How often do you break strings on your bender?

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Just curious. I was reading how some of you seem to break more B strings when using the Glaser. How do the P/W, P/G, Glaser, Hipshots and others fare with regard to breaking strings on them, compared to your non-bender strings?

I use mainly Hipshots on my B, and my B string is usually the last to break. Do more moving parts equal more string breakage?

Just curious.





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Will,

I know that when I had my Glaser, I didn't break B strings more than any other....having said that, I very rarely ever break strings! I usually change them frequently enough that I guess they don't wear out. Now that I have a Hipshot, which I've had for around a month, no breakage there either. I was concerned about that, as I didn't drill out the bridge for the B string and I thought the steeper angle might be a problem...not so far!

Will. I have a p/w in my tele and a hipshot b&g, (g palm), bender on my les paul and I don't break a lot of strings with either bender; I have more trouble with b strings breaking on my archtop which has a higgens b bender. The strings on that break where the string attaches to the tuning peg/bender , but that is probably due to me screwing up somehow and I'm sure I'll figure it out Down the road. Anyway hope all is well with you and yours. Bil

I have McVay G and Hipshot B - the don't really break as often as you might think. Sure, they don't last quite as long as the other strings that aren't being abused but the still last a fair while.

I did mention in a post that I've broken more b strings with my Glaser but now that it's not bending to a full whole tone pitch I'm suspecting that the unit was developing an problem somewhere. I'll likely end up sending it to Nashville.... and hope that when it's fixed it will stop breaking strings
My P/Ws rarely if ever break a string.
I have a HipShot b, g and drop E unit but my hip started not wanting to shift and I'm in the camp that for me the shoulder strap is more natural.
Too old, I guess!
Phil

I bought my P/G Tele last year and broke the B string twice after about 5 hours of playing each time. I switched to an .014 and it hasn't snapped since.

I don't break strings any worse w/ or w/o bender -- I've always figured that I bend the 2nd string up by 2 frets with either, so stress & strain are comparable.

With my P/W b bender, I'm not breaking strings any more than normal.

I have more trouble with b strings breaking on my archtop which has a higgens b bender. Bil

Bill - So how do you like the Higgens? I was thinking about getting one for a Dano Convertible.


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I use a Hipshot on my 52RI and have never broke a B string.

My first bender was a p/w. Broke strings ocassionally. Then i sold it and bought a p/g. It broke strings all the time. Then i had a friend of mine to check it out. Turned out to be some kind of fabrication error from fender. He tightened the system and it has not broken strings since that!use a graph tech saddle on the "b". Have had the nashville for about 10 years now..Best bender i have ever tried by the way.

I always use elixir 0.10-0.46..

Well, since I have only had it a couple weeks, the Hipshot hasn't broken any. I use lithium grease on the string T, nut and bridge, so that might help. I have been pretty violent with it so far

Sargeslide

Bill - So how do you like the Higgens? I was thinking about getting one for a Dano Convertible.


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Will, I like it a lot; I have it on a jazzbox and it works great. The b string attaches with a hex screw and I probably have been turning it too tight. I put a second hole in it's guitar strap, (bridge end) about 2" up so I could switch to playing sitting down with no hassle. The peg bender itself works fine, has a fine tuning adjustment so once you get it close and locked down you can tweak it with out having to pull out the allen wrench . All in all it's a good bender and for sure the least invasive bender for a box guitar. I have had a lot of fun with mine. Anyway got to run; a U Haul just pulled up,... the old lady ain't in it so I guess I'm still good, hope you are too: Bil

I've never broken a string in several decades of PW use. I can't remember when I've broken a string at all, for that matter. I think if your guitar is set up correctly and you know how to pick without putting undue strain on the contacts points, you'll have the same results...of course, I can't vouch for other bender types than the PW, Hipshot and Higgins...those are the only ones I've used for any length of time (other than a Palm Pedal ages ago).

I don't break strings with my Hipshot unless they're stoopidly old!
Hi Jim!

hi will the only time i break strings is when theyre real old but ur right the b is the last to break. The Big Bends Nut Sauce that you gave me 2 years ago really helps on my non g&l guitar with the brass saddles if i dont use it the string will snap from the friction. My friend has the parsons green had the same problem and switched to graph tech saddles and he no longer had to oil the bridge. On my g&l i havnt broken a string since i got it.










sam sunderland

I had a parsons green for a while, strung it with .009s--which ment a .012 for the B..Id pop one now and then, usually when it was time to change strings. I went to .010s...a .013 for the B and havent broken one since. My current guitar is a p-w style and Ive never popped one on that.

The bender finger on the PGs can have a little burr on it that can break the B string. I think Gene Parsons talks about that on his maintenance page...if you have the guitar lubed and set up...and have addressed things like a burr in the wrong place...and play with a degree of finesse you shouldnt be breaking any strings

I've never broken a string in several decades of PW use. I can't remember when I've broken a string at all, for that matter. I think if your guitar is set up correctly and you know how to pick without putting undue strain on the contacts points, you'll have the same results...of course, I can't vouch for other bender types than the PW, Hipshot and Higgins...those are the only ones I've used for any length of time (other than a Palm Pedal ages ago).

Same here. I've had a P/W for 32 yrs., and have never broken a B string, and can't remember the last time I broke any string.

I have Glaser, P/W, and HipShot equipped Tele's, and the Glaser is the only one that has broken strings at the bender. It doesen't happen regularly, so I don't really see it as a real issue. I think it it's due to the sharp angle of the string at the saddle/bender.

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Do you lube the saddle on the Glaser? Just curious.


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The saddle on the Glaser is a "pedal steel finger" built into the saddle, the string doesn't slide over a stationary "saddle"...it moves with the "finger"....no need to lube. I had a Glaser double, B/D, and had no problems with breakage. I did have an issue with raising, or lowering the action....when adjusted, the lever throw would change....the "finger" rod would move up or down in it's actuating shaft, thus changing the distance between the point of pull, and the fulcrum point. Minor adjustments..no problem, but more elaborate setup changes, or the need to shim a neck, the malady becomes more exaggerated. All things considered, the Glaser worked well, sounded great, and it did address, and solve certain problems in the bender arena.

I can't remember the last time I broke a string on any guitar to tell the truth. I did break one on my lapsteel trying some wierd tunings. None though ever on my P/G or my Hipshot.

When I was using Fender 150s I'd occasionally (too often) break the "B" at the spot where it makes the sharp bend coming off the button.

This would usually happen with well-worn strings when I was trying to overbend with the bender and my left hand at the same time...

Since I switched to Thomastic-Infelds I haven't as yet had one go...

A bonus is that they sound better to me and seem to be more flexible.

Parsons-White #11

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Funny, but for some reason Fender strings are my least favorite strings. No tone.

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TI's must have all of it. :lol:

I always kinda dug the tone of the nickel Fenders, but the quality seemed to go
swirling down the bowl over the last couple of years so I tried a few others.

I'm pleased with the TI PowerBrites so far.

I use GHS Boomers (.010) on my bender and rarely break a string on it or anythingelse. If I do, it always seems to be right on the end at the barrel. Maybe a couple of times in the last 4 or 5 years........I use graftek bridge parts and graphite the nut also....

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I've been a GHS man since around 1975. Super Steels and Boomers.


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"Since I switched to Thomastic-Infelds"
Aren't those just THE best strings? I use their Jazz BeBop strings on my archtops that I use for bottleneckin' as well as their Power-Brights on my Teles. I was amazed at how much better they sound than any other strings I've ever used over the last 45 years.

"Since I switched to Thomastic-Infelds"
Aren't those just THE best strings? I use their Jazz BeBop strings on my archtops that I use for bottleneckin' as well as their Power-Brights on my Teles. I was amazed at how much better they sound than any other strings I've ever used over the last 45 years.

I'm sure happy with them.

Even though they cost more, they last a lot longer for me and *do* sound noticeably better.

They even seem to be easier to bend and like I mentioned, I haven't yet broken even a really stale one with the bender.

Just Strings even sells singles, but I haven't needed one yet.

I used Fender pure nickel wraps forever and liked them till I started getting cruddy ones in the pack, but I *really* like the TI's

I cut down my string breakage a lot by gently filing the V where the string pivots in the moving cam on the Parsons-Green in my Nashville. I made it more rounded rather than a sharp V. I hardly ever break em now. I use a bit of Tri-flow lubricant in that pivot cam now and then.

I broke two on my Fender Nashville P/G just after I got it, so I took Brian's and Don's advice and polished the V. Since then, I have not had a string break. I have never broken a string on my P/W long throw and so far, none on my P/G Hipshot.

I've had HipShot and currently have a long throw P/W style by Bill Bores. I've never broken a string. But then again I hardly ever break strings anyway.

i have been breaking strings all the time with a duesenberg bender. i used it for slide, open e, 13-56-strings. that was such a pain, i gave up. now the duesenberg is waiting for a lapsteel, where it will fit. with hipshots the strings last a long time in my experience. maybe thats because the angle of the b-string is not steep at all.

Yeah, polishing and fine tuning the "V" spot is the key on the Parsons-Green.

"V" spot! I like it..... I guess only benders would understand.....

By the way, I got a set of really small, thin files at Home Depot for cheap. They have a very small diameter round file that is perfect for reaming the "V".
(^_^)

mines a home made bender , and its never broken a string no matter what gauge i`ve used or how old the strings are. i got brass saddles on my tele .

Well, just as much as the other 4 strings.lol

no breaks..hardly ever.
JB

So far i haven't broken any.....yet that is :wink:
Timara B n' G benders, D'Addario XL110s

on top of the guitar which turns when you apply the bender. When I got mine, Stringpull told me it was best to put the string through the hole and instead of going direct to the bridge, you then wrap the string around the button and then go to the bridge. I do that and I've never broken a string with mine.

Also I have a P/G (the HipShot version) tuned from D to D, so it's an A bender but it hasn't broken any strings at all either, same for a standard HipShot bender guitar I have.

As far a Bigsby Palm Pedals, I've used them for at least 35 or 36 years now and for a long while it was six nights a week and never popped a string at all......JH in Va.

Hi Will. I've only broke one B string on my P/G in the two years I've had it. It was an old string, all 6 were overdue for a changing. Broke right were the string sits on the bridge saddle.

Hardly ever break any strings on my Telecaster with the P/G.
Until I started playing along with the B bender Mania DVD:lol:
B string popped 1/2 way thru.... but it was worth it!!!

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Do you lube the saddle on the Glaser? Just curious.


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Sorry for the late response, I have Graph-Tech string trees, and nut, but steel saddles. I haven't put any lube on the saddles. Any thoughts on that?

The Glaser saddle is a Pedal Steel finger, it would be of no consequence to lube the saddle, the string moves with it, not over it, however I have had to re-radius Glaser saddles due to sitaring, and the wrong radius, as in too sharp an angle, and this could cause breakage. BENDECASTER, you might want to have the finger/saddle re-radiused if the problem persists, or gets worse.

It never happens with my Epiphone Ez-bender (had it for 6 years) and never also with my Parsons-White bender (had it for 2 years).