6-hole bridge ruins strings

[Mike_Kinny]

Hi,

Have I told you that I hate 6-hole bridges?
This is what happens every time. the bass strings get wounded and break right there.
What am I doing wrong?

[Mike_Kinny]

Another image showing strings D and A both wounded.

[janepaints]

For about a year i've been tying the strings to beads rather doing than the traditional loop-tie...

it increases the break-angle over the saddle, increasing the volume slightly and, imo, yielding better tone...no strings have broken yet via this method...it also seems to quicken the stretching-out time for new strings...

unlike using the few manufactured ball-end classical strings, this allows you to use whatever brand/type of string you prefer, including mixed-brand, mixed-tension, mixed formulation sets etc.

they're visible in this video:

[Mike_Kinny]

Originally Posted by janepaints

For about a year i've been tying the strings to beads rather doing than the traditional loop-tie...

Yes that seems to be the only way for me who has used 12-hole bridges for years.

[H165]

This is a humorous thread for us old guys. Anyone who played with ball ends in our day was accused of using "the wrong" strings. LaBella Folksingers were the main culprit in the '60s.

[dosland]

I've never had this happen, and I've never used anything but a six-string bridge. I wonder if this has to do with how the strings are being installed and brought up to tension? I draw the string tight to lock it over the bridge by pulling all the tension up toward the headstock, then fiddle with the most annoying business of tensioning up on the rollers. I can't imagine I've lit on a brilliant solution or even an unusual system, this is just how it works for me. The only thing I notice that is different in your images from what my strings look like at the bridge is that the bend angle (where the string loops around itself) is quite a bit steeper here than on mine. Surely someone out there can explain what's going on here, I can't believe that classical guitarists the world over are just putting up with damaged strings from day one because there's no solution. And no, ball-end strings aren't the best solution in my personal and limited opinion, because I have yet to find any that sound anywhere near as good as traditional tied strings (with or without bead ends, which I do find to be an interesting solution, but which I also haven't tried yet).

[HHP]

Maybe I'm missing something in the photos. I always had the tag end of the string spiral around the string moving towards the back of the bridge. The very end of the tag would then get looped under the adjacent string.

[janepaints]

over the past few years i've become more focused on classical/nylon string guitars--i now only own one steel-string but have 5 nylon-string guitars!

here's a good video about the proper way to string classical guitars---especially note the method used at the tuning gears...

since i've been using this gear-tie method (and using string beads) the strings come up to pitch and stabilize MUCH faster (the bass strings become stable in a hour or so, the trebles overnight, or after 3-4 hours of normal playing....

most bonafide classical guitarists use this tuning-gear-tie method for good reason!

warning: never 'stretch out' nylon strings by pulling-up on them after they're strung and brought to pitch, as can be done with steel strings--you risk thinning the areas of the string where your fingers pull, resulting in strings that play with false/poor intonation.

concerning beads: it's actually an old-school method, used in spain, france, italy etc...ditto for tying decorative slip-proof knots at the bridge, which i've never done.

so, i now LOVE changing strings on classicals--i actually look forward to it, it's a nice 10-minute non-irritating peaceful chore..and unlike changing steel strings, no nasty fingertip punctures from the dang micro-spears called steel string ends...

[Bikewer]

I've got three nylon-string guitars currently, and have never experienced this. Seems to me from your picture that the "loop" is way too far forward, and as a result the string is "breaking" over the loop of string itself.
On none of my guitars is this the case. The string makes a straight line from the exit hole in the bridge to the saddle....The loop simply passes under the string and has no tension whatever.
The string is held by the windings under the string in the case of the trebles, or at the back of the bridge in the case of the basses.

[janepaints]

Originally Posted by Bikewer

I've got three nylon-string guitars currently, and have never experienced this. Seems to me from your picture that the "loop" is way too far forward, and as a result the string is "breaking" over the loop of string itself.
On none of my guitars is this the case. The string makes a straight line from the exit hole in the bridge to the saddle....The loop simply passes under the string and has no tension whatever.
The string is held by the windings under the string in the case of the trebles, or at the back of the bridge in the case of the basses.

You might be right!!....if the string-hole's exit-ends have been worn/widened from years of use, the loop will pull them higher towards the top of the bridge, and upward string pressure could cause the holes' top-edges to dig into the windings.

If the original poster could provide a close-up photo of the exit-end of the holes it might show if this is the case.

[Mike_Kinny]

The video on changing strings that Jane shared seems to work. The tie at the bridge has to be tightened before attaching the other end of the string to the machine head. But in that case the break angle gets so small that the guitar sound suffers.

Anyway I went ahead and ordered these tie beads.

Tie beads

[riffmeister]

I've never had this problem, must be something funky with the location of the holes (too low?) in the OP's guitar. If that is true, then the bridge beads will solve the problem.

[Paraclete]

What does it look like from the side view? How much are those loops pulling on the string? There is zero pull on mine, so maybe a problem with angle or position of the loop. Is this your only classical? If not, do you have this problem on other guitars? What kind of strings are you using, and have you tried other kinds of strings?

[ZippyChip]

I took a close look at wo guitars (with a magnifier) and there was very little separation on my strings. No problems here.