am i the only one?

[dennis james]

started playing bass in the early 70's. in all that time I have never broken a string. most of that time playing standard A440, sometimes tuned down 1/2 step on everything from the cheapest basses imaginable to my current mike lull's, and pretty much everything in between. I see all these posts where people say they always take an extra set of strings on a gig and I certainly wouldn't discourage that practice, but again I ask how many times have you needed those extra strings?

 

[Nashrakh]

I've only been playing for twelve or thirteen years, but I've never had a string break on me. Then again, I take precautions when it comes to sharp edges on the hardware and so forth.

However, you never know... Having an emergency plan never hurt anyone. That's why I keep one or two old string sets (old as in "replaced by something else/better", not the rusty junk kind), in case I do need them.

 

[Paulabass]

I broke a few strings back in the 70's with my new Travis Bean bass. We found a sharp edge on a saddle, and fixed the problem.
Haven't broken one since.

 

[michael_t]

I was an acoustic guitar player for 15 years in my younger days and now for the last 9 years as a bassist. Never once have I broken a string...ever.

 

[JRA]

it only takes one time.

 

[jmon]

When I started in the 90s I used to break strings. Es and As. It’s was due to poor technique mostly. I don’t have to play that hard to be heard and get the tone I want. Once I developed good technique (which is a never ending journey) it’s been almost 20 years since I’ve broken one.

 

[Paulabass]

I mentioned a few posts before- Never broken a string.
I was on my way to a gig about 60 miles from home, and a good 30 from a music store. I realized I'd forgotten my briefcase with strings, batteries, tools, condoms... Nothing in there I couldn't get by without except the strings.
I played...gingerly...all night, thinking... I'm going to break a string, I'm going to break a string, I'm going...
I didn't break a string.

 

[Slade N]

i have before but less than a handful of times and not in a very long time but i dont want get stuck it ruining the night if it were to happen so gigs always get a backup bass taken, and that covers more “could be’s “ than just a pack of strings does

 

[gln1955]

I was an acoustic guitar player for 15 years in my younger days and now for the last 9 years as a bassist. Never once have I broken a string...ever.

Never breaking a guitar string in 15 years is truly remarkable.

 

[jamro217]

I haven't broken a bass string on a gig yet. Guitar strings, maybe half a dozen in over four decades. Due to the fact that carrying extras doesn't ad considerable weight to the bag or take up much room, it's easier to leave a set in there just in case. How many times did you use the oxygen mask on a plane or the lifeboat on a ship? Plan accordingly.

 

[trevcda]

It's been a decade or better since I've broken one. That could be because I play much nicer basses now than I did then. Could also be because I'm not playing six and seven nights a week anymore. Regardless, I keep a spare pack of strings in each bass case (different strings on different basses) to be sure that the time I need them won't be the time I don't have them.

 

[40Hz]

Been playing bass for over 40 years and never once broke a string while playing. That said, I always carry a spare set of strings. Guess I’m just paranoid.

 

[Trabeen]

Any post beginning with “am I the only one?” invariably results in learning that you are in fact far from being the only one.

 

[Nephilymbass]

started playing bass in the early 70's. in all that time I have never broken a string. most of that time playing standard A440, sometimes tuned down 1/2 step on everything from the cheapest basses imaginable to my current mike lull's, and pretty much everything in between. I see all these posts where people say they always take an extra set of strings on a gig and I certainly wouldn't discourage that practice, but again I ask how many times have you needed those extra strings?

i started playing in 1994. i change my strings every 2-4 weeks. So over the last 24 years I’ve gone through a lot of strings. I’ve only broken one in all that time, and it was probably defective. But when I have been down to just one bass I always held onto the previous set just in case. When I have a backup it’s not as big of a deal to me. Really for me the biggest reason ive needed to switch to my backup is output jacks. I’ve had I want to say 5 output jacks go bad over the years.

Maybe it happens more with high C strings? When I had my 6 and 7 strings I always babied the high c strings out of fear that they would break.

I’m betting it’s most often people who never change their strings and just let them get funky and nasty to the point where they break because of corrosion

 

[kilgoja]

never broken a string and i've been playing since 1996. i've never carried backup strings to a gig either.

 

[JoeWPgh]

I started in the early 70's and I just recently broke my first ever string. It was while installing the low B on a bass I had just converted to BEAD. I think it was a flaw in the EB Cobalt as I didn't have it even close to pitch when it snapped at the tuner.

 

[dab12ax7ef]

I broke exactly one string since 1999. It was due to a burr on the saddle. I fixed it and haven’t broke one since. It was a low B string, and I finished the set with out it. They were EB Slinky’s I think, on my Cort A5. It’s a neck through and the other strings didn’t even go out of tune perceptibly.

 

[dennis james]

i started playing in 1994. i change my strings every 2-4 weeks. So over the last 24 years I’ve gone through a lot of strings. I’ve only broken one in all that time, and it was probably defective. But when I have been down to just one bass I always held onto the previous set just in case. When I have a backup it’s not as big of a deal to me. Really for me the biggest reason ive needed to switch to my backup is output jacks. I’ve had I want to say 5 output jacks go bad over the years.

Maybe it happens more with high C strings? When I had my 6 and 7 strings I always babied the high c strings out of fear that they would break.

I’m betting it’s most often people who never change their strings and just let them get funky and nasty to the point where they break because of corrosion

I suppose I should have mentioned that all my basses were 4 stringers. you're probably right about it being mostly ancient corroded strings that break.

 

[HolmeBass]

I’ve broken plenty, mostly A strings. But I break them far less frequently now. The last was, well quite a while, 10 years ago. Lightening up my touch and getting better amplification has helped a lot.

 

[soulman969]

Never broken a bass string period but I always have a backup bass.