Breaking strings at tuning pegs

[John Fiaschetti]

Hi all,

I am a noob to PRS. I recently bought an S2 Singlecut that I'm growing to love quite a bit. I have been tinkering with my setup trying to get neck and action just right, which I finally did . I followed the instructions and loosened the strings before making bridge height adjustments and such. After several iterations of loosening and retuning, I had a couple strings break right at the nut. I've never had that happen on any other guitars. My only thought is that I might have the locking mechanism too tight, and it's causing too much stress at the point where the string enters the peg. Anyone else seen this before?

 

[gush]

Loosening and retuning will break strings when it's done a lot. Maybe your strings were older to begin with. I have had it happen once. And yes you could be locking them too tight. I used to just make them finger tight but I had a string slip out once so now I give them a little nudge with a quarter. Good luck.

 

[AP515]

I think if you look close at where the string broke, you will see it is right at the corner of the entrance to the peg and not where the screw compresses the string. It brakes because of repeated loading at an almost 90 degree angle on the wire. Just the tightening and loosening a few times will break the string there. I've had it happen after setting intonation because of the multiple retunings needed. It's normal.

 

[John Fiaschetti]

I had just restrung it this time around. I've two sets of strings on the guitar in the two weeks I've has it. The strings weren't that old.

My thought was pinching the string too hard may create a small shear point, which weakens the string a bit.

 

[AP515]

I had just restrung it this time around. I've two sets of strings on the guitar in the two weeks I've has it. The strings weren't that old.

My thought was pinching the string too hard may create a small shear point, which weakens the string a bit.

yes, but you also state, "After several iterations of loosening and retuning, I had a couple strings break right at the nut." That was what broke the string. The loading and unloading (tension) of the string weakens the string at the 90 degree angle. It is like a fatigue failure.