PRS Gen 3 tremolo with locking saddles

[opnoob]

Yup- this is mine, you can see it if you look closely at the bridge:

Holy ****...

 

[Bogner]

As stated above, that's never happened to me. Maybe you're a more heavy-handed player?

I play with a lighter touch.

Light touch. I rarely ever break a string on any guitar I play. I have maybe done so a total of 15 times in my entire life and that is probably being very generous in my several decades of playing guitar. This trem eats strings within a few strums to even get the guitar in tune on a new pack. It doesn't matter what I do, the strings just continue to break. I have never seen anything like it. No other PRS trem or any trem for that matter has ever given me a problem.

 

[László]

Light touch. I rarely ever break a string on any guitar I play. I have maybe done so a total of 15 times in my entire life and that is probably being very generous in my several decades of playing guitar. This trem eats strings within a few strums to even get the guitar in tune on a new pack. It doesn't matter what I do, the strings just continue to break. I have never seen anything like it. No other PRS trem or any trem for that matter has ever given me a problem.

That's surprising.

I've had mine since 2016 and have never broken a string. FWIW, I play .010s.

You've probably already tried experimenting with how tightly you secure the strings in the saddles; I don't crank them very hard, just snug them into place so the strings aren't weakened by being too tightly pinched at the point where the screw touches the string in the saddle. I mention this just in case you haven't tried it yet.

The reason I like this bridge isn't even so much that the strings stay in tune, it's that I think locking the strings in place results in more of the string's energy being transmitted to the bridge because the string isn't wobbling around at the bridge. But that's just my theory.

 

[John F]

The reason I like this bridge isn't even so much that the strings stay in tune, it's that I think locking the strings in place results in more of the string's energy being transmitted to the bridge because the string isn't wobbling around at the bridge. But that's just my theory.

I like this theory, probably more truth to the reason for the lock rather than it being a take on a Floyd Rose system. Bravo Les!

 

[Bogner]

That's surprising.

I've had mine since 2016 and have never broken a string. FWIW, I play .010s.

You've probably already tried experimenting with how tightly you secure the strings in the saddles; I don't crank them very hard, just snug them into place so the strings aren't weakened by being too tightly pinched at the point where the screw touches the string in the saddle. I mention this just in case you haven't tried it yet.

The reason I like this bridge isn't even so much that the strings stay in tune, it's that I think locking the strings in place results in more of the string's energy being transmitted to the bridge because the string isn't wobbling around at the bridge. But that's just my theory.

I have locked them down and not locked them down at all and get the same result. Snap, Crackle and Pop! There has to be something wrong with mine based on what I am hearing feedback wise.

 

[John F]

I notice that my correctly intonated 1E string is slid fully towards the neck until it hits the bridge pivot screw. I also notice the saddle then fully blocks the hole in the bridge below the saddle. I am of the opinion it is pinching/sissoring the string there. I backed off the saddle enough to open a gap so the string no longer pinches there.

Another thought I have is that there may be is a small burr on the saddle which is nicking the string. Use some dental floss through the bridge and saddle and work it back and forth to see if a burr shreds the floss. You might expose the area needing polishing. StewMac sells cord type abrasives for polishing.

You might string it up with a fresh string, tune it without locking the saddle, then remove the string without playing it. Then inspect the string looking for nicks etc which then point to the problem. Finding none, reinstall it and lock the saddle. Then remove the string for another look-see. Repeat and play it this time, remove the string and look for nicks. At least you will know where the problem exists.
John