BRMR is going thru too many strings!!

[AmazinAzian12]

Well i dont know wether or not to post this in the tech section or the jem section so ill post here first.
Anyways:

My jem keeps breaking strings too easily. Mostly the high E. I had a brand new pack of DRs and just put them on, i locked down the strings and they were perfect. I played my guitar once since the new strings. Then the next time i retune everything and lock down my high E snaps at the locking nut.
I dont know whats wrong.

Also Whenever i tune everything and then lock down and when my High e doesnt break. right when the pad touches the string, my high e and b strings go way flat like to a sharp D and A.

Does anyone know how i can fix this. Please, i hate breaking strings!!

[Myst and rain]

Sounds like real trouble. Maybe you've got a burr on the locking nut. My S snaps strings really fast, too. Someone told me I might have a burr on the saddle, which would have to be filed down. This might be the case on your guitar, I don't know. Also that your high E and B go so much out of tune, sounds very strange. But I wouldn't know what the cause of that could be.

Alwin

[jemplayer55]

Go to the Ibanez Rules tech section...... the "out of tune" problem your experiencing may be related to how tight your torquing the pads down as well as the height of your string tree behind the nut!

You may need to add some angle to the strings as they are coming off the locking nut as well as overtightening the pads. But that's just all speculation.

[AmazinAzian12]

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

Go to the Ibanez Rules tech section...... the "out of tune" problem your experiencing may be related to how tight your torquing the pads down as well as the height of your string tree behind the nut!

You may need to add some angle to the strings as they are coming off the locking nut as well as overtightening the pads. But that's just all speculation.

I dont get what you mean by adding some angle to the strings.

And i only use thumb strength. And if my thumb cant move it, then its tight. Is that too tight?>

[alex10]

he means the height of the string tree

[jemplayer55]

Did you go read the tech area at Ibanez Rules??? Anyway.... If you tighten down on the string tree behind the nut (yeah.... the bar screwed into the headstock) you'll notice as you tighten down on it, the angle of the string coming off the nut increases in relation to the string on the neck. (more closely following the angle of the headstock) The string needs to just touch the back groove on the nut. (yeah... the side of the nut at the headstock.... not the fretboard side.) Look I can tell you this, 99.9 percent of the JEM's come from the factory pretty well set up without problems. Unless you are familiar with tweaking one to suite your playing I would suggest you take it to a tech. It's possible there is a burr or rough spot on the nut but unlikely since you've had this ax for awhile and are just now starting to have this problem.

In relation to the pads.... you only have to keep them "finger" tight with the Allen wrench. (use your index and thumb to tighten with and your index acting as a pivot point) Don't go torquing them down like it's a lug nut on a Nextel Cup race car. You're not trying to "flatten" the string..... just hold it snug from stretching at the machine head.

Again.... go read Rich's tech setup area. Or do a search here on your problem.

Anyway, that's how I do mine and haven't had a problem yet!

[andy7jem]

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

Don't go torquing them down like it's a lug nut on a Nextel Cup race car.

Classic

[neptoess]

yea i rounded off two of my 3 screws.... I tighten the string locks at the bridge this way too lol how tight should those be?

[screamndemon69]

Originally Posted by neptoess

yea i rounded off two of my 3 screws.... I tighten the string locks at the bridge this way too lol how tight should those be?

Finger tight. If you lock them down too tight one of three things can happen:

1) Stripped screw head

2) Too much torque on the strings and you'll flatten them out and break them

3) Stripping the pad threads

Sometimes tightening the pads will throw the strings sharp or flat and you always need to have your fine tuners set around half height before you lock down the pads so you have enough turn to counter this issue.

Hope it works out for you.

[JJEMMER777]

Ethan, you may want to try referring to a few of your other threads as well


http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58758

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59069

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56414

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60339

[Drow Swordsman]

Next thread will be "BRMR gives me tumor!!"

Sorry, had to say it

[jemplayer55]

Originally Posted by Drow Swordsman

Next thread will be "BRMR gives me tumor!!"

Sorry, had to say it

I heard guitar shaped bathroom mirrors will do that..... Especially ones where the mirror has spread to the neck! Nothing worse than mirror tumors on your neck. They'll grow to look like weeds! Just ask Jim.... I hear he's got some "gross" pictures of one!

[jb4674]

Ethan,

Sounds to me like you probably lowered the string tree way down. From what I read, I think that since the tree is putting too much pressure on the strings. When you lock down, what's happening is that the pads are adding extra perssure to the strings and you're snapping them like nothing. Raise the height of the string tree according to what jemplayer said. Beware that the angle on the trem is going to lower somewhat, so you're going to have to adjust the springs accordingly.

I also have a couple of questions for you.....

1. What gauge of strings are you putting in there??? The only gauge I've been able to break like nothing have been .008's and those are thin as hell. Luckily I learned my lesson and started using 9's from that point on (that was back in '91).

2. Why are you doing a lockdown procedure everytime you're playing your guitar? Once the guitar is tuned, it should be good to go until the next change of strings (whenever you choose to change them).

3. Check this picture for reference:




Jimmy

[screamndemon69]

jb, I think he is having them snap on the other side of the lock. I'll go back and read it but I think that was what he was saying.

[jemplayer55]

If Rich has read this thread he's probably gotten a good laugh reading all of our "expert" advice. Probibaly thankful we haven't suggested he PM or e-mail him or worse yet call!

Who knows.... Rich may have us all in his "ignore" list!