New to Strats, high E string keeps breaking

Sounds like a burr on the saddle, but you said you changed saddles.

Have you tried swapping the entire bridge out? There may be an irregularity on the bridge itself that is driving that.

Also, what model of Strat do you have? There may be a known issue with your particular model.

I have a Fender American Performer, and I have no issue bending as much as I want.

 

Look at the bridge plate itself, is the string breaking at the ball?

 

Good place to look! Yes, is it breaking on the back side of saddle? Where the string exits the sustain block?

 

Grab the ball end and reinsert it...check the point of failure. With any luck it will be in the same place, that is where you need to work on any abrupt edges.

 

You might have to take that bridge completely apart to clean up both sides of that bridge plate hole, its a pretty big job, hope your up for it.

 

The string is not stretched so it is not reflecting the exact spot.

How about some good close pictures without strings....you have a phone.

 

I would file smooth with a small round file where the string hits the bridge saddle. It appears all your strings are on the sharp edge there.

 

SRV'S tech used to put heat shrink tubing on the strings where it goes through the bridge plate to protect them from breaking there.

 

Its rubbing on that bridge plate for sure, I'm still suspicious of that part.

 

I feel like I need to go get a tetanus shot.

Just sayin'.

 

I remember someone telling me to rub a little vaseline on the string where it meets the bridge.

 

Yep!!
Or any old pickup wire are you have a big enough in diameter wire:

Cut a 1" or so piece off, pull the copper wire out and cut a small piece leading where the string leaves the saddle to inside the body,
maybe an inch long or so.

That keeps from binding and breaking.
Works on my strat.

.

 

Indeed... then, get a wah wah and start playing some 70s music... turn down the lights...

 

If you must bend that far with such a thin string, you need to smooth over the front edge of the "oval" string cutouts on the saddles, or wrap that area with something (e.g. a little tiny piece of duct tape). Remember that those saddles were designed in 1954, when rock-n-roll was only starting to be heard by the masses, and it sounded more like what we would call "R&B" these days, rather than "rock-n-roll." Those were the days when the stock 12s were considered "mediums," saddles were generally set a bit higher off the bridge plate (less string angle over the front edge of the "oval" hole), and bending wasn't commonly practiced, especially on the high E string, and/or more than a step. Even today, more than 1 step bends on the high E string are not all that commonly used in music.