Bernie Marsden Signature constantly snapping strings

[Bordonbert]

Does anyone else know of any problems with snapping strings on a 2017 Bernie Marsden Signature? I'm using Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys and in the last two months I have snapped 2 e 10s, 1 B 13s, 2 D 26s, and 1 A 36. I've even had two in the same night. None of these has gone beyond two weeks old and I am changing the others out as standard at the same time just in case. The only one which hasn't yet had a problem is the G 17.

I'm using it gigging about twice a week playing classic rock stuff doing mostly rhythm/riffing rather than constant lead. I wipe the strings down with a clip over cleaner. For the rest of the time it sits in its case as I have other house guitars I practice with.

They always snap at exactly the same point, right where the string passes over the wraparound bridge leaving only the tail end and fold up to the saddle ridge. Nothing has been done to modify it so it is in factory supplied condition.

I've never had this problem with my Gibsons and I'm not known as a particularly heavy player.

 

[Smitty]

Might be a burr on the bridge. Maybe have a tech give it a buff.

I had an American Standard Strat that was constantly breaking the high E at the tuning post. I replaced the stock tuners with fender locking tuners and it has resolved the issue.

 

[gush]

Where do the strings break? If they always break at the bridge then you have something going on with the slots the strings rest in.

Corrosion is probably your culprit. You could sand or file the rough stuff out of there or this would give you a reason to swa bridge.

If you swap bridge, you have options. New usa prs bridge or a prs adjustable. You could try other brands as well.

I bought a used adjustable bridge for my Mccarty and also installed locking posts. The locking posts will hold the bridge in a tighter more accurate manner AND if you take all the strings off, bridge stays put.

Good luck.

 

[Bordonbert]

Thanks for the replies guys. As it is across a few of the strings it can't really be a single simple burr. It would need to be 4 burrs, one for each problem string. I wouldn't have thought I would have a bridge so badly finished as that. I reckon it's either something fundamentally wrong with the bridge design, and no one else seems to be complaining about this so that's unlikely, or it's down to my playing though as I said I'm not overly energetic playing mainly rhythm/riffing at the moment and no other guitars have a problem with me.

I will say that I have no problem with the way the wraparound bridge does its job outside of this issue but I like the idea of the adjustable bridge replacement and I firmly believe in locking everything down where you can. I looked at a couple of available models and was a bit taken aback at the prices. I know they are an improved product but for the cost of three of them I could buy a whole new PRS! There is a limit where "boutique" becomes "prendre la pisse"! I'll keep an eye on the market to see if there are any other alternatives to the "designed by Shaolin monks Japanese swordmaker forged billet titanium NASA machined adjustable from an iPod app" ones I've encountered so far.

 

[garrett]

Thanks for the replies guys. As it is across a few of the strings it can't really be a single simple burr. It would need to be 4 burrs, one for each problem string. I wouldn't have thought I would have a bridge so badly finished as that. I reckon it's either something fundamentally wrong with the bridge design, and no one else seems to be complaining about this so that's unlikely, or it's down to my playing though as I said I'm not overly energetic playing mainly rhythm/riffing at the moment and no other guitars have a problem with me.

I will say that I have no problem with the way the wraparound bridge does its job outside of this issue but I like the idea of the adjustable bridge replacement and I firmly believe in locking everything down where you can. I looked at a couple of available models and was a bit taken aback at the prices. I know they are an improved product but for the cost of three of them I could buy a whole new PRS! There is a limit where "boutique" becomes "prendre la pisse"! I'll keep an eye on the market to see if there are any other alternatives to the "designed by Shaolin monks Japanese swordmaker forged billet titanium NASA machined adjustable from an iPod app" ones I've encountered so far.

Definitely not normal for the design. If you bought it new, contact your dealer and you may be able to get a new bridge.

Pure speculation, but maybe something went wonky during plating and you've got burrs on several slots. As already said, you can give it a good inspection and file down any offenders.

If you want something that locks, a Schroeder can't be beat. The MannMade 2300 is also top of the heap quality wise.

 

[Ovibos]

Can you share some pix? Might be instructive...

 

[grausch]

Thanks for the replies guys. As it is across a few of the strings it can't really be a single simple burr. It would need to be 4 burrs, one for each problem string. I wouldn't have thought I would have a bridge so badly finished as that. I reckon it's either something fundamentally wrong with the bridge design, and no one else seems to be complaining about this so that's unlikely, or it's down to my playing though as I said I'm not overly energetic playing mainly rhythm/riffing at the moment and no other guitars have a problem with me.

I will say that I have no problem with the way the wraparound bridge does its job outside of this issue but I like the idea of the adjustable bridge replacement and I firmly believe in locking everything down where you can. I looked at a couple of available models and was a bit taken aback at the prices. I know they are an improved product but for the cost of three of them I could buy a whole new PRS! There is a limit where "boutique" becomes "prendre la pisse"! I'll keep an eye on the market to see if there are any other alternatives to the "designed by Shaolin monks Japanese swordmaker forged billet titanium NASA machined adjustable from an iPod app" ones I've encountered so far.

I bought my Bernie end of 2016 and have never broken a string, but I may be too gentle. My 5 year old manages to break them quite easily though...

Your situation seems odd and is the first time I hear of this with a Bernie.

 

[bodia]

I bought my Bernie end of 2016 and have never broken a string, but I may be too gentle. My 5 year old manages to break them quite easily though...

Your situation seems odd and is the first time I hear of this with a Bernie.

Not something I've seen posted anywhere either. Seems odd, to me. The Bernie is a beast of a guitar. Nothing not to love about it!

 

[Bordonbert]

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas guys. I'm really pleased no one is saying "the best thing is to swap out the bridge for that replacement made from billet silver by Tibetan monks in the Maujau Abbey and smuggled to the West on a yak"!

I do think I may have got to the bottom of it. I did a complete string change the other day and I noticed an odd thing with the whole bridge setup. The top surface of the bridge is already showing signs of wear from my hand with the plating looking dulled. Smears and marks clean up with a cloth easily enough but it has definitely lost its new shine in just a few weeks. I'm not worried about that at all, it just shows me how much I am sliding my palm across that area. And when I took each of the strings off it was immediately noticeable that the grooves which they sit in right across the bridge were filled with black muck around the tail, presumably sweat and skin scrapings from my hand, (I do sweat a lot when playing live).

I think that is just corroding the strings very quickly across that whole area which is where they always snap. I clean my strings with a soft cloth tool made for the job but it can't get down under the strings in that area of course. It would explain why it is spread across all of them in general too. I'm going to have to keep an eye on this as it might benefit from a change of playing style as long as that doesn't impact on the sound.

One other thought was to come up with some thin plastic covering for the strings over the bridge to help protect them from it. Anyone seen anything like that in use? I wouldn't have thought too many people would have this issue so it may not have been required at all.

 

[shinksma]

OK, based on what you just posted, I concur: your sweat is getting under the strings, corroding them despite being wiped down on all the exposed areas.

I've never seen a "bridge guard" per se, but I suppose it could be done. Wait, now that I think about it, didn't one of the Fender basses have that?

Yep:

 

[JJJ]

sounds like a problem with the saddles.

Rather than buy a whole new bridge, have a tech go over all the saddle slots with a file, or maybe replace the saddles. Don't hold me to this but I am pretty sure most strat type replacement saddles will fit the PRS bridge if you are interested in other types

 

[Ovibos]

sounds like a problem with the saddles.

Rather than buy a whole new bridge, have a tech go over all the saddle slots with a file, or maybe replace the saddles. Don't hold me to this but I am pretty sure most strat type replacement saddles will fit the PRS bridge if you are interested in other types

This is a Bernie, so he has the one piece wraparound "lightning" bridge. No saddles.

If you do replace the bridge, I'm on record a few times as saying the TonePros is dumb and annoying.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Are the breakages coinciding with the break angle on the bridge?

See image

https://goo.gl/images/NeemkA

If so, as the other guys have said, there may be a sharp edge in each of the holes that is causing this problem. Good luck with sorting the problem.

 

[JJJ]

This is a Bernie, so he has the one piece wraparound "lightning" bridge. No saddles.

If you do replace the bridge, I'm on record a few times as saying the TonePros is dumb and annoying.

ah yes silly me

I have one of those bridges

Maybe OP should see about having the slots filed a bit, all the way around. Is it an SE model?

 

[Bordonbert]

A couple have gone where the string breaks off the edge of the bridge into free space and a couple have gone round about where it makes its way onto the top surface just after the tightest bend. I really can't see or feel any burrs there at all though I have very gently stroked over it with a diamond rat's tail file set. Even though the original wraparound does a cracking good job apart from this problem I'm looking at the possibility of changing out the bridge now if I can do it at reasonable cost. It won't be for anything exotic and ultra expensive. I'm really not mean if something is fair value for what it cost to design and produce and for what it does, I just don't see guitar/pedal pricing the way others seem to nowadays. Kind of a "well you jus' gotta 'ave it incha" attitude and of course manufacturers drive that and price accordingly.

I was looking into the Gotoh 510UB at around £60. It has a kind of notch/slide fit on the studs which seems quite firm and they lock down which I do like from my Les Paul which I modded to include my own spacers. I did find that produces a noticeable increase in sustain. (Incidentally, 6mm aluminium skateboard axle spacers are perfect to file down to make bridge shims for screwing down to the deck. You need a new pair of studs which you file the shoulder off. Then the spacers have a wide flange in them which you cut the shaft down to on one side to support the tailpiece/bridge in place of the stud flange. Then just file the other end of the spacer shaft down until they are the exact right height. Takes an hour or two but it is a real improvement.) I know people talk about the improvements in sound which aspects like billet aluminium stock give but I have to be honest I have never got it! In my classic rock covers pub band , in a tight pub lounge with a drummer bashing alongside me any such differences are - well - a bit lost. Bedroom v Gig is always a contentious issue.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

A couple have gone where the string breaks off the edge of the bridge into free space and a couple have gone round about where it makes its way onto the top surface just after the tightest bend. I really can't see or feel any burrs there at all though I have very gently stroked over it with a diamond rat's tail file set. Even though the original wraparound does a cracking good job apart from this problem I'm looking at the possibility of changing out the bridge now if I can do it at reasonable cost. It won't be for anything exotic and ultra expensive. I'm really not mean if something is fair value for what it cost to design and produce and for what it does, I just don't see guitar/pedal pricing the way others seem to nowadays. Kind of a "well you jus' gotta 'ave it incha" attitude and of course manufacturers drive that and price accordingly.

I was looking into the Gotoh 510UB at around £60. It has a kind of notch/slide fit on the studs which seems quite firm and they lock down which I do like from my Les Paul which I modded to include my own spacers. I did find that produces a noticeable increase in sustain. (Incidentally, 6mm aluminium skateboard axle spacers are perfect to file down to make bridge shims for screwing down to the deck. You need a new pair of studs which you file the shoulder off. Then the spacers have a wide flange in them which you cut the shaft down to on one side to support the tailpiece/bridge in place of the stud flange. Then just file the other end of the spacer shaft down until they are the exact right height. Takes an hour or two but it is a real improvement.) I know people talk about the improvements in sound which aspects like billet aluminium stock give but I have to be honest I have never got it! In my classic rock covers pub band , in a tight pub lounge with a drummer bashing alongside me any such differences are - well - a bit lost. Bedroom v Gig is always a contentious issue.

I have a Gotoh 510UB and they are very good for the price, very practical and the sustain is nice too. I don’t have anything else to compare with, so this is just my take on a nicely made piece of guitar hardware that I have experience of.

Plus Gotoh hardware must be of a reasonable reputation, as PRS have them make their tuners!

 

[gush]

Run a Q tip over it to see if any cotton snags.

 

[Bordonbert]

Thanks Alnus, it's good to hear that someone who uses the bridge actually rates it as doing the job well. I can get a black version too which should suit my PRS Grey Black finish quite nicely. I'm replacing the knobs with black versions as well. Whoever thought it was a good idea to put the ones which match the "Ginger Tomcat" finish onto the infinitely more sophisticated grey black, (which I think looks blue and my wife thinks is green)?

And thanks for the tip Gush, that's a great idea which I would never have thought of.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Thanks Alnus, it's good to hear that someone who uses the bridge actually rates it as doing the job well. I can get a black version too which should suit my PRS Grey Black finish quite nicely. I'm replacing the knobs with black versions as well. Whoever thought it was a good idea to put the ones which match the "Ginger Tomcat" finish onto the infinitely more sophisticated grey black, (which I think looks blue and my wife thinks is green)?

And thanks for the tip Gush, that's a great idea which I would never have thought of.

They make one in black/chrome (ruthenium) which is a very nice finish

 

[Bordonbert]

Well I didn't think I would be back writing about this issue again but here I am!

The Gotoh bridge arrived. It looked great in black and I was eager to go ahead and fit it. I checked the studs in the original stud wells and they were a match, metric threads as they should be. I put together my little puller setup with a rubber washer on the body, a plastic plumbing reducer as the cylinder and 3 repair washers with a metric bolt down the middle. A nut to wind down and one to lock the bolt and I was away. Screw screw, wind wind the wells were out. Compare them with the originals and "hmmm", they don't seem to be the same.

No, the Gotohs are about 3/16" longer and worst of all, they are much thinner, by about 1.5-2mm I would estimate. They don't even touch the sides of the hole!!! Does anyone have any idea of what is happening here? I understood this was a straight replacement for the original posts.