First time for everything ...

[Sid the Kid]

I have had some issues with DR strings in the past and they have been great about sending replacements. Be sure to get ahold of them. Personally I’d go to GC and grab another set, use the E, and wait for the replacement string from DR to complete the new set. Never hurts to have a backup.

 

[ashtray]

Man, this is why you should never change your strings!

 

[joeLowB]

These stories confirm what we called in the manufacturing world the "Bathtub Curve". The product failure rate is highest when new, the gets very low for a long time then gradually rises as end of life approaches.

All the experience here validates that understanding.

 

[Dincrest]

Over the decades (for reference I've been playing bass since January 1994), I've had a few strings break on me like everyone else. It's a rare occurrence, but it happens. I've had it happen with D'Addario, GHS (well, a Ken Smith string), DR, some no-name brand strings... All were one-time breaks, except for D'Addario where I've had two breakages (though one of them was user error). The DR string I had break was because of a burr or sharp edge on a Warwick bridge saddle.


But a good thing about the major brands like D'Addario, GHS, DR, SIT, Dunlop is that if you get a bum string, contacting their customer service will likely get you a replacement string, no charge.

 

[TOOL460002]

New break location to me and only played DR'S since like 2003. Breaking an E is crazy enough to me. Glad you didn't get a string to the eye or anything!

 

[paddydaddyo]

Update:

Thanks to all y'all for chiming in. I wrote to DR via their web submission form and sent a picture and described the situation as outlined in my original post. After work I went back to the Guitar Barn and spoke with the asst manager at the desk, and handed him the string. After a very brief conversation he walked over, grabbed another set, handed it to me and said, "Sorry for the hassle, we'll follow up with the supplier." I thanked him and went on my way, thinking how that was exemplary customer service ... and now I have fresh spares for the rest of the set in the bag. As I was stringing the E up on the bass, DR sent me an email apologizing for the issue, and requesting my address so they could send me a replacement string of the correct gauge via Priority Mail. Also excellent response.

In short, more than satisfied. I was never thinking of jumping ship because of this, just wondering if anyone else had a recent issue that might point to a bad run of core wire or something. PBs on that bass ('04 MTD Kingston Artist 4) sound and feel nothing short of spectacular. The 3-hour full band rehearsal last night was an absolute joy, with multiple kudos from bandmates on how punchy and full my tone was.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: DR Pure Blues are my favorite roundwound set of all time.

 

[Core Creek]

If the store doesn't, I would just go straight to DR. Their customer service has a pretty good rep here, especially for replacing bad strings.

I’ve contacted D’Addario when I got a bum string and they sent me a whole new set for free. DR might as well.

 

[_Obra_]

I have only had this issue happen twice in 25+years. Both times it was DR strings. Talked to a local guitar tech (good one, not your typically GC tech) he said he does not see it often, but it is typically DR when it happens. This was before I told him the brand of string that I had the issue on.

It would not stop me from buying DR, because it is an infrequent issue. However, I have only had it happen on DR. When I hear about it happening to others, more often than not it is DR.

I used to use DR Pure Blues but no more. Last few sets I got from Thomann was bad. The E string was dead straight from the box.

 

[Ethix4]

Send DR a picture and explain. They'll send you a single string or even a whole set maybe.

 

[GTHintz]

I've purchased dozens of sets of DR Pure Blues strings since their introduction years ago, and they are my all-time favorite round-wound strings. Last night after work I picked up a set of 45 - 105 at my local Guitar Barn and restrung my MTD Kingston Artist 4 with them in preparation for this weekend's gigs. I prefer to restring and let the set stretch naturally for a few days ahead of time, as opposed to stringing and stretching the day of the gig. Personal preference, but that's how I roll.

Anywho, after getting it strung and tuned, I went in to make dinner, opened a bottle of red wine, put on some music, and dined with my lovely Love. Afterwards, I came back out to the garage to do some practicing on the new songs for this weeks sets. As I began to tune up (using my Seiko chromatic tuner), the core of the E-string snapped, right between the nut and the string post.

In nearly 45 years of playing, I have only had one other breakage of a new string, and that was at the ball-end winding where it passed over a sharp burr on the saddle. Not sure what to attribute this to, other than a manufacturing defect in the core wire. I'm going to take it back to GC today after work and see if they will give me a replacement. If not, I'll buy another full set and have spares for my A-D-G.

Anybody else here experienced a similar issue with DR strings recently?

I've heard about getting a bad DR once in a while and it's because of the hand winding machines and if the tech sneezes at the wrong time. However I've only had very consistent and good strings from them. The customer service is typically great with these guys so if guitar center doesn't help you then DR should send you a free pack no problem.

 

[dougjwray]

I've been using DR strings for about 20 years, including Pure Blues since they were first introduced, and I've never had any problems. I currently use Pure Blues strings on four basses.
I started playing bass in 1970, and have had exactly two broken strings. They happened during one weekend circa 1984; presumably there was a grain of sand or something, on the G string saddle. Those strings were GHS Boomers.

 

[BassinCT]

The only time I have experienced or heard of this is when the full winding of the lowest string gets wrapped around the peg, particularly with B strings. DR's wind their strings a bit longer before tapering. Since the OP had never experienced this prior to the break, that doesn't appear to be the case.