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When's the last time you broke a string?
- Thread starter JazzyJacuzzi
- Start date
2019 I was tuning and the D string broke, it was the same one that had been on the bass since I bought it from a pawn shop in 1994. It was a 10 year old bass then and was probably the original strings, so do the math ...
Probably about 20 years ago. Instead of putting my bass on a stand at a gig like grown-butt woman, I leaned it against my amp. And knocked it over, of course. Somehow, the A string snapped, above the nut. And I had no extra bass strings with me. Back then, I was almost certainly playing Trace Elliot Strings .045-.130.
Well, I did happen to have a set of extra heavy guitar strings, so I took the heaviest, something like a .056 (was intended to be a low B string), tied a Carrick Bend knot with the two strings (I went to university for Theatre Design, so rigging was part of the curriculum), and tuned it up. It held perfectly, and I continued to play like that for probably close to a year, before I got around to actually buying a new set of strings, because it was perfectly stable, and I thought it was hilarious.
The gig was in Atlantic City, but I can't remember the name of the bar. Six Shooters? Does that sound right?
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About 6 years ago, I tried Helix (exposed core) strings on my Spector. "I loved the sound, 'til they came unwound", or broke. After three different sets had the same issue, I came back to D'Addario. Vanilla, but dependable.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
I have never broken an electric bass string since 1968.
However, I remember my dad had a double bass string break during a gig back in the day; the end of the broken string whipped out and slashed the drummer's hand.
Never in 30 years, and I don't change them often. I do keep an old set in the gig bag but have never needed it.
Never broken one in all 46 years playing bass. Let someone else play one of my basses once and they broke one though.
1978.
I broke 3 strings tuning my first Sears catalogue bass an octave to high using a piano as reference.
I broke 3 strings tuning my first Sears catalogue bass an octave to high using a piano as reference.
I didn't know that breaking a bass string was even possible, unless maybe you tried to tow a car with it. Even then, I'm not sure. Maybe a G or high C.
IMO, with the $$ I’ve spent on gear and I like the sound of that gear with new strings …. I change my strings at every show. So, it’s been a while since I broke a string on stage from playing but have had accidents pre-show where I had to go to the bass I brought as a back up instead of restringing.
