Breaking Strings

[smudge9000]

Guys,

thought I'd see if breaking strings was a common occurrence for some.

In 15 years I've never broken a string until a gig this weekend. Always just thought it happedn to guitarists!

Lost track of the age of the strings though.....

[pbasspecial]

I genuinely broke one too at a gig last Thursday. Mentioned it to the company and they are going to send me a new set.  Well done D'addario! (And Adam)

[doomkeeper]

i broke my d string last week, the first time i brought a second bass to a gig. guess thats lucky. they were elixirs

[SpondonBassed]

Bearing in mind that I've not got much gig mileage as a player compared to a lot of folk on here;  I have never broken a string playing a guitar or bass.

It is only when restringing with used strings that I have had it happen.

Guitars are the worst for it.  Metal fatigue is the culprit in these instances.  If a string has a kink or a notch, usually at the headstock end, its life expectancy is shortened significantly.  In some cases the string will not quite get to pitch as the damaged part of the string stretches to breaking point.  That's when plucking the string produces a horrible sound much like a distressed cat.

Eeow.

Edited April 29, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[Bolo]

I used to break strings regularly 15-20 years ago when I was still on EB power slinkies I think.

Haven't broken one since switching to DR strings back then.

[chris_b]

I have never broken a string.

I only change my rounds when they are dead, 9 months to a year. I make sure I don't twist them when I put them on. I've always used heavier gauges. I don't slap. I stroke the strings rather than pull them. I turn the volume up rather than digging in.

I always carry a spare set of strings but so far have never had to use one.

[bubinga5]

Where did it snap.? Im guessing at the break angles of the string.?

[arthurhenry]

I've broken 3 in 30 years; one E and two As. Only one of them was during a gig and it happened on the penultimate note of the first set!

[Japhet]

Never broken a bass string.

[Hobbayne]

Only once or twice in 30 odd years of playing.

Mind you, I used to keep the same strings on for a couple of years as a skint student.

I once did a demo circa 1985 with my dead rotosounds and heard it again recently.

Terrible.

[FinnDave]

Never broken a bass string in 40 years plus of playing, nearest I came to it was last year when my bass and its stand fell into the drum kit during a break and the G string was all but completely severed by a cymbal. I completed the gig with a second bass and changed the string later.

[casapete]

Another no break player here. Can't say I know anyone else who has either TBH.

[Geek99]

Only ever once, and that was top G on an acoustic 12 string (a 12 string isn’t really a guitar as such, so I don’t feel dirty to have owned one) 

[BreadBin]

I've broken a couple back when I used to play heavy stuff at a million miles an hour, but not for ages.

Normally the E string on a 4er, whilst going for it. There's a recording somewhere of me breaking one playing Born to be Wild about 40bpm too fast - you can actually hear it stretch out. That one broke right under my plucking hand.

 

[Maude]

I've snapped two A strings in the last 18 months (both D'Addario Half Rounds). The last one before that was twenty years ago. I do have a particularly aggressive style and 18 months ago I joined a Mod band, playing a lot of The Who and The Jam isn't helping. I've had to make a conscious effect to reign it in but playing to decent sized, energetic crowds I kind of get carried away