Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2845
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Feb 01 2025 02:59 PM
Anyone with a Hallmark have this issue? Have a Custom 60, plays great, but I am breaking strings at the bridge nearly every time I play it more than an hour. If anyone is having this issue, what have you done to remedy it?
Thanks!
— Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html
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FritzCat
Joined: Sep 11, 2007
Posts: 677
Sonoma, CA
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Posted on Feb 01 2025 03:36 PM
Right on the bridge or closer to the ball end? I had a similar problem on my Mosrites but right next to the ball end of the string, which I solved by applying solder to the twisted portion of the unwound strings.
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Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2845
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Feb 01 2025 04:55 PM
Right on the bridge
— Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html
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JohnnyMosrite
Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 905
New York City area
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Posted on Feb 02 2025 07:54 AM
Matt,
Taking a stab here -
Check for smoothness in the roller saddles. You might have a burr in the rollers. I had this condition on a Nokie Edwards Hitchhiker model. There was a tiny burr in the bridge roller of the first string. You could hear the high 'E' string "ping" on a bend without picking the string. I got that remedied quick.
J Mo'
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Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2845
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Feb 02 2025 09:13 AM
Hey, J Mo',
Thanks for your response. I haven't noticed any burrs, but different strings have popped at the bridge. I have had the E, B, and G-strings all pop right there. I just put on another fresh set of strings and inspected the rollers, but I will have to make a closer inspection when I do that again. If another string pops, I will take a magnifying glass to it as well. Thanks!
— Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html
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Surfadelphia
Joined: Sep 04, 2017
Posts: 434
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Posted on Feb 03 2025 11:19 AM
Just out of curiosity what brand, type, and gauge strings are you using?
I'm familiar with the issue of the strings breaking at the ball end (never been a problem for me as I use strings with the reinforced ball ends on my Hallmark) but what you are describing is different.
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Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2845
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Feb 03 2025 01:13 PM
I was using the strings that came with it when I bought it. When one popped, I replaced it with singletons that I had lying about. I don't know what brand they were, but I since replaced all of them with Ernie Ball Super Slinky 11s (the purple package). I string all my guitars up with these. When I first get a used guitar, if the strings seem fine, I will use those while trying the guitar out, test-driving, so to say. After the third string popped on it, in the same area, I then strung it up with these. I haven't done much with it since, but I will see if it happens to them. I almost never break strings, and when I do, it's usually the high E string that breaks. But over the years, I have several singletons lying around. None of the ones that I replaced broke, though. I don't know the brand that were on there. I will take it to the next band practice Friday and see if it happens again.
— Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html
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Surfadelphia
Joined: Sep 04, 2017
Posts: 434
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Posted on Feb 04 2025 11:38 AM
11-48's should not be a problem (some larger gauge strings might not fit in the bridge rollers). Hopefully the problem will not continue. Could of just been that the strings it came with were just funky.
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Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2845
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Feb 04 2025 01:33 PM
That's what I am hoping. Played it last night for about 30 minutes and there were no problems. Only time will tell. 
— Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html
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Surfysonic
Joined: Oct 17, 2009
Posts: 529
Walkersville, MD
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Posted on Feb 05 2025 11:14 AM
Not related to your current issue but like Fritz and Surfadelphia, I use strings that have reinforced ball-ends and I've had no issues with string breaks on my Hallmark 65 Custom. I use D'Addario NYXL1149 Nickel Wound -.011-.049 Medium strings (for all my guitars now).
— The doofus formerly known as Snorre
Surfysonic on YouTube
World Famous Philistines: 2014 - 2015
K39: 2013 - 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv9JADQ4ukw
Last edited: Feb 05, 2025 11:14:43
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beatcomber
Joined: Jun 30, 2019
Posts: 141
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted on Feb 08 2025 01:37 PM
I’m gonna guess the strings are actually breaking at the tailpiece rather than the bridge. This is a common affliction on Mosrites and Hallmarks alike, but there is a very simple preventative solution; you merely need to reinforce the wraps at the ball-ends.
The fastest and most solid way to do this is to solder the wraps where they pass through the tailpiece. If you don’t know how to solder, you can instead put some superglue on the wraps. That should totally fix the problem.
— THE HYDRONAUTS…Surf Music from the shores of old Cape Cod.
CLICK HERE to check out our first album, Interstallar Clambake!
Last edited: Feb 08, 2025 13:43:53
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beatcomber
Joined: Jun 30, 2019
Posts: 141
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted on Feb 08 2025 01:42 PM
DELETE
— THE HYDRONAUTS…Surf Music from the shores of old Cape Cod.
CLICK HERE to check out our first album, Interstallar Clambake!
Last edited: Feb 08, 2025 13:43:14
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Matt22
Joined: Feb 15, 2007
Posts: 2845
Fredericksburg, Virginia
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Posted on Feb 08 2025 03:55 PM
Thanks Beatcomber!
I'd think that if they were breaking at the ball ends, but they weren't. All three were busted at the bridge and still had the ball end attached. I played the Hallmark with new strings all through my band's practice last night. 3 hours and not one problem, so I really think it was the strings. However, I will definitely take your advice and solder the ball ends if I get breakage issues again. Super glue would be a fast fix, but I'm down for the soldering.
— Matt "tha Kat" Lentz
Skippy and the Skipjacks: 2018-2020
Skippyandtheskipjacks.net
https://www.facebook.com/skippyandtheskipjacks
Otto and the Ottomans: 2014-2015
The Coconauts surf band: 2009-2014
www.theamazingcoconauts.com
Group Captain and the Mandrakes 2013
http://www.gcmband.com/
The Surfside IV: 2002-2005, 2008-2009
the Del-Vamps: 1992-1999, 2006-2007
http://www.dblcrown.com/delvamps.html
|
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