Keep Breaking the High E string

[Larry H.]

Here comes a learning issue. I have been a member for a few years. I focused primarily on rhythym for that time. That year or so I have been focusing on soloing. I have learned Solo 1, Solo 2, 5EBS 1, 2 and 3. I am working on 4 Note Solo and up to lesson 9 in Solo w/o scales. Here’s the problem...

I have 5 different guitars (2 Asats, 1 Legacy, 2 Mex Strats). All are very well cared for guitars. I keep snapping the High E string in practice. It snaps in the area of the bends of the key being worked; i.e. 5th fret, 8th fret and 10th fret. It happens all the guitars, including the brand new Legacy.

I give up. What am I doing that is causing these string failures. I use Ernie Ball Slinky (9). I even changed 1 guitar to (10). You guessed it, snapped the high E.

Last one broke within 1 hour of practice. Full step bends are the largest bends being done.

 

[OG_Blues]

First thing to do is to make sure your frets are polished to mirror smoothness. Even a small amount of roughness in a fret will act like sandpaper on the bottom edge of the string. Inspect them with a magnifying glass and polish if need. Actually, I say polish them even if you don't think they need it - you will eliminate one possible contributor to string breaking. Then you can't blame the frets for the real reason you are breaking strings, plus it will make bends easier.
That said, the most likely culprit for breaking strings is your technique. Breaking strings seems to be one of those guitar playing "rites of passage" similar to learning barre chords. Almost everyone goes through a string breaking stage. It can last quite a while, so be patient, and buy a bunch of extra single E strings. The basic problem is being too heavy handed. It feels like you need to apply a lot of pressure to bend a string - but no, you don't really. The pressure needs to be applied in the right direction. This could be mapped out using force vectors to show how much force needs to be applied to the string and in which direction. You only need to apply enough force towards the fretboard to keep the string in contact with the fret - this force vector is no more than "normal fretting of a note while playing. You must simultaneously exert enough force "across" the fret board to accomplish the bend. This is the larger force vector, and it take time and practice to get the two forces properly (im)balanced to minimize the string wear that leads to breakage.
If this sounds too "physics class like", then in plain language, exert less force towards the fret board surface, and more force laterally across the fretboard. Eventually you will stop breaking strings.
I used to break strings every once in a while - I haven't broken a string in a couple years now - can't actually remember the last one.
This is a common guitar playing malady, so don't beat yourself up.

 

[MikeS]

What OG said... Push don't press.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

What OG said... Push don't press.

I'll 2nd that. The fact that this same thing is happening with all of your guitars pretty much rules out rough frets being the culprit. I have 15 electrics and only two of them have ever had the frets dressed. I can't even remember the last time I broke a string. If you are using a really low action, raising the strings a tad might help. That way it is much easier for your finger to "grab" the string for a bend to help avoid using a gorilla grip to get hold of it and therefore "saw" your string across the fret.

 

[Larry H.]

Hey, hey. Finally responses that makes sense. I knew it had to be something I was doing. Thanks so much for the feedback. I will cut myself some slack, keeping buying 9s from Amazon and focusing on pushing it pressing. I can honestly say I press pretty hard on the bends.

 

[Silicon Valley Tom]

We have had so many discussions about breaking strings due to bending techniques, and fret dressing. In fact, I thought that I was doing something wrong, as I have not broken any strings on my electric guitars, even though I do a lot of bends.

Having extra 1st strings sounds like a good idea, while you chase down the problem. Who know, it might help to use a different brand of strings? My personal favorite brand is D'Addario, but there are many good brands out there they tell me!

You might try doing a few bends as practice warm ups. Developing technique is so important.

One thing I remember about my electric guitars was how my strat and telecaster behaved before I set them up. If I wanted to do a bend and the guitar was not set up correctly, the lower strings (1 and 2) when bent, would pass under the third string. The 1st would pas under the 2nd. That has to do with the set up and the sharp neck radius involved. My guitars with 12" and greater radius did not have that issue, but when set up correctly, all was well.

You might try using google to see what others have to say on this issue. There are some examples on YouTube.

Tom.

 

[MarkDyson]

Have to double-triple-fourple agree on fret polishing. I didn't know it was a thing until last year, now I can't live without having it done. If you're uncomfortable wielding abrasive stuff around quality fretwood my experience is it's not a very expensive thing to have done by a good luthier.

 

[TerryH]

I think OG is about right. I had a stage when I was breaking the high E and once even the B string on bends. Like you, LH it never happened when I playing I was playing rhythm. It usually happened when the strings were about 6 weeks old. Then it just stopped. I didn't consciously try to change anything. I think my technique generally just got better and more importantly more relaxed. Like OG said it's a right of passage.

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Hey, hey. Finally responses that makes sense. I knew it had to be something I was doing. Thanks so much for the feedback. I will cut myself some slack, keeping buying 9s from Amazon and focusing on pushing it pressing. I can honestly say I press pretty hard on the bends.

Well, there you go … most likely the problem. If you are squeezing your string hard against the fretboard while doing bends, it is tantamount to sawing your string against the frets. It also will make the bend harder to do because of the friction against the fretboard, and over time will cup your fretboard. You really don't need a lot of towards-the-fretboard pressure, just enough to contact the frets. Bending or otherwise. Try to develop a lighter touch … and say the "push, don't squeeze' mantra every time you do a bend. If you find that you have a hard time finding anything to push without squeezing, well, raise your action just enough to be able to easily push the string. A lighter touch will not only most likely cure your string breakage problem but will also translate to faster playing overall.

 

[Elio]

Here comes a learning issue. I have been a member for a few years. I focused primarily on rhythym for that time. That year or so I have been focusing on soloing. I have learned Solo 1, Solo 2, 5EBS 1, 2 and 3. I am working on 4 Note Solo and up to lesson 9 in Solo w/o scales. Here’s the problem...

I have 5 different guitars (2 Asats, 1 Legacy, 2 Mex Strats). All are very well cared for guitars. I keep snapping the High E string in practice. It snaps in the area of the bends of the key being worked; i.e. 5th fret, 8th fret and 10th fret. It happens all the guitars, including the brand new Legacy.

I give up. What am I doing that is causing these string failures. I use Ernie Ball Slinky (9). I even changed 1 guitar to (10). You guessed it, snapped the high E.

Last one broke within 1 hour of practice. Full step bends are the largest bends being done.

In my case I remember going through a phase when that would happen often to me. I started buying high E songs in bulk because I would sometimes go through a couple in a practice session, particularly if I was learning something with a lot of bends. Someone here pointed out that I was being too heavy handed and pressing down on those bends, and that what I needed to do was focus on sliding the string across the fret rather than down on to the fret. Since doing that, I rarely break a string now. When I do, it's a reminder that it's time to lighten my touch.

 

[PapaBear]

Nothing to add here, sounds like the guys have you all sorted out.

 

[Larry H.]

Thanks for all the help. I am happy to report that the breakage has gone away now that I am paying to attention to not pushing down so hard prior to the bend. I appreciate the feedback.