Just George
Fingers on 4 Flatwounds
- Dec 29, 2008
- 412
- 413
- Disclosures
- Artist Relationship: Wilkins-Ampeg-La Bella
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How long has it been since you last broke a string?
- Thread starter rockdoc11
- Start date
I had never broke a string in 20 years. About 3 or 4 years ago, I had to learn to play with a pick because of a skin problem. Last year, I broke my first string ever, the A string. I changed it, then the new A string broke two jamming sessions later (about a week). I brought it to my luthier who did a small leveling job to the bridge saddle. Been ok since then.
Nothing against you, but I've always been a firm believer in having a backup bass tuned and ready to go in case of mishap. Any time I've worked with Pro's, this is the norm, and it kept its tradition once I went part time. Many will scoff here and say, "I've never had an issue, no reason to bring a spare." My answer is, "that will change after it happens once or twice and it shuts down the show." You got lucky and was able to get through just missing a string, but a 10 second bass change would have been easier. Not pointed at you again, but usually after a mishap, what I say makes sense.
I carry an extra amp, often two cabs, and anything else (cords) that might stop a show. Anything mechanical can break, and will often pick the worse time to do so.
I'm sorry you had the mishap, but I'm glad to see you learned from it.
Me? I broke one string, a G string after repeated boils, practicing in my room when I was 16. I've had just about everything else break on a bass, but only that one string.
Been roughly 22 years I'd guess. Used to do it regularly on guitar, sometimes on violin, once in a while on bass. But then between those 3 instruments I was playing roughly 10 hours a day every day 7 days a week, so odds were against me.
Then I met my future wife and started my family. Since then, I don't have enough time or money to break strings any more. Joke but no joke...
Then I met my future wife and started my family. Since then, I don't have enough time or money to break strings any more. Joke but no joke...
I used to break strings fairly often, but I'm a lot different bassist than I used to be, I'm not boiling my strings weekly to keep them sounding fresh and reusing them 15 times (even though I did often soak them in denatured alcohol and reuse them 15 times in recent years), nor do I do slide bass with a mic stand anymore unless it's by accident. Last time I broke a string by any other means besides a problem during installation is probably 2001.
A few years ago, when I thought I was tuning up the D string but it happened to be the A string.
I used to have a crap technique so I broke strings occasionally when playing too hard. Not since I can remember in recent history though, I’d say at least 15 years. Now I have to go find some wood to knock on.
I’ve broken one string in 50+years of playing. At least 2500 gigs. That was about 35-40 years ago.
Back in the 70s with my first bass which had nylon tapewound strings and guitar tuners. Although mostly the tape would break and unravel rather than the centre wire, although that happened too.
