Brittle Strings ?

[Johngh]

I found a few sets of "Elites" that I forgot I had and put them on my Jazz. Or should I say tried to. As soon as I hit any kind of tension they just snapped. They must be about 8 years old. Do stings go brittle over time if not used. Must say it's a new one on me.

[noelk27]

Does metal fatigue over time? Yes. Will a string degrade over time, ever if never previously fitted, or used? Yes. A string, correctly packaged and stored, has a long shelf-life, but not an infinite one. Many manufacturers research notional lifespans, with many date-stamping their products to assist in stock management and timeous distribution, so that end-users don't encounter quality issues.

Edited January 14, 2011 by noelk27

[Mog]

had the same thing happen with a set of new dunlops last summer. very strange. i suppose 8 years is a long time, certainly enough to go 'off'