What's your "essential" String?

[Ezmar]

Kind of an odd Idea, but I'll do my best to explain.

So you know when you break a string, sometimes it doesn't matter much, and you can keep playing without it? Well for me, that works pretty well, unless it's the D string. It must be my most used string, since I can barely play without it. Any of the other 3 are fine, A is a little worse. But Without a D string, it just ruins everything.

Does anyone else know this feeling?

[ToadWarrior]

I've never broken a string but without question it's the A string. That said I wouldn't be completely gimped without the use of any one string, but I also would restring the guitar immediately, so it would never happen.

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by ToadWarrior

I've never broken a string but without question it's the A string. That said I wouldn't be completely gimped without the use of any one string, but I also would restring the guitar immediately, so it would never happen.

I have an image of you during a show, Breaking a string, and INSTANTLY putting a new one on. It is a wonderful image.

[MarkA]

This is fun. On a four string, I guess I could get by most easily without a G (this coming from someone who likes to play chords and harmonics, etc., and uses every fret on the bass). The remaining three are tougher. Depends what I was playing. Slapped octaves? Take out E or A and I'll be okay with E to D or A to G. I was messing around on six string the other day, actually, playing a funk line, trying to keep the essentials of it while taking away one string at a time. You can groove pretty hard on three strings. You can still do a lot on two.

I guess on 4 string I'd most hate to lose D. On six, tough call between D and A -- with B, E, and A together you can do some nice grooves and still reach across from A to G for octaves and 7ths... or over to C for some 10ths (to get the 3rd of a chord if you want it).

Rambling answer to a funny question. You did make me think.
-------
Edit... I was thinking D, but now am inclining toward A -- those three string grooves I was playing on six were more often on E, A and D, I think, than B, E, and A. Depends on the context, I think.

[4dog]

AAAAAAAAAAAAA,,,,,,gottA hAve it.

[bassist4dalord]

I actually own a 3-string Fender BG-31 acoustic bass. The E-string slot on the bridge broke and will require $100 in repairs. So I've been playing it with just the three strings, and it gets the job done.

However, that bass will be gone soon, as my lovely wife surprised me with a new Ibanez AEB5E that has all four strings!!

I voted A. Wouldn't want to play a bass without that string; it's probably my favorite one on any bass.

[BassPlayer900]

All of them.

[Demonjrx]

It all depends for me. I rely a lot on my D string, but in all honesty if I lost it, I could just play the notes on the A or G. Now a B string, I may be screwed without that (Even though I rarely use it.)

[pocketgroove]

The A string...I guess a lot of other people feel the same way.

[Jay2U]

The A string may be used most, but most notes I play on A can be done higher up on E as well. This of course also holds for E and B. I converted to BEAD, as I didn't really need the G.

[Kenzy]

You've broken a bass string before...on accident? You go hard, man.

If one of my strings miraculously broke ("It's a christmas miracle!"), the worst one for me would be the A string.

[Jaco who?]

I'm trying to wrap my head around the scenario of three strings all breaking at the same time; seems a tad implausible to me. If there was one string I could live without, it would be G, since I seem to be fretting the D higher than I used to to eliminate the twanginess.

[Ezmar]

Originally Posted by Kenzy

You've broken a bass string before...on accident? You go hard, man.

If one of my strings miraculously broke ("It's a christmas miracle!"), the worst one for me would be the A string.

Yes, for those of us that don't use flats, it's quite common.

[Kenzy]

Originally Posted by Ezmar

Yes, for those of us that don't use flats, it's quite common.

Umm...Hmm.. I disagree with this. I use roundwound strings most of the time, as do all the local bassists I know. And I haven't known a single bassist that's broken a bass string.

[deeptubes]

In 26 years, I've only broken one string, 25 years ago. And, it was my own fault.

I could probably get along easiest without my E or G. A is my most used.