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How often do you break strings?


baldbloke

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A friend of mine has just, very recently, started to learn guitar. I asked him how he was getting on. Ok, he says, but he now realises a stock of strings will come in handy as he has come to an abrupt halt. He just broke a string for the first time.

 

 

It's 35 years since I first picked up a guitar. I used to break strings regularly due to being heavy handed with a pick at first.

 

It dawned on me, after speaking to him, it's almost 4 years since I broke a string. I play fingerstyle these days and use my nails to strum when required. Haven't used a pick in, oh, must be 34 years. Still, 4 years is gotta be a heck of a lucky streak.

 

I'm sure though, part of the reason is manufacturing processes and reliability has improved since the seventies.

 

What's the longest between string breakage you have gone?

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yeah like the bad one above I don't really notice - I only play in tunings and I try out new ones regularly so that probably takes it's toll but I usually have the same strings on for a couple of years - till the 'mellowness' goes.

I think we (knowingly or not) develop some good practices over the years - stringing up may be one.

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Well, I use a pick, and I can get pretty aggresive with my picking, and I can't remember the last time I broke a string while playing. I'm not even sure it's EVER happened. I've been playing guitar since I was 17 (52 years ago) and I'd venture to say I've broken less than half a dozen strings in that entire time. All of those, AFAIK, happened while I was putting a new set of strings on and tuning up. The last time it happened had to have been at least three years ago.

 

Oh, and BTW.......I'm like seorie (above)...I leave 'em on forever as long as they still sound OK.

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Ditto, I can't remember when I've broken a string while either playing or tuning. I'm pretty anal about the way I string, the condition of the break points on the saddles and nuts, sharp corners on tuners - all of the usual things. I'll add that I retune a lot (I use all sorts of alternate tunings) and even when I was switching strings back and forth during the testing I only broke one out of about 8 sets.

 

Elixers had a bad rap for breaking the G string but I never had problems with them either. I usually change the Nanos on my acoustics about every 3-4 months, I'll leave them on the resonators for 6 or more.

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I can't remember when the last time was I broke a string on an acoustic, especially when I was playing. The few that I do recall breaking were probably due to doing a lot of alternate tunings on the same guitar and they broke at the post when I was retuning. Not too long ago I broke a high "E" on one of my electrics and it was so rare that I actually called someone the next day to brag about it!

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There are many reasons strings break and I bet this has been hashed out here many times as with other forums. I bet you will find that the more experienced a player is in changing strings and tuning strings, as well as playing in general, the less breakage there will be. There is no silver bullet other than experience. It trumps almost every malady in the guitar world.

 

To answer your question, I play everyday and I can't remember the last time I broke a string.

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G octave strings used to snapp occasionally o my 12 stringers when I played them in E-e'. Now that I tune down to D-d' I haven't snapped a string in .... well, I can't even remeber when the last one went. Too long ago.

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I used to break strings regularly on my Yammie, when playing onstage or at jams. The problem was that the saddle was too pointy. A new saddle fixed the problem. For some reason it was always the G or B, not the e. I use regular tuning and typically string the guitar with 12s, most often Martins.

 

I do still occasionally break one on my Martin 00XCAE or Takamine EF350, when playing out, because I play much more aggressively in a band setting where I play the role of rhythm engine. Heat of the moment I guess. I always have a spare guitar just in case, so as not to delay the set.

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When I had only 1 national I was constantly shifting it between open D, G, and standard. I was breaking a string a week (almost always the third string). Since aquiring a few more guitars and dedicating a guitar to each tuning, I don't think I've broken a string.

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G octave strings used to snapp occasionally o my 12 stringers when I played them in E-e'. Now that I tune down to D-d' I haven't snapped a string in .... well, I can't even remeber when the last one went. Too long ago.

 

 

Right. When I mentioned "half a dozen times" I wasn't counting the number of "G octave" strings that snapped on me back in the old days when I'd had three 12-string guitars in a row. I kept them in standard tuning and eventually resigned myself to having 11-string guitars instead of 12. I could've tuned down to D-d, but the capo I had back then was about the size and weight of a horse shoe and I hated that thing. I sold the last 12-string I had back in '82. Don't want another one.......ever.

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A lot. Even on my bass guitars. I just hate breaking them live on stage, but thats one of the reasons I have back up guitars with me. New strings just before a live show minimizes your chances of breaking them. But even then sometimes it still breaks even with the highest quality strings. Especially when I'm really pounding on my guitars with adrenaline. off topic but sometimes after live shows I'll have so much adrenaline left in me that I will take my guitar off of me and throw it on the stage floor. I'll either throw it directly to the floor or throw it up in the air first only to slam back down on the floor. I do this subconsciously. It's weird. I think it's just my way of not smashing a guitar, you know? Like to get it away from me I'll throw it off of me so I won't get the chance to smash it. But I seriously might as well smash it.

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