When Strings Break:

Inspector #20

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So, I've tried every string available and have used Ernie Balls for many years. I tried NYXL's, but they broke too frequently.

On the average, on my YelloStrat, I can get about 3-5 days out of a g/b/e and about 2 weeks out of the E/A/D strings. I change the g/b/e as soon as I feel "hourglassing" as you can see just to the right of center in this photo.

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Here's the 3 day old high 'e' from my YelloStrat showing the break, which actually happened between frets, during the solo to Whitesnake's Still Of The Night :

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The ball end shows no evidence of "choking" up...

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Close up of the break:

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I was just recently given quite a few sets of Paradigms from Ernie Ball, so I'll be trying those next.

They've been flawless on my Les Paul.
 
So, I've tried every string available and have used Ernie Balls for many years. I tried NYXL's, but they broke too frequently.

On the average, on my YelloStrat, I can get about 3-5 days out of a g/b/e and about 2 weeks out of the E/A/D strings. I change the g/b/e as soon as I feel "hourglassing" as you can see just to the right of center in this photo.

View attachment 84029

Here's the 3 day old high 'e' from my YelloStrat showing the break, which actually happened between frets, during the solo to Whitesnake's Still Of The Night :

View attachment 84030

The ball end shows no evidence of "choking" up...

View attachment 84031

Close up of the break:

View attachment 84032

I was just recently given quite a few sets of Paradigms from Ernie Ball, so I'll be trying those next.

They've been flawless on my Les Paul.
I bend the crap out of strings and they hardly ever break.
Robert is the string torturer; all strings beware and tremble.
 
You must really give 'em hell! I never break strings playing, if I break a string it's because I've loosened them and tightened them back up too many times swapping pickups or something. Even then I can do that several times before any breakage and when one does finally break it's always the high E.
Same here. Don’t remember breaking any playing. In nearly 50 years of playing, I have had a couple break when restringing. Figured a flaw in the string.

I did however have an octave string on my 12 string snap one time. Guitar was in the case….. in the closet. Heard a twang. Opened the case and found the broken string. Go figure.
 
Same here. Don’t remember breaking any playing. In nearly 50 years of playing, I have had a couple break when restringing. Figured a flaw in the string.

I did however have an octave string on my 12 string snap one time. Guitar was in the case….. in the closet. Heard a twang. Opened the case and found the broken string. Go figure.

I grew up watching Paul Kossoff and very early on, I tried to emulate him. He was a very dramatic player and literally 'wrung notes' out of his Les Paul.

Being entirely self-taught, i am, quite certain, that I learned a lot of bad habits along the way too, but I think those very early influences really do rub off on us and become infused into our playing.


If you really watch Paul and then watch the video of Ozzy and Randy Rhoads (the one filmed in the TV studio) you will see many similar poses and movements between Paul and Randy.

12 string...

After performing regularly with the DoubleNeck, I learned this. Most high octave 'g' strings are .010" gauge.step uo to .013" and the breaks will stop.
 
Here's where I routinely wear through the nail on my right index finger while picking. This is from playing with a "choked-up" grip on the pick and dragging my index fingernail across the low 'E' string...

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1988 I got a new Fender Strat Plus it was a string breaking piece of garbage tried every brand
of strings at that time same results went back to my 1961 Stratocaster problem solved 1991 got a PRS Custom 24 the PRS never broke a string 11 years of gigs 3 nights per week and band practice 2 nights per week.
As far as mileage on strings stainless steel frets are the way to go. I only change strings when they get
funky 37 guitars to feed strings to every guitar sounds different. When the strings sound dull engage the
bright switch on my amps.

bright switch 001.JPG
 
1988 I got a new Fender Strat Plus it was a string breaking piece of garbage tried every brand
of strings at that time same results went back to my 1961 Stratocaster problem solved 1991 got a PRS Custom 24 the PRS never broke a string 11 years of gigs 3 nights per week and band practice 2 nights per week.
As far as mileage on strings stainless steel frets are the way to go. I only change strings when they get
funky 37 guitars to feed strings to every guitar sounds different. When the strings sound dull engage the
bright switch on my amps.

View attachment 84072
Robert sharpens his frets with a chain saw file....:pound-hand:
 
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