Tune-O-Matic Bridge is eating strings please help!

[Slick Joe]

Ok, so I have a problem with my Gibson Les Paul Studio. When I tune my guitar and bend the low b string at all, it goes severely out of tune (just the low b string). If I try to retune the string, it will just drop 2 steps again as soon as it is played, until I tune it so much that it breaks. I tried loosening the other strings as I tightened the tiny string, but that just made the string last a few minutes longer.

 

However, I think I know what the problem it. It appears as if my second biggest string is sliding out of its slit on the tune-o-matic bridge. I have been playing this guitar for about 2 years now and this has never happened to me before now. Anyways, there is another slit next to the normal slit for the said string, and the string keeps sliding into that one. No matter what.

 

I am thinking that if i slightly file down the normal slit for that string that it will fix my problem. However, I dont know how sensitive the bridge is to even minute changes so hopefully someone here can help me out.

 

EDIT: I should probably mention that the low b string is literaly the only string that goes out of tune, every other string is fine. Would buying a new bridge solve the problem? I only wanna do that as a last resort

 

 

EDIT AGAIN: This is probably important too. Something similar happened a few months ago, but this time it happened with the low e string. The string kept going out of tune until it finally snapped under all the tension of being tuned, and I found out one of my thicker strings had slid out of its slit on the bridge. Why is this happening?!?!

 

 

Here is a pic of my guitar

 

 

Btw if anyone knows what year my guitar is let me know (by color) because i bought it used 2 years ago and they had it on there but I forgot :/ I would check myself but im at college and the guitar is back at home... I remember something about it being a limited edition color so hopefully it leads to a specific year

[Thundergod]

I would start by changing the saddles (maybe the one for the next string) if the problem persists then it's not the bridge (though it most probably is). If you need to change something it would be the saddles, I think you can get saddles from gibson, ut graph tech saddles are said to be the best for tuning problems.

 

How many strings have you lost this way? in how many days? Also, try to look where the string has broken so you can make sure it's a bridge problem. If the string does not fall into place in the bridge saddle, it can be due to a number of different problems, from the nut to the bridge to the taipiece, and of course, you have to make sure you are tuning the right way.

[Slick Joe]

Man, the first time this happened (with the low e string), 4 strings were broken in one day. I had left it at my friends house, and while my friend was playing it, the string broke. So he replaced it with his only pack of spare strings and it broke while he tried to tune it. So when I get to his house, i had to use the spare strings i was carrying with me to fix it... sure enough, it breaks. So i run home to get another spare pack I had and this string started going out of tune like the others prior to breaking, so before i let it snap i decided, "this cannot be normal." so i looked at the bridge and sure enough a string was not in its proper slit, so i put it back and, presto, good as new!

 

Now its happening again with the b string so im starting to worry. I think I will take ur advice and change the saddles. The b string on my guitar right now is about to break due to the problem so i guess ill just "let" it break and see where it breaks at.

[pippy]

bend the low b string at all' date=' it goes severely out of tune (just the low b string).

 

EDIT: I should probably mention that the low b string is literaly the only string that goes out of tune, every other string is fine. [/quote']

 

Sorry if I'm being really thick here but which is the 'Low B' string?

[saturn]

 

Sorry if I'm being really thick here but which is the 'Low B' string?

 

OK, it's not just me thinking that.

 

Your Studio looks just like mine. I'm kind of confused by your problem. I don't see how the string is breaking from tension if it's slipping out of tune I mean, if there's not enough tension to bring it up to pitch, how is it breaking from tension?

 

I had a similar problem stringing my friends Strat with vintage style tuners. I think it was the B string too. For some reason the string wouldn't stay wrapped around the post and kept coming unwound even though I kinked the string. I think I scratched up the tuning post a little with some sandpaper to give the string some more grip. Not sure if it's related or not, but something else I always do is put a drop of 3-In-1 oil on the saddles every time I change strings. I have never broken a string since I began doing this.

[Witmer]

Your studio looks a lot like mine, a Desertburst Studio Plus (flame top), except the edges of your burst get a lot darker than mine. I had an almost identical problem with the B string breaking, every. single. time. I. played. it. -- but not with it slipping out. I took it to a AAA Gibson rated tech and he changed the saddles for me. In fact, he talked me into changing them for graphite, and I haven't broken a string in the three years since.

[Slick Joe]

 

Sorry if I'm being really thick here but which is the 'Low B' string?

 

I always forget which string is the "first" string haha but i was reffering to the second to last tiny string (since standard tuning is e a d g B e)

 

So it sounds like something is wrong with my saddles from what you guys have said. The strings are wrapped around the posts just find so the saddles gotta be it. I'll have to get that chedked out. Thanks!

[Thundergod]

As noted above, first take a look and see where they are breaking... if its a saddle problem do as highwaynine did: new saddles, prefferably graphite.

 

Here are some string savers from stewmacs web...

 

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_Tune-o-matic_parts/String_Saver_Tune-o-matic_Saddles.html

[BigKahune]

Just curious . . . what brand and model strings, and what guage - are you using?

[AXE®]

It's a simple fix no replacement necessary.

And judging from your analogies you are a fairly inexperienced player.

Take it to a "REAL" guitar tech and he will have you up and going in about twenty minutes.

[Slogold]

your saddle is too sharp file it down a bit to dull it.

[Slick Joe]

It's a simple fix no replacement necessary.

And judging from your analogies you are a fairly inexperienced player.

Take it to a "REAL" guitar tech and he will have you up and going in about twenty minutes.

 

I mean, I have been playing for about 9 years so I can play a guitar quite well. I even installed some EMG pickups into my guitar which wasnt really hard but i doubt an inexperienced player could do it. I just never got technical about the terminology haha. Hmm idk how to quote more than one person but I'm using D'addario super lights. And yeah I'll see where the string is breaking and if im still stumped ill just take it to guitar center even though they have the worlds worst customer service :/

[Slick Joe]

 

OK' date=' it's not just me thinking that.

 

Your Studio looks just like mine. I'm kind of confused by your problem. I don't see how the string is breaking from tension if it's slipping out of tune I mean, if there's not enough tension to bring it up to pitch, how is it breaking from tension?

 

I had a similar problem stringing my friends Strat with vintage style tuners. I think it was the B string too. For some reason the string wouldn't stay wrapped around the post and kept coming unwound even though I kinked the string. I think I scratched up the tuning post a little with some sandpaper to give the string some more grip. Not sure if it's related or not, but something else I always do is put a drop of 3-In-1 oil on the saddles every time I change strings. I have never broken a string since I began doing this. [/quote']

 

Man it seems just about everyone had a saddle problem. Im thinkin that even if the saddle isnt the problem i might as well get some new ones cause im sure new saddles will pay for themselves overtime since they keep strings from breaking so well. And its wierd, like even though the string would go severely out of tune, the string itself didnt seem to lose much tension. Like I would keep winding it to tune it back up, and it would just go right out of tune but everytime it went out of tune, well, the string didnt realy lose any tension. When it happened with my low e string, all i had to do was put the thick string that fell out of its slit back in and, bam, problem solved. Well until my b string started to mess up. It is so wierd! But I think im gonna do what someone on here said and just take it to a tech, well right after I check to see where teh strings are breaking at so I can possibly diagnose the prob myself.