Please Recomend me some strings KEEP BREAKING THEM

[sllick50]

Hi, I am new to this forum, lots of great info here. I play a 3/4 St. Antonio bass. I have tried a couple different kinds of strings but i have broken 5 strings in the past year. I play alot, 4 gigs a week usually about 4 hours a gig. Bluegrass and rockabilly mostly. Broken 2 E's and a A of DiAdario Spiracores and 1 E 1 A and 1 D of a set of Corelis. After I broke the first one I stopped playing as hard as I was. Then I upgraded my amp to a Ampeg SVT-3Pro with a 4x10HE can so I play even softer now. Even so first note into the first song of a night I lost my E on the Coreli set last night. Had to play on 3 strings all weekend. So what do you guys recomend? I have been playing Upright for about 5 years (electric bass and guitar for 12) now but in all actuallity I still know basicly nothing about it. I have recorded 2 albums and have been full time gigging for 3 years now. Oh and I use a Schaller Magnetic URB pickup. THANKS ALOT!

DAVE

[sublime0bass]

have lots of backup strings

[sllick50]

Thanks

[Jake deVilliers]

Thomastik Spirocore Orchestra Gauge, also called "Mittels".

[Aaron Cohn]

I'd suggest you get your setup checked out by a good luthier. There may be something wrong with it that's causing these strings to break so much.

[PocketGroove82]

Originally Posted by Aaron Cohn

I'd suggest you get your setup checked out by a good luthier. There may be something wrong with it that's causing these strings to break so much.

+1. Sounds like a poorly cut bridge to me.

[sllick50]

Originally Posted by PocketGroove82

+1. Sounds like a poorly cut bridge to me.

I have a Aubert Mirecourt Deluxe Bridge it is supposed to be good quality. The bass was set up by the oldest shop in Alaska Pytrs Violin Shop. But its 220 miles away to have it looked at. I guess i will have to make the trek.

[MingusAmongUs]

Ditto your setup. But.. Alaska. Well, I guess you'll have to learn lutherie then!

But seriously, where are the strings breaking? That would be the first thing. If it's at the bridge, then maybe it's a bridge problem. Make sure the bridge is seated properly, at a 90 degree angle from the bass top. At the tailpiece? Tailpiece problem. Etc. One thing that might help is to "lubricate" the strings at the contact points, as well as the contact points themselves, with a softish lead pencil. #2 is probably fine. Also, is the bass a longer than standard string length, or do you have your action set unusually high? Maybe you need longer strings or a lower setup. Unlikely but worth asking. Do you do a lot of slapping? I know you said you toned it down but maybe you need to rethink your right hand approach if all else fails. Don't know how many qualified DB teachers are available up there but that could be helpful to you. Maybe try a more flexible string. Lots of things to try.

[Uncletoad]

Or....

Thomastic Spirocore Stark set.

Heaviest pizz strings known to man. If you break those I'll buy you a huge beer. You will be the manliest of them all.

They sound amazing too.

[sllick50]

Originally Posted by MingusAmongUs

Ditto your setup. But.. Alaska. Well, I guess you'll have to learn lutherie then!

But seriously, where are the strings breaking? That would be the first thing. If it's at the bridge, then maybe it's a bridge problem. Make sure the bridge is seated properly, at a 90 degree angle from the bass top. At the tailpiece? Tailpiece problem. Etc. One thing that might help is to "lubricate" the strings at the contact points, as well as the contact points themselves, with a softish lead pencil. #2 is probably fine. Also, is the bass a longer than standard string length, or do you have your action set unusually high? Maybe you need longer strings or a lower setup. Unlikely but worth asking. Do you do a lot of slapping? I know you said you toned it down but maybe you need to rethink your right hand approach if all else fails. Don't know how many qualified DB teachers are available up there but that could be helpful to you. Maybe try a more flexible string. Lots of things to try.

I play on a low setup and I really do not do much slapping anymore, just when i solo, and a few songs I play slap bass. They do break on the bridge. I actually just made a appointment to get it looked at by a luthier when my new strings come. I have been playing on 3 strings the past 2 shows.

[Ben Rolston]

Originally Posted by sllick50

I play on a low setup and I really do not do much slapping anymore, just when i solo, and a few songs I play slap bass. They do break on the bridge. I actually just made a appointment to get it looked at by a luthier when my new strings come. I have been playing on 3 strings the past 2 shows.

Your bridge slots are too small then, you could just use a file to file them down instead of having a luthier do it.

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Could be your nut slots.

[TroyK]

Ditto on the set up, it's not the quality of the bridge necessarily, so much as how the string might be going through the slot.

But, less value add, you said "DiAdario Spiracores". DiAddarios are Helicores, which I think are more prone to breakage than Spirocores, which are made by Thomastik. People above have recommended to you Thomastik Spirocores of either medium or heavy (if you can handle it) gauge. I agree. Helicores are not bad strings, but people do tend to break them more than average.

You might also consider drums.

-tk

[sllick50]

Thanks alot

[sllick50]

Hey guys thanks for the help. I took my bass into the luthier and he told me a new bridge was nessicary. That night i was playing a gig and the bridge cracked at the base and laid down (done). Got my new bridge and trying out some eurosonics, lights, loving it. The luthier said the bridge was wrong from setup and that was why they kept breaking. Again thanks for your advice.

DAVE