this post was submitted on 23 Feb 2024
65 points (98.5% liked)

guitars

3883 readers
108 users here now

Welcome to /c/guitars! Let's show off our new guitar pics, ask questions about playing, theory, luthier-ship, and more!

Please bring all positive vibes to the community and leave the toxic stuff elsewhere.

Banner credit

Rules:


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

In the span of 2 days, I've managed to break the E string on two of main jam guitars. Bad luck, or bad technique? I'm betting on the latter lol

top 28 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Sorry about your e strings. But those are beautiful guitars.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago
[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It's an "Escape" string, it simply wants to run free!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

If you love something, let it go apparently.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Clip your fingernails dude

[–] [email protected] 12 points 9 months ago (1 children)

In both of these cases, it broke at the saddle. If my fingernail got it at the saddle, my technique is a lot worse than I thought.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Gotta get those extremely high notes

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I'd be checking for notches, scratches or burrs at the saddles and making sure you seat the string properly when stringing it. What gauge are they? I haven't broken a string in 20 years despite doing 2 stop bends regularly.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Yeah, I haven't broken a string in about that time as well, then all of a sudden two in a row lol. These are elixir nanoweb 10 gauge

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Did you restring these guitars at a similar time?

If you bought these strings on eBay or Amazon there are a lot of fakes around and they break very easily.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago

Yeah I did. These are elixir nano web, it's entirely possible I got a bad batch.

[–] Outtatime 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

No information on what brand strings you use or how often you change them

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Elixir nanoweb 10 gauge, and not very often.

[–] Outtatime 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I'd chalk it up to not changing them very often. Especially if you play a lot

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Do you import/export guitars?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Exclusively for vandalay industries

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Phish phan here from all. Are those Languedocs?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

The left is a Woodford Elite custom order/design from PJD guitars in the UK. The right is a Ernie Ball MusicMan JP15

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Give the frets a gentle polish if it breaks over a set range of frets. Could be friction wear on the thinnest string. If it breaks up by the nut or any other part then check for burrs. Very light sanding, or (preferably if its gold hardware or expensive) some old, clean cotton rag rubbed over the area should fix that.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

Buddy of mine from way back in the day was a bend master. If he didn't break the high E string on at least one guitar at a show, he wasn't playing his best.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

I had three A strings break while jamming with my band over the course of a month, one from a set of brand new strings. I too would love to know what the hell I'm doing to the A string that makes it give up and die.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

I only ever had this issue with light gauge strings, mediums are what I use now

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Solder the string ends around the winds. I have to do that on my jazzmaster or else I break e strings all the time with them coming unwound.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

There is a ton of variables and while the problem may be related to where you see a string break, it might also be something completely different.

Have you tried different string brands? One thing that might matter is how you string the guitars. Are you creating twists or kinks and how evenly you stretch the string. Might be worth watching some videos about it. We all forget things even if we've learned them once and there are worse and better methods.

Just two breaks is still mostly just coincidence. Especially on two different guitars. And strings break. Especially top e.