GraphTech String saver.... (string breakage)

[jimklein]

I came across this website a few weeks ago in searching for strings...
http://www.graphtech.com

In there is a PDF file that talks about why strings break & also their solution. Bottom line, they say strings break because the arch across the saddle being pressed down with no movement.

I ended up buying 3 of their "string saver" saddles ($10/ea) for my Taylors & put one on last night, (very workable material compared to Bone/Ivory)

But...

1. Is the theory about breakage true?
2. Does their saddle fix this in actual experiance?
3. What about the tone?
4. Does this mean their saddle will wear down faster?

My problem is that I've tried many-many strings & strum fairly hard. Since I use .013's I really like the Elixir Nano's in feel & tone & life. But I do tend to break them onstage & in a large Church, I can't afford to break strings.

Thanks all!
Jim

[tac5]

In my opinion, I must say that other than having a sharp edge with a steep angle from the saddle the only things that breaks strings are bad technique. Throw in a binding nut and faulty strings too. Also, old age (strings, not the player). Any string will break if struck hard enough at just the right angle.

[bing4sons]

Graphtech manufactures the TUSQ saddles that come standard on Taylor guitars.

[Oracle]

Hey Jim,
Graphtech is also the company that makes the Tusq saddle
that comes stock in current Taylors. The string savers
saddle is different only because it has a lubricant included
in the maufacturing process, thus the different color.
I've found that vigorous strummers wear saddles faster
than someone with a lighter touch. Sanding grooves out
of the top of a saddle for heavy strummers is a fact of life.
That said, a bone saddle being a denser material should
hold up longer than a manufactured material saddle.
Let us know how your experiment works out.

Mike

[rcolosi]

Strings will break over the saddle for a number of reason. One of them, as Jim pointed out is if the break angle of the string is too sharp, or there is an insufficient ramp leading to the crown (particularly on the wound G) the string will break easier. The ramp (among other things) actually helps alleviate the stress on the string where it passes over the crown. "How much" angle is required is a very fine line, and is particular to different types of guitars. The other factor is the resonance of the string versus amount of contact over the ramp effect eachother. So it's a big balancing act sometimes. The factory saddles come wit a pretty flat ramp. My saddles (and most aftermarketers of natural material) have a bit more, to free up the strings, but not too much so as to allow easier breakage. Then there's the issue of ramp vs. break angle vs. compensation location... but that's another subject.

To answer the questions:
1. Is the theory about breakage true?
as mentioned above, yes.

2. Does their saddle fix this in actual experience?
any properly constructed saddle will not cause strings to break more readily

3. What about the tone?
the graphtech string saver saddle is still remarkably similar to the tusq

4. Does this mean their saddle will wear down faster?
being plastic, it will wear down as fast as any factory installed saddle...and of course as Mike said, your playing style will have a big impact on how fast you wear a saddle out. If you're heavy handed Jim, and use .013's...you're probably one of those guys that will wear your saddles out a bit quicker.

I don't mean this as a sales pitch...your local luthier can do this for you as well, but you may want to have a saddle constructed that allows the minimum break angle..perhaps even less than the factory spec. This should help your breakage problem. Playing aggressively with .013's...combined with a little attention to detail on the saddle should not rob you of any tone either.

...hope that helps.

[Bob Womack]

The typical application for the StringSaver is where there is a lot of motion in the string, as in electric guitar where there may be a lot of bending or a whammy bar. The theory for this innovation is very much like that of sintered brass solid bearings: a lubricant is included in the make-up of the material so that any wear also releases lubricant.

I have one on an electric. Ironically, at the moment it's the only one I need to relieve because it has a little bit of binding.

Bob

[rockstar_not]

The TUSQ saddle on my Larrivee started showing grooves a year or so ago. All of a sudden, within 6 months, I was breaking wound G-strings (I strum almost exclusively) right at the saddle (and rendering the guitar useless for the rest of the set. I wrote Larrivee and they recommended light sanding to remove the grooves. The grooves will cause an unnatural stress riser in the strings since it's almost like putting a pair of pliers right on the string at the saddle. Take away the 'pliers' by sanding, and no more string breakage. Now I know that when I replace strings, I should give the saddle a very quick once-over with very fine sandpaper.

Perhaps the string saver acoustic saddle is less prone to groove formation; though it doesn't seem like it based on their description.

I do swear by graph-tec's string saver saddles for electrics. I've had them on my electrics for a couple of years with no breakages - just good old string wearout/dullness after awhile.

-Scott

[tenthumbs]

edited for stupidity...