High e string keeps breaking

[glassberg]

So the high e on my classic player jazzmaster keeps breaking at the ball end. I've tried multiple string brands, although always the same gauge. I've been putting super glue on the wrappings near the ball end and that helps keep the string on for longer but it inevitably breaks. There is obviously too much tension there. What can I do to alleviate the problem? Could the trem be a lemon? Any advice helps, thanks.

[adamrobertt]

This is a common issue, and I don't think that tension is the problem. First, check to see if the high E is rubbing against the screw in the trem plate. If it is, you may want to shim the neck (thus raising the bridge) to get the string off the screw. If the string is rubbing against the screw, the additional friction could be the culprit. You should also check the actual string hole for burrs. Even if you can't see them, they could be there. A bit of filing couldn't hurt.

Finally, several members have tried soldering the wraps at the ball end to further strengthen the strings with good results.

[irish_punk13]

My jaguar doesn't have the same tailpiece that your jazzmaster does (aftermarket mod to a blacktop), but the way the strings go thru is the same.

Now that I clarified, I had this issue for a while and I solved it by using an old low E string as a file and rubbing it thru the hole that the high E goes into while making it scrape the sides of the hole. Haven't had a string break in about 8 months now.

I hope that helps/make sense.

[Telliot]

This is a common issue, and I don't think that tension is the problem....Finally, several members have tried soldering the wraps at the ball end to further strengthen the strings with good results.

+1
I was having this issue and started doing the soldering trick about a year ago and haven't had a problem since. I put a dab on the wrapped part of the string, just ahead of the ball, on all the unwound strings (although I've only ever had an issue with the E string).

[araT]

My jaguar doesn't have the same tailpiece that your jazzmaster does (aftermarket mod to a blacktop), but the way the strings go thru is the same.

Now that I clarified, I had this issue for a while and I solved it by using an old low E string as a file and rubbing it thru the hole that the high E goes into while making it scrape the sides of the hole. Haven't had a string break in about 8 months now.

I hope that helps/make sense.

+1! Sounds like a burr to me too.

[glassberg]

awesome, thanks so much guys. So how much filing do you think is necessary to remove the burr?

[araT]

just enough to smooth it out, and angle the string a little bit as you 'file' with it to clean up the edges well... a good way to check is to grab one of the broken high e strings & run it around the slot to feel if it's smooth.

[surfdivision]

This happened to me for the 3rd time in a month on my VM Jaguar. I just rewounded the broken string around the ball-end, soldered it and it works, we'll see for how long. Anyway, I'm done with D'addario 11-49s

[doctorock78]

I've tried EVERYTHING except filing the hole. Still break Es. A little less often now that I solder but they still break. I wish I could find single Fender Bullets in .11 gauge, that might solve it.

[jimi]

If it's not a burr, you could always try this... http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... =8&t=32546" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[doctorock78]

Just got a vintage JM and it happens on that tailpiece too. So not just modern ones. Must be that design torques the ball ends in such a way that the high E string can't "hang in there"...

[surfdivision]

This is really starting to piss me off. I have a SQ VM Jaguar, and I can't even bend a single full note on the e string without breaking it. It isn't touching the screw on the tailpiece, I've lubed the nut and the bridge with graphite, there's just too much tension (I even have to solder it at the ball end to strenghten it a bit). Could it be that I'm just using cheap, horrible strings? They are just some random D'Addario 10s or 11s (I sometimes use 0.10 for the E string, because it's all they have at the shop).

[Danley]

For a long time, I'd grab a bunch of e strings and go through them til I found one strong enough to not break. Then I wouldn't change it, for up to a year The shortest lived ones lasted minutes.

When I finally set mine up properly not to rub on the screw, that practice finally quit. But it sounds like you're past that.

I use Ernie Ball power and regular slinkies on all my guitars, and I never have any trouble with this... Again I'd check the tailpiece for burrs/use the low e-string method listed above...

[doctorock78]

I don't think it has anything to do with burrs in the tailpiece, contact with plate screws, etc. It's simply the design. The tension / diameter of the high E string plus the motion of the tailpiece torques the ball end and the string in such a way that it fails at the wrap. I'm becoming an expert on this by now. Solder simply prolongs the inevitable (a good thing). I even tried using a .12 gauge string in place of the usual .11s and it happened even faster (more tension?). Also perhaps this doesn't affect the other strings because they are above the diameter that is weakened by the torque. Sorry but I'm afraid it's part of the offset set of issues. Does anyone NOT break high E's on this forum?

[andy_tchp]

Sorry but I'm afraid it's part of the offset set of issues. Does anyone NOT break high E's on this forum?

Yes - I don't break them, pretty sure I'm not the only one on the whole forum that doesn't, and it's certainly not part of any 'set of issues'.

This is with .011 and .012 sets (switched to .012 sets a couple of years ago), the bulk (probably 90%) being GHS nickel rollerwounds, and I used to use DR strings as well.

Pretty sure I can count the number of E strings I've broken over 8 years of Jazzmaster ownership on one hand (two Jazzmasters for the past couple of years.) Haven't ever soldered the ball ends as I've never had problems with breakage...