Peavey T-60 issues

[kentsoliday]

My bandmate owns a 1978 Peavey T-60 and has been having problems with breaking the A and D strings constantly without playing too hard.  I do not know if this is an issue that T-60s are known for or if there is something wrong with the bridge.  Any information about the issue would be great whether it regard the guitar specifically or the bridge in general.  

[danswon]

At what point are the strings breaking? If it's at the bridge then you may have sharp bridge saddles. I'm not familiar with that model guitar. What kind of bridge does it have?

[harold heckuba]

I do know the plating tends to wear off the saddles.  Could possibly

be the cause.

[onelife]

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danswon wrote:

At what point are the strings breaking? If it's at the bridge then you may have sharp bridge saddles. I'm not familiar with that model guitar. What kind of bridge does it have?

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[FrankenSteinberger]

With that T-60's mass, I think that the issue may be that it has it's own significant gravity-field, and is exerting more pull on those strings than they were designed to take.

 

If your bandmate does deside to alter that T-60's bridge with new saddles (the String Savers being a good choice) make sure he keeps the original parts. Although not a tremendously valuable guitar, if the right "big name" band picks-up one at a pawnshop and is seen playing it, values for that 35 year-old American-made guitar could start rising.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

 

Fwiw, I think this's specific to this guitar, not a recurring problem with T-60's generally.  I haven't had a prob with my T-60, and via the internet I know a batch of other T-60 owners, and have heard no continuing reports of string breakage from them.

 

And yup, sounds like a saddle problem.

[kentsoliday]

yeah it's not a trem bridge. It is breaking at the saddles so it's likely thats the cause of the problem.  it'll be up to him whether or not he wants to continue to deal with the issue or invest in new saddles. thanks

[kentsoliday]

thanks for the response. if he replaces them he's keeping the old ones for sure

[meresing]

You can take a x-tra fine file and and regroove the saddles. Be careful not to go deeper than 1/2 the string thickness. Sounds as if the strings break angle overtime has become too steep from wear and created an excessively sharp edge at the front of the saddle. Not as uncommon as you might think on older guitars with the ABR-1 type bridges. I usually order my replacement saddles unslotted (you have to request this) and slot them myself which allows for less break angle over the saddle itself and also allows for slight adjustments to string spacing over pre-slotted saddles and using heavier guage strings. Most saddles are pre-made for standard guage strings which creates problems with string breakage from heavier strings fitting poorly in the saddle slots and being cut into by the sharp corners at the top of the saddle slots. Hope this helps.