This may not help your situation, but when I "top-wrap" strings over the tailpiece in this manner I usually thread an extra "ball" (ring) from the old string onto the new string so that the heavily wrapped portion of the string end isn't being bent quite so much - just the thinner, more flexible part of the string. I do this mainly to prevent the rougher string end from marring the tailpiece,  but it seems to me that it may help you to not put quite so acute an angle or bend on the stiffer portion of the string end. Just a thought....

[Fran_in_London]

31 minutes ago, clayville said:

This may not help your situation, but when I "top-wrap" strings over the tailpiece in this manner I usually thread an extra "ball" (ring) from the old string onto the new string so that the heavily wrapped portion of the string end isn't being bent quite so much - just the thinner, more flexible part of the string. I do this mainly to prevent the rougher string end from marring the tailpiece,  but it seems to me that it may help you to not put quite so acute an angle or bend on the stiffer portion of the string end. Just a thought....

 

That seems to me like a very good tip, I will try it on my next string change. I appreciate it, thanks