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Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 83
Location: Norman, OK | OK, So we're at church today and in the middle of Bill Maxwell's "Light the Fire" my G-string (yes..on my guitar) goes "POW" with the force of some bronzewound supernova, making a somwhat less than joyful noise to the Lord. After recovering from the concussive force of the blast we managed to finish out the song with a few chuckles. I can't remember the last time I blew a string, especially on something that sedate. It prompted me to see if there was ever a thread here on similar events. I found a few interesting stories but I'll bet there's more out there.
Cheers,
Mike O |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 651
Location: Australia | Been playing out since 81' and have broken strings very infrequently, but.....
I remember playing at a big new years eve bash many years ago and they'd asked if at the midnight hour we would do "Auld Lang Syne". At that time I was using a red Adamas 11 cutaway.
However, while we were playing it I broke (I kid you not) three strings.
The guy at the music store replaced the set but I swore off Thomastik acoustic strings ever since. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | My "popping" strings've pretty much been a staple at TwoManGroup gigs. I have a bad habit of flailing at the strings on the more upbeat, percussive stuff. Lately, I've been pretty good by using a bit heavier pick and using a bit lighter "hand" . . . .
There HAS been a couple occasions where we'd play a couple of real BarnBurners (that probably weakend the string(s) pretty well), and then go to a mellow, finger-picked song and have a D or G string just go "boink!" in the middle of it.
Finishing a "strummy" song with a busted string is do-able (sometimes), but trying to fingerpick a song with a busted D draped down over the other three's a bit of bitch. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | you see Richard Thompson play lead around his broken e string on the DVD??...
wouldn't have even noticed if I didn't see it was broken...
(are my RT references annoying yet???) |
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November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Yes. |
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Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 86
Location: Detroit area | About 5 years ago, right before the acoustic/vocal break in My Redeemer Lives, boing goes my E string. Had to play it with power chords. Not a huge deal, but inopportune for sure. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Jeff;
I'm really enjoying the DVD, but haven't really had the opportunity to watch it all the way through uninterrupted. I've got it in the computer down in my MusicRoom, and I'll have it playing while restringing and packing for gigs.
One'o these days I'll bring it upstairs, pour a pint, and watch it all the way through. Haven't noticed the busted string . . . |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by schroeder:
Yes. I assure you that kind of vaque answer will only egg me on. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | This one reads as “the most Opportune string break”.
This Sunday Our Café Band ended up playing in the main sanctuary service due to Summer vacations/Mission trips, etc. After the first two songs our Leader made some announcements and excused himself to fix a broken string on the 1778T I am selling him. He grabs the 1778LX I had loaned him while I was on vacation last week. Having a short period of silence and realizing that I had a microphone in front of me I announced that it was a “good thing” to have more than one guitar and in fact it should be encouraged.
At the time I was playing the Adamas 12 so I got a little thrill at having three of my guitars on stage. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I've been breaking strings lately as well. Even broke a D the other day.
One of the reasons I love my O's so much is that every other brand of guitar I've broken strings on - you stop and retune everything.
The necks on O's are so strong and stable I can keep on playing because the rest of the strings stay in tune. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Like Cliff, I haven't broken as many strings after switching to a heavier pick (Dunlop nylons; I EQ to compensate for the duller tone). But every once in a while....
It was the first Sunday out with my newest Custom Legend, and I didn't have my normal kit of spares in the new case. My congregation was meeing in temporary quarters during an 18 month season of our building being near totally restored. A string broke in the first song. When I realized I didn't have a replacement, I left the place and drove several blocks home to where I had everything I needed. After getting the kit, I drove back, replaced the string, and rejoined the band on the platform after an absence of about 7 minutes. I did get a few odd looks. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | I've never broken a string playing in public. But I use medium OFC picks (same as medium Fenders) and medium gauge strings. About 6 weeks ago, there was no power at all in the church and I was playing Big Blue (light gauge strings -- 12 string). If I was going to break a string, that would have been the time as I was pounding that thing to be heard over the piano. Not a problem. |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 623
Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | Johnny "Broke Another String" Mauer.
'nuff said. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Johhny & I are the poster children for D'Addario's Player'sPoints!
(I wish those things had some kind of "cash value" . . I've accumulated enough to fund a small country) |
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Joined:
November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Player's Points, I really wanted the old style stool. The new one just doesn't appeal to me. |
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Joined:
February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | Agreed on the stool.... I was bored the other day and counted up my Player Points --- well over 1000. I could really use a couple of those stools, but the new ones look cheap. And now that I am rolling up the points, whatever happened to that Zion guitar that one could get with 10,000 points? |
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Joined:
June 2005
Posts: 274
Location: Maryland, USA | How often do you guys replace strings?
I try to replace every 4-6 months, and do so before that if they're looking a bit worn. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I try to get at least 2-3 gigs out of a set (not including "breakage"), which means about every 2-3 weeks.
PlayersPoints: I'm saving up for the D'Addario Winnebago . . . . |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I had several strings break while demonstrating how to don a climbing harness to a group of folks in the Philippines. They happened to be the ones holding the the rear seam of my shorts together.
after months of sun and laundry starch they parted like the Red Sea...stem to stern.
don't bother asking what I was wearin 'neath em... |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| What kind of a adventure hero starches his shorts? |
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Joined:
August 2004
Posts: 604
Location: Tampa, FL | I kinda figured he was making a fashion statement. Just not sure if it was before or after the string break... |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by schroeder:
What kind of a adventure hero starches his shorts? After hours in the equatoriol sun, directly overhead, days on end, in 100degree heat and 100%humidity
the starch in my shorts was the only thing keepin me upright...
Only Mad dogs and Englishman.... |
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Your most inopportune string break
