When was the last time you broke a string?

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1320577018' post='1428402']
on a double bass never, but once the tail wire let go on a gig so does that count as four?
[/quote]

I had several double bass strings break when using Thomastik Dominants, though when tuning or in transit rather than while playing. I think it's the stranded nylon core they have. Eventually I stopped using them. Otherwise, I don't recall ever breaking a bass guitar or double bass string. Even guitar string breakages are rare for me.

[LiamPodmore]

If i remember correctly, the 30th of May 2010, on stage at a local pubs charity festival. Thankfully i only needed that bass for 4 songs so just grabbed my 5 string.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1320570812' post='1428336']
Never in any circumstance but then I play heavy gauges. Maybe the few to break strings having been playing lighter gauges?
[/quote]
I don't know about anyone else but the two breakages I referred to above were:

(1) Thomastik Jazz Flat A string .070 (during Betty Everett's [i]You're No Good[/i] IIRC) - the string unravelled at the bridge after about three years on the bass, which was a shame because the strings were really sounding good by then.

(2) La Bella 760N Black Nylon A string .094 (during Stevie Wonder's [i]Master Blaster[/i]) - the ball end split away from the string after about eighteen months on the bass, which was fine because I replaced the 760Ns with an old set of Pyramid Gold Flats and was reminded how much I like Pyramids.

I don't think gauge had anything to do with it, although it might in some cases.

[BigRedX]

On the bass, I've broken every string in including low B at one time or another. However it's about 5 years since I last broke one and almost 30 years since it's happened during a gig.

However when I was playing guitar live, it was a rare gig that went by when I didn't break a string at some point during the set.

[xilddx]

13 years ago on stage.

[rOB]

Just a G string once when first attempting slap & pop.

Still take a spare bass on stage at every single gig though. I'm totally paranoid about breaking one during a gig and not having an immediate replacement.

hmmm, think I should change my strings this week.

[Deep Thought]

To be fair, only at home whilst practising. Never on stage, although I have seen it happen to others. Knowing my luck though, if I stop taking a spare bass to gigs, I will break one straight away. I was once fortunate enough to be privy to a conversation between JJ Burnel and Jason, the chief exec of Rotosound. He said if he didn't change his strings after every gig, he guaranteed he would break the bottom E.

[Marvin]

Never broken a string, not even when changing them over.

[Kelso]

I've broken my banjo string a couple of times . . . .

[casapete]

Never........

[BottomE]

Thankfully never during a gig. Last time was at a rehearsal when i was digging in more than i realised

[Chris2112]

It would have been about 2005, it was the G-string on my Ibanez BTB. I was practising some Primus riffs and got a bit carried away with one part, popping the string very hard and ultimately snapping it. Never even been close to doing it since.

[gary mac]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1320522351' post='1428020']
Never while playing. Have snapped one when changing strings at home by absent-mindedly turning tuner in wrong direction until string snapped! What a stupid git.
[/quote]
Same here and I felt such a twat, even though I was the only one to witness it.

[northstreet]

You can break bass strings?

[Doddy]

I've broken loads in the past...usually E or A strings but a couple of B's. It's been about a year since I last broke one though.
I pluck the strings quite hard,so that is a big part of why I break them. Although,since I've been using in ear monitors I've lightened up a bit.

[Oopsdabassist]

Once about 3 years ago, open air gig so I may have been digging too deep I guess, E string just at the nut at beginning of Vertigo, managed to finish song and change string before singer had finished announcing a short break while dopey bassist sort hisself out...me holding up my bass ready to go as he was saying it got a cheer from the crowd

[Nibody]

Never broke a string. Ripped off a fingernail playing a gig once. Blood everywhere! I had a white T shirt and jeans on as well. Kept going for the remainder of the set, then it started to hurt!!

[bigjohn]

Hadn't broken one for years, then broke one at a gig last year and didn't have any spares. I usually did carry spares and always will.

It was an A. I strung the D to A and the G to D. Got through it.

Then had a spurt of breaking A strings. All Thomastik Jazz flats. Switched to La Bellas and were all fine now here.

[gt4ever]

i broke a d'addario round wound G last month, being aggressive and it just went. was only fingerstyle no popping. think the strings were only a few months old too. i'll put it down to a defect cos in all the years i been playing its my first one to go.

Rich

[Cat Burrito]

Broke the E string once at a gig circa 1998

[louisthebass]

Last time I broke a string was the Sunday before the August Bank Holiday in 1989. Was doing some recording at a friend's house in MK when I managed to break the D string - we had to go over to his Brother in Law's House in a nearby village to borrow his bass to complete the recording. It was an Ibanez Blazer strung with flats, & by the time we finished the recording my fingers were really sore!