String Breakage..

Redhotbassist · #1 07-24-2005, 06:34 PM

How do you tell when your strings are are close to breaking? because i have situations before gigs where ive had a set of strings on the bass for about 2 months and have played about 20 gigs with them,

And before a gig i have wondered ''hmm these strings have been going a long time'' is it worth putting a new pair on?.. or waiting it out, and seeing if they will last?\

Just wondering if anyone knows any little signs of strings closing to breaking/uncoiling like tension or whatever?

Thanks,

BurningSkies · #2 07-24-2005, 07:04 PM

If your intonation is off, or you can't get them to stay in tune...then change them. And you should think about your technique if you're breaking strings regularly. The only time I ever broke bass strings was waaay back, and I was using a steel pick by the bridge.

Redhotbassist · #3 07-27-2005, 07:29 AM

Well they stayed in tune, i just had used them a LOT 10 eight hour practices and about 15-20 gigs.. and a big gig was coming up, so i was quite cautious, but didnt know if there were ways of telling if they have had there time.. haha

Cheers anyway.

AGCurry · #4 07-27-2005, 12:59 PM

I've been playing bass for 35 years and never broken a string. And I don't have a real light touch. Something is wrong with your bass or your technique if you break strings.

I DID have one unravel on me once.

Redhotbassist · #5 07-27-2005, 02:03 PM

Yeah mine 'Unravel' thats what i basically call breaking (ive never had one snap! that would be brutal!) .. but after a period of time of practicing hard/slapping and popping and stuff thats what happen to mine, could be the bridge saddles being too sharp as someone else has suggested.. im not too sure..

Cheers.

TheBassBetween · #6 07-27-2005, 02:36 PM

Just to be contradictory to the rest of the posters, I break strings fairly frequently. I've broken 3 G strings in the past 3 years I've been playing bass, but I assume they come from lower priced strings. I've never broken DR's or Blue Steels. Oh, also, I've broken all 3 of those strings playing slap, probably much harder than I needed to. I change my strings every 2 months, around, but that's because I love wasting money, and that new string sound a lot.

Redhotbassist · #7 07-27-2005, 02:46 PM

Yeah, G's are my most common, ive only broke about 2 in the space of 2 years, but there usually the first ones to go.. blatantly because there thinner, and my G is popped a lot..

I use Rotosound (.045-.105) swing bass, and sometimes Warwick red labels..

Redhotbassist · #8 01-21-2006, 11:56 AM

amper · #9 01-25-2006, 08:23 AM

In 12+ years of playing, I've broken exactly two strings. One when my bass fell over because I forgot to bring a stand to the gig (tied it up with a heavy guitar string and played it that way for a couple of months), and one with a very, very poorly executed pop.

If you're regularly breaking bass strings, look at your technique. If you're not doing anything abusive to the strings, you probably have a sharp edge on a saddle or some such.