Broke an E string last night

driver800 · #1 01-01-2006, 02:08 PM

I play finger-style pretty aggressively, but i've never broken an E string. it was from a set of Elixirs I've been playing for about 4 months. It broke at the bridge saddle - the saddle is pretty smooth, no burrs or anything. I was really glad to to have a backup bass with me.

has anyone else broken an E string (unintentionally)?

malthumb · #2 01-01-2006, 03:20 PM

Wow. Somebody had too much eggnog.

troll · #3 01-13-2006, 11:42 AM

If consistantly playing, especially aggresively, 4 months is not uncommon for strings to weaken at the bridge, burrs or no burrs. Double check that the string hadn't dug in and left winding marks, not quite burrs but they can be a sign that the string was taking quite the abuse.

I've broken B's several times, on stage each time, grr. Usually when I've gone a month or two on the same set. I file the saddles each time I change them.

nysbob · #4 01-13-2006, 01:31 PM

If you play aggressively it won't be the last. I've probably broken 2 or 3 Es in the past year...that's the price of poker.

stedtale · #5 01-13-2006, 01:37 PM

In my younger hard-diggin' days I broke B's E's A's D's ... But not so much anymore. I still like to play rough, but I lay back more now too, haven't broken anything in a while, gettin' old I guess.

Redhotbassist · #6 01-14-2006, 05:14 AM

I broke an E string once in a band practice, while having a set on for about 5-6 months, it was at the bridge (probably from burrs, what can i do about it?!?!) and it was heavy plucking with the middle finger that made it uncoil, after about 20-30 gigs in that 6 months..

driver800 · #7 01-14-2006, 09:25 AM

you can file the burrs down, but gently though - use a round file.

I usually play flats for up to a year or more- I had never broken and A or E. It just blew me away when it happened. I've only had this bass about 6 months and it is strung through the body, so I guess it puts more pressure on the core at the saddle. not sure if flats or rounds would wear differently.

jerm · #8 01-14-2006, 09:40 AM

I've broken an E playing with my fingers, I play pretty hard though. I've also broken a G string during the middle of a gig while performing a slap solo, they were elixirs too.

ehque · #9 01-15-2006, 10:00 AM

ive had to change all my string sets due to breakage of the B-string. they break at the bridge.

1zero · #10 01-18-2006, 01:17 AM

broke my E string just yesterday playing Megalomaniac at band practice...
now i gotta wait 4 days to replace it..btw out of topic but are the Fender Stainless Steel Roundwounds or the Rotosound (i'm not sure which set but they're not stainless steels) are better sounding? i've pretty much stuck with EB slinkies so far..so would like some opinion..cheers ppl