Originally Posted by: compart1Don't condemn a string gauge until you make sure you do not have a problem on the string route.. a knick or sharp edge can cause a premature string brake.. Pay attention to where the string brakes.. if it close to the same spot, look for damage there...

In the shreddy 80's, I used D'Addario XL .09's. I never broke strings. By 'never', I mean that; though I did break a string to two occasionally, a string change was always due to old, skanky, dead strings. It's also fair to say that my playing style was not a light touch.

What I did do is make sure that my guitar was set up right. Learned enough about set ups to be able to maintain my guitar on a daily basis but knew my limits and that once in a while, a pro needed to keep my axe honest. I was young and dirt broke all the time so $25 (then) on a set up was an investment.

Was there a point to this? Oh. Yep. If your breaking strings, have your guitar checked out. Maybe it's a burr on the saddles or nut. Maybe the spring tension is not ideal.

String brand is pretty much never the culprit. String selection is like ice cream; they're all good, so it's really a matter of which one you like most.