string snapping stories

[gwEm]

i've been playing live shows since 2002, so 7 years. in that time i've usually religiously change my strings before every show. tonight i broke my rule and I snapped the 'A' halfway through the second song. the song itself was in A minor, so it wasn't a great one to snap ;) anyway, made it just about through to the end of that track and then kicked in a non-guitar track. my MC performed the song alone while i ran to the dj booth to change the strings. it was a steinberger, so thank goodness i had the right allen key and didn't lose any of the weird bolts. next song i played another drum'n'bass track and ran back half way through the song to finish the string change. made sure i played a guitar heavy track after that ;) the graphite neck was rigid, and the guitar stayed in tune throughout all this.

two guitars would make sense, but alot of extra gear to carry then...

some of you guys must have some cool string change stories.

[hamfist]

I'm a bit lazy about string changes, as I hardly ever seem to break them, and I actually prefer the sound of strings which are a couple of weeks old.
  I think two things let me get away with this (despite my quite percussive right hand style) :-

1/ I think my sweat (for some reason) is not very corrosive to the strings.
2/ I use a relatively slim plectrum (0.6mm).

I don't think I've broken a string live for several years.  I always have a backup guitar for gigs though !  I suppose the one time I don't bring a backup, I'll snap a string !

[38thBeatle]

I have had this happen many many times.These days I get through the song as best I can and grab my spare but in the days before I had a spare, I used to let the guys know and we'd finish the song we were on ASAP and then we had a song that we'd play that would enable me to replace a string and tune up and I'd normally make it to the solo ok. I have had it happen on the first strum of the first song at a gig-very irritating.Even swapping guitars mid song is easier said than done -especially if you are singing it a lead vocal.
As a bass player I have had strings break on me at crucial times. As I have got older I have learned to cope with it better.

[Ratrod]

String breaks always happen at the worst moment. right in the middle of that cool solo or lick. Usually a G or B string when I play something in A.

A couple of weeks back I had a bad set of strings. Broke three of them during string stretching just after I put them on.

[hamfist]

A couple of weeks back I had a bad set of strings. Broke three of them during string stretching just after I put them on.

Yup, I'm convinced that sometimes a string (or strings) are just plain faulty, when they go like that, or very early on.

[JDC]

back when I never got round to changing string I once snapped my high C string and the force of it snapping broke the other end and so it pinged across the room and I didn't find it for a week

another time I managed to snap a 0.059" string which nearly whacked me in the face

[Gary]

I played about 40 gigs last year and had three string breaks (it happens so rarely I can actually remember them!). luckily I ALWAYS have a back up guitar. It's not that much extra hassle taking it and it's certainly outweighed by the peace of mind.

[sgmypod]

Worst I had was on a twelve string.....the high(thin) g snapped and stuck in my hand...smarted a little..always worried changing the strings on that now

[badgermark]

I used to snap strings all the time.  I once snapped a low E from a set of tens. Now i can play a little better (only a little) and use 11s, i cant remember the last time i snapped a string. Never happened live, but then again i've never really gigged regularly, only managed 3 big ones so far.

[Roobubba]

I hardly EVER break the strings, which, considering I mash them with a 3.0mm stubby triangle very very hard, is somewhat surprising to me! I do tend to play strings too long, too. I had a dream the other night where Wez told me off because I haven't changed the strings on my baritone since i got it in October!!! (Sorry Wez!)

Roo

[WezV]

i am worried that you dream about me roo :P

change the strings!!!

[Madiac]

The only string snapping stories i have is when i've been a dumb*** and tuned the strings to far (while being to focused on what the tuner showed, and already having tuned past the correct pitch)  :wallbash: :idiot2:

[Philosoful]

To thread starter, graphite neck?

[Jonny]

I rarely change my strings either. It's not that I can't be bothered but until one snaps or one day they don't feel as comfy as new ones then I'm completely fine with them. The only story I have is it whiplashing me on the neck when I was a complete newbie at the guitar.

To thread starter, graphite neck?

The Synapse and ZT Series both have Patented Graphite U channel necks. Integrated with 3 pc maple. And obviously quoted from the website :P

[gwEm]

To thread starter, graphite neck?

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14642.msg190631#msg190631