bone saddle for electric guitar

[Drone]

If it helps, high E's are overrated

Maybe try a 9, just in the top position on that guitar, being thinner it won't need as much tension. If it breaks, there's something funny going on.

[vvv]

FWIW, mebbe try picking a little closer to the neck?

Also, when I went from the hard yellow Delrin .73 to the more flexible grey .73 nylon Dunlops, I seldom break strings anymore.

Assuming, of course, it might be you and not the guitar is the issue ...

[ashcat_lt]

FWIW, mebbe try picking a little closer to the neck?

Also, when I went from the hard yellow Delrin .73 to the more flexible grey .73 nylon Dunlops, I seldom break strings anymore.

Assuming, of course, it might be you and not the guitar is the issue ...

Neither of these would be an acceptable solution for me. I use picking position to affect tone and timbre, and I can not stand a pick that flexes in the least. Likewise, a .10 is already too light, especially on a Gibson scale guitar, and there's no way I'd be changing strings for that kind of reason. If you are just whacking the thing like a drunk punk monkey, then you don't really need the E anyway, but if it just keeps breaking under reasonable use, there is something wrong.

Is it possible that the breakover angle is just too steep? I wouldn't want to mess with action too much to fix an issue like this either, but maybe the stop bar could be raised a little bit, or the neck angle is a bit wrong and needs to be shimmed/unshimmed and the saddle height adjusted to compensate.

Or maybe that bone saddle is also just a little sharp.

[ubertar]

Is it possible that the breakover angle is just too steep? ...maybe the stop bar could be raised a little bit

I think you nailed it right there. This is the first guitar I've owned with that style of bridge, and the previous owner had set the stop bar as low as it could go. I raised it up quite a bit now... time will tell, but I think that was the culprit.

[vvv]

..., and I can not stand a pick that flexes in the least.

I used to be that way.

But then, I used to use .12's on my guitars, too.

When I started playing a lot of bass, I realized that softer picks can sound finger-like, or at least less pick-like. (I use the .73's on bass, also.)

As stated, I break less strings (almost none - seriously) and I feel my picking is also faster; as well, I very seldom drop 'em.

Fun facts: I used to suck on my yellow delrins to soften 'em, and pen-knife carve 'em to re-sharpen 'em, two things not necessary with the soft nylons, what never dull.

[ashcat_lt]

I used to be that way.

I prefer to use my fingers directly most of the time, but I don't really have a problem with a pick not sounding "finger like" when I do use it. I can vary the angle and attack enough to get what I want most of the time. I just need to know where it is, or where it's going to be, with any given gesture. If the thing bends, and doesn't get where I want it to be until after I tell it to get there...

I use the blue and purple Tortex.

[Nick Sevilla]

Ah, good point. I'll keep that in mind if I decide to go for all six.
But... broke another high E yesterday.

Yes, they're always breaking right at that point.

Maybe you are picking too close to the saddle, and the angle created by the pick strike and the saddle eventually weakens the string at that point too much, until it breaks easily.

Lots of rock guitarists have this issue. Picking closer to the bridge gives more of a high tone. It is a trade off I suppose.

Maybe try a different pick. Or try picking slightly closer to the neck.

Cheers.

[ubertar]

It was the breakover angle. Once I raised the stopbar (and later switched over to the top-wrap method) I stopped breaking strings.

I also replaced the nut with bone, which has nothing to do with breaking strings, but improved the tone dramatically, unlike the bone saddle, which had a much more subtle effect.

[Jim Williams]

Try .0095, works for me.