How often and why do you break strings?

[80's_Metal]

What is the most commonly occurring reason in your opinion as to why you break them???
Is it a routine thing?

Do they just wear out and you snap one?

Do you most often break one during a killer solo?

Do you break them thrashing?

Does it snap because "getcha pull?"

Randomly break?

what's your take on when you break?

 

[kilphody]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I might break a high E once in a while doing an initial tune-up doing a stretch, but never when playing.
PC

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

^^ same here..

 

[autologic]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I used to break strings CONSTANTLY when I first started playing. I was teaching myself, without a tuner, and i believe I was tuning way too high or something, and maybe stringing it through the machine heads incorrectly, but to this date, I haven't broken a string in around 6-7 years. Now that I said that, I'll probably break one tonight when I get home.

 

[kilphody]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

Now that I said that, I'll probably break one tonight when I get home.[/QUOTE]

I was just thinking the same thing.lol
PC

 

[Mr. B]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I broke a few when I use to use Ernie Ball, but I don't have a problem with breakage with D'Addarios. The only time I break them is when I loosen and tighten them half a dozen times when changing out pickups.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I replace them when they start sounding dead. The last string I broke was a Ernie Ball Cobalt. Thought I'd try out a set when they first came out, snapped one with my pick and went right back to the Dean Markley Blue Steels I've been using since about '96 or '97. I've broken GHS, DR, regular Ernie Ball, and others, but I have yet to break a Blue Steel, a D'Addario, or a Martin.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I broke s string for the first time in probably 10 years this summer, but they were the strings that came on the guitar when I bought it 6 months earlier

 

[kramersteen]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I might break a high E once in a while doing an initial tune-up doing a stretch, but never when playing.
PC

same smear ^^

 

[Demanic]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I usually change them before I break them. But I have a friend of mine with extremely acidic perspiration, usually then, the low E or A will give during a thrash passage.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I replace them when they start to sound dead, and so I never break them.
Yes I have broken the 1st string a few times tuning it up after installing it, but I'm pretty careful now and haven't had it happen in a long while.

 

[hydro]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I don't break them much any more, but a couple of practices ago I broke two A strings on two different guitars in about 5 minutes. Maybe it was my pick...? Or maybe I was just in full ape mode that night...

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

If they break during play, it's typically while strumming chords with energy and enthusiasm. I'd have to be doing an Albert King song to break one while soloing, but I haven't broken them during play recently as I change strings a couple days before gigs.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I VERY rarely break strings. All my guitars are set up and well-maintained. Keep in mind I play both acoustic and electric with a heavy pick and I hit hard. I don't do radical dive-bombing with a vibrato. I have had spurs or sharp edges on tuners and saddles, but these are rare and promptly fixed.

When I bought my new D-28 back in 1975, it was a string breaker. I'd go through an A, D, and G strings in less than a week. YOWSA!!! The top was too flexible; a bridge plate reinforcement fixed the problem...finally. Costly and brutal.

Bill

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I can't really remember when was the last time I broke a string. Maybe five or six years ago? I do remember about some guitar having a sharp or jagged bit on the tom that broke a string while on a gig. Lucklly it happened on the easiest song of the set so I didn't have to stop playing or switch guitars.

I haven't noticed any correlation between string age and breakage. Sometimes it's weeks with a guitar, sometimes months. They almost never break. Maybe it's because I hardly sweat from my hands and play with clean hands so the strings get no acid or gunk on them.

 

[greekdude]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

Never

 

[El Supremo]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I broke a few when I use to use Ernie Ball, but I don't have a problem with breakage with D'Addarios. The only time I break them is when I loosen and tighten them half a dozen times when changing out pickups.

Same here, last time I regularly broke strings by just playing was when I just started learning to play... on 009's... with a bass pick. Magically ended when the pick was worn down and I had to buy a new one :9:.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I play strings till they break. I dont know why, but I love the feel of old strings. And strings usually last around 6 months for me. I used to change them every week. Every tuesday, I'd have to take my sister to church for a couple hours. While she was there, I went to GC and bought a pack of strings. Would pick her up, go home and change them. And at the time, I was playing a guitar with a Bigsby, but I've since gotten rid of it. Overtime, I just got away from changing them all the time. I think when I got my second guitar. I couldn't afford 2 packs every week, so I would change them when they broke. Also last year when I was at college, I didn't have a car and GC was too far away, so I had a couple packs stashed away and only changed them when they broke. Dunlops last forever though, so I'm not too worried about them.

 

[Kramer Guy]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

I never break strings. If you change them on a regular basis, there's no need for them to break IMO.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: How often and why do you break strings?

It's been over a year since I last broke one. Always while playing, never when tuning, and it's always a wound string. It seems like it happened most when I was using Dunlop and Ernie Ball strings too.