Exploding string blocks!?

[exclamationmark]

So while I was having a good old jam session one of my strings (the A string) suddenly flew out of the string locks on the bridge of one my OFR equipped guitars (ruined the string too! ). What was more peculiar, was the shrapnel that it sent flying appeared to be the remnants of the string block, albeit in about 3 different pieces...

 

The reason I brought this up is because I'm wondering if this is a somewhat common problem for tremolo users, or is it an error on my behalf, as well as whether to shell out the cash for those new fangled titanium string blocks or just buy millions of replacement ones from allparts?

[bfloyd6969]

Never had that happen before. The fact that it went flying in a few pieces lends me to believe that it was cracked and probably just waiting to explode. Luckily they are easily replaced. Perhaps it was overtightened?

[kungfuonion]

what kind of guitar?

[AxAxSxS]

I've got a ton of floyd equipped guitars, never have had that happen. What specifically failed? Pics?

[jak83]

I'm thinking maybe you overtightened it and cracked the block as well.

[Metalrulez]

If the block is cracked it can explode like that under pressure. I have seen it happen once. Went to pick the guitar up and the G string was just hanging there and parts of the string clamping block were on the floor.You can buy replacement blocks.

[humbuckerstrat]

I've never had that happen.

And I really wonder if those titanium string blocks are better than the regular black ones, because I've bought them and have found that they get just as scratched and unable to hold the string in the saddle as the black ones (when they get scratched and useless).

So I really wonder if they are worth the extra money.

[cephus]

I had the blocks crack and break before. They were stupid expensive when I tried to buy replacements, so I took a saddle off and went to the hardware store. I bought the right sized bar-stock by fitting the stock into the hole in the saddle. I used a dremmel to cut about 25 of them. They don't have to be exactly the right size. They can stick out of the top a little. I ended up having at least 15 that were usable.

You have to drill a hole in them, which isn't terribly easy. After I burn through the first 25, I think I'll drill the holes first and then cut them.

[EADGBE]

I've never had that happen. And I really wonder if those titanium string blocks are better than the regular black ones, because I've bought them and have found that they get just as scratched and unable to hold the string in the saddle as the black ones (when they get scratched and useless). So I really wonder if they are worth the extra money.

 

 

Well titanium is a very strong metal. If you use the whammy like there's no tomorrow then titanium would be a wise choice.

[humbuckerstrat]

Well titanium is a very strong metal. If you use the whammy like there's no tomorrow then titanium would be a wise choice.

I find that the titianium string blocks get as easily scratched and unable to hold the string in as the regular black ones, tho.

[EDIT] And I don't over-abuse the whammy. I do like the color of the titanium blocks, tho, they match the color of the stainless steel screws on my Floyds.