New Guitar - String Breaking

BRISTOL86

In the year and a bit that I’ve been playing electric guitar, I’ve broken one string. 

Brand new guitar and been through THREE high E strings in a week. 

It’s breaking every time at the 8th fret, when I’m bending a whole step. 

I can’t see or feel any rough spots on the fret. 

It’s entirely possible that this is a technique issue - I’ve been playing the same phrase pretty much constantly for the last week every time I practice which begins with that bend from 8 to 10 on the high E.

I know I have a tendency to fret too hard but does this still sound out of the ordinary?!

Update 5/2/18 - happy ending - guitar exchanged for the same in Olympic White!

guitars4you

very unusual to break a string at any other place other than a contact point - bridge or tuner post generally

is the string actually breaking at that point and not say the ball end breaking - what make of string and are they genuine (assuming D'addario)

not sure what to advise as so unusual

BRISTOL86

Yeah, I should add that it’s had a setup from my usual guy and he found nothing of note. He said it was pinching slightly at the nut but he addressed that. 

Yep definitely breaking at the 8th fret each time which made me think that there was a rough spot or something. 

I can only think it’s a technique thing. I have another lesson on Fri so will raise it with my tutor. 

BRISTOL86

Sorry meant to say D’addario (twice) and Ernie Ball

skunkwerx

Can’t see how it could be technique unless you’re bending it with pliers! 

Unless you’re pushing it well hard into the fret and other strings, kinking it and weakening it... 

BRISTOL86

Yeah it does seem odd. I know I play with too much pressure/tension but even for me seems bizarre

GluedtoMusic

Keep playing the same riff but starting on the 10th or 12th fret and see if the point of breakage moves, should hopefully tell you if it's the guitar or technique.

BRISTOL86

GluedtoMusic said:

Keep playing the same riff but starting on the 10th fret and see if the point of breakage moves.

Ha I like that, will do that! 

Alnico

I've had my Pro Strat for over a year now, play enthusiastically with a 1.0mm pick, always use D'addario XL110's, always bend plain strings like mad, more often than not a tone and a half or two tones and I've never broken a single string on that guitar yet.

Do your frets look like this....?

https://i.imgur.com/MgIfPhB.jpg

LesbianWithAGun

I have old strings, years old, un used and still in their packs... I have them still since ever, maybe the 1990s...
Are your strings new or old/unused?

-reading this thread, I wonder if these old strings'd break if I use them?
I have been known to throw out un used strings with pitted marks/blemishes on them since I didn't want to use them/were no good to me.

ICBM

If it's breaking at the fret consistently then there is definitely a rough spot on it, even if you can't see or feel it.

BRISTOL86

ICBM said:

If it's breaking at the fret consistently then there is definitely a rough spot on it, even if you can't see or feel it.

Yeah that’s kind of what I thought! What’s the next course of action, speak to PMT? Will they be any actual help?

BRISTOL86

@LesbianWithAGun they’re all brand new strings 

@Alnico I’ll get a pic of mine up this morning

Neill

I use light strings these days so I am used to occasionally breaking the top E but three in a week... Having said that if you are still trying to nail that Gary Moore lick you may be putting a lot of stress on the string repeatedly and it's simple metal fatigue.  

I have noticed over the years that when a string breaks it always seems to be around the 7-9th fret, presumably there s some scientific explanation for this?

BRISTOL86

Neill said:

I use light strings these days so I am used to occasionally breaking the top E but three in a week... Having said that if you are still trying to nail that Gary Moore lick you may be putting a lot of stress on the string repeatedly and it's simple metal fatigue.  

I have noticed over the years that when a string breaks it always seems to be around the 7-9th fret, presumably there s some scientific explanation for this?

I did wonder if it’s just the sheer amount I’ve been playing the same thing over and over (and over and over).... I think I’m going to keep practicing it but without the bend that opens the phrase. 

Alnico

BRISTOL86 said:

Neill said:

I use light strings these days so I am used to occasionally breaking the top E but three in a week... Having said that if you are still trying to nail that Gary Moore lick you may be putting a lot of stress on the string repeatedly and it's simple metal fatigue.  

I have noticed over the years that when a string breaks it always seems to be around the 7-9th fret, presumably there s some scientific explanation for this?

I did wonder if it’s just the sheer amount I’ve been playing the same thing over and over (and over and over).... I think I’m going to keep practicing it but without the bend that opens the phrase. 

No, it's most likely not that.
Strings should put up with way more than that.

BRISTOL86

Not a very good pic but here's the fret in question. Can't see or feel anything untoward

57Deluxe

check that there are no burs on the saddles/ferrules. Even if the string does not break at this point it might be there is uneven tension across its length and the break point is where it gets focused.

skunkwerx

BRISTOL86 said:

ICBM said:

If it's breaking at the fret consistently then there is definitely a rough spot on it, even if you can't see or feel it.

Yeah that’s kind of what I thought! What’s the next course of action, speak to PMT? Will they be any actual help?

I’ve usually found them to be helpful, but I’ve only dealt with the Romford/Southend bunch. 

Their ‘techs’ may be hit & miss though. Could be a decent and knowledgable tech in some stores, but in others,  not so much. 

I would say speak to em, see what they say. Most likely they’ll tell you to bring it in for them to look at, and then they’ll find nothing apparantly wrong, like your previous tech. 

But the problem persists so they’ll have to help. 

skunkwerx

Been thinking about this one, its baffling eh. 

Does the break occur EXACTLY over the fret or break under your finger thats fretting it?

If its right over the fret, maybe there is a bump or spot that can hardly be felt, but is there. 

Alnico

BRISTOL86 said:

Not a very good pic but here's the fret in question. Can't see or feel anything untoward

Maybe it's just the light but the fret ot the right of that picture looks like its got a rough, flat top.
The other two don't look *really* smooth.

If it were my guitar I'd be using wet n dry 1200-2000 and then peek metal polish (mask the board up first) and then see if the string still breaks....

https://i.imgur.com/l8hYOVP.jpg