Members baldbloke Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bad Robot Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 Never paid attention, but it is very rare these days. I think it has to do with the fact that I don't keep my strings until they are completely dead, anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lz4005 Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 I've had half a dozen or so strings break either while sitting in the case or while re-stringing them in the last 5 years, but none have broken while playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Seorie Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gary Blanchard Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 It has been possibly 20 years since I had one break, and that was while tuning. I don't bang on the strings or bend them, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jimmy Chaos Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 When I was learning... very regularly. Now, I don't think I've broke one in nearly 10 years. And I use .10's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Opa John Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jimmy Chaos Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 BTW. I'd like to add, I use .10's and I strum aggressively using a .73 dunlop tortex and a 1mm Red Bear. I genuinely think breaking strings is a technique flaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wkendhacker Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 Today. I was talking to a friend while taking old strings off a guitar. Absent midedly I cranked the wrong way and over-tightened one until it snapped. Other than that, like everyone else, it's been years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 I've never broken a string by aggressive picking, and I can get pretty abusive when I'm frustrated. I have broken strings by tuning them up and down too much. Old strings are the worst for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Water Rat Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 In the 4 years I've been playing the only time I broke a string was the first time I changed ever changed them and that totally had everything to do with me having no idea what thehell I was doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alan Roberts Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DCS Posted August 1, 2012 Members Share Posted August 1, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members katopp Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 I play pretty aggressively at times and I bend a LOT on both acoustic and electric, but I've broken maybe 5 strings in the last 10 years. It comes down to good setups, fresh strings, and more accurate playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael Martin Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 It doesn't happen often. When it does it's usually the D string on one of my nylon strung guitars. Next most common breakage is the G string on steel string guitars. I'm sure it's due to the thin core in both these strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike_E_McGee Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Howie22 Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 It's been a LONG time. I don't want to jinx myself or anything, but I don't think I've ever broken one on stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tangy Zizzle Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 Can't remember the last time I broke a string on the acoustic. Hopefully I'm not cursing myself for Saturday's gig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tangy Zizzle Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 Can't remember the last time I broke a string on the acoustic. Hopefully I'm not cursing myself for Saturday's gig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sgt. Rock Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 I've never broken a nylon string, which is what I mainly use now. Steel string breakage drove me nuts for a while only until I found out that GHS strings were the reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Opa John Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members takanick Posted August 2, 2012 Members Share Posted August 2, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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