Classical high E string breaking at second fret...

[supertonic]

Hi all, first post.

I have a Manuel Rodriguez C1 which came with a ridiculously high action due to a really tall saddle. I filed the saddle down, and while the action is great now, the saddle sits just barely above the bridge. I lightly graded the saddle so that the 6th string sits higher than the 1st. I'm not positive, but the high E string seems to touch the bottom end of the bridge a bit at the part which holds the saddle in place.

Now, I've twice had the high E string break. This time it was at about the second fret, and I think the first time it was a little higher up toward the nut. I've also noticed that the string seems to take longer to stretch than the others, in that I have to wind the high E up to tune much more and more often than the other strings. I use Aquila Alabastro nylgut superior tension strings, and haven't tried any other varieties.

Could these two phenomena be related? And if so, any advice from you experts out there?

Thanks in advance.

[Ron Frazier]

The nylon strings stretch so much it probably is not breaking at the second fret but at the nut or even at the tuner. You could use a black marker at the nut and see where it breaks.

Ron

[Greg Mirken]

Unlikely to be related to your saddle mod.

[supertonic]

Thanks for the replies, fellas. I didn't think of that, Ron, and do you have any suggestions? I tried using a soft graphite pencil in the nut slots to prevent binding, but maybe I could file the sides out slightly to give the string a little more wiggle room?

[Bob Webster]

Yeah, it does sound like the nut is shaving the string some, probably due to a too-narrow groove in the nut. Open the slot very carefully with a nut file to relieve it. Is the nut slot cut perpendicular to the face of the nut or at an angle pointing toward the tuner roller?

Bob

[supertonic]

The nut slot is at a downward angle pointing toward the tuner roller. The edge of the slot down towards the fretboard has a pretty good edge, perhaps that's what's shaving the relatively thin high E string? I think it'd be more likely than the sides of the slot, which are as wide as the other slots but fail to bind fatter strings to the point of breakage. If this is the case, should I just try to gently file the sharp edge into a more rounded shape or is there anything I should look out for?

[Jim Bancroft]

To eliminate any sharpness on the leading edge of the nut slot you can wrap some 800 or 1000 grit sandpaper around a guitar string and work that back and forth in the nut slot, to eliminate any sharpness, without altering where the string comes off the nut.
Also make sure there is no binding in the nut slot. I make the nut slot slightly larger than the diam. of the string. I would guess about .002" to .003" larger

Jim

[supertonic]

Thanks, everyone, you've all been a HUGE help. I'm glad to be a part of this community!

[FRANK]

its the nut I bet I had built a new bone nut just needed to be smooth and not sharp it would always seam to snap at the 2ed fret it was actually at the nut .the nut had a burr or a sharp edge and I could actually hear the string DE tuning as I tuned it up then snap