string breaking

[classic rock]

Lately I have been working hard on my bending (making sure I bend to the right pitch) and it has improved so much especially when I add vibrato. The problem is I have been breaking a lot of b and e strings. The string I just broke is maybe 1 1/2 weeks old. It happens when I do a 1 step bend and then I do a 1 1/2 step bend like in the beginning intro of red house when Jimi does it on b string on the 15 fret. I use Dadarrio EXL115 and I recently tried Earnie Ball Slinky and they were even worse. I dont know I just feel like I am breaking strings frequently when I am bending. I have been playing for hours a day so maybe thats why. I was just looking for some advice to see if this is normal? Also just wondering how often you guys play and how often do you change your strings when you are just practicing/playing not performing.

[Kongels]

Are they always breaking in the same place or just randomly? It could be the nut, bridge, string tree, how they are wrapped around tuning peg or alot of things like that. If you are seeing a pattern where it is happening thats the first place I would take a good look. I switched to DR pure blues nickel wounds a few years ago and rarely break a string, I do alot of big bends as well. I change them about as often as I get a new pair of shoes, when they are worn out. If they are looking dirty, won't stay in tune, your intonation is out of whack or one breaks its a good time to change them all.

[TonyC]

As Kongels says, it could be a problem with some part of the guitar if the strings break in the same place.

I used to break strings very often when I was younger, now I hardly ever break any strings, and I do A LOT of heavy bending and vibrato. String brand doesn't matter. It's been years since I broke a string and I play many hours every day. I think it has to do with the picking technique as well. I have learned to pick more consistently soft. I used to pick much harder when I was younger because I couldn't control my picking.

I usually change strings once a week, but if I'm doing a lot of work I change every other day. But I have had periods where the strings stayed on for months without breaking even though I played a lot during that time.

[classic rock]

thanks guys for the replies. The b and e string have been breaking in different spots. It has been happening on my Les Paul and my Strat. I am almost positive I am stringing them right, I remember watching a ton of videos back in the day on how to do it. I do dig in really hard with the pick when I am doing big bending but thats just how I play with emotion. I dont know its just frustrating because I thought this was more frequent. I am going to restring the strat but I am going to leave the strings on the Les, they are as old as the strat strings, and see how long they last.

[DeanM]

happens to me alot too dude!! a while bk i wanted to change my strings. i had 4 sets of strings and not one of them had a high-E string!! one set had no b string either!! and i think one set was missin the a string aswel as the high e!! i dont change strings as often as id like. id be playin and break a string but wudn have time to change the whole set so id only change the broken one....so another string mite break later!! so last wk i had to buy a new set of strings and like 4 r 5 spare e's! even with new strings if yer playin alot they can break. it varies where they break too. on the high strings the break either rite at the nut or rite at the bredge. cos wen ya bend thats where most of the stress is exerted on the string. on the lower ones they'd normally break at the bridge. one of the windings wud snap and start to unravel.

its like you said dude when yer really gettin into it sometimes ya jst really dig in! i can be pretty tough on my guitars too!! its prob nothin ta do with the hardware and is prob jst yer style of playin cos im the same!!

[snatch]

i have an american deluxe fat strat and i used to always break the 5th or "A" string after playing heavy chords. i had to take a microscope to my bridge saddles and found a small burr that the string was rubbing on. some fine grit sandpaper and a little elbow grease and i havent had a problem since. you could try this, or some graph tech saddles

[DeanM]

i have an american deluxe fat strat and i used to always break the 5th or "A" string after playing heavy chords. i had to take a microscope to my bridge saddles and found a small burr that the string was rubbing on. some fine grit sandpaper and a little elbow grease and i havent had a problem since. you could try this, or some graph tech saddles

really!! not a bad Idea!! so did that stop the strings breaking?? that prob wud be the case for the heavier strings breakin regularly alright.

[slowpokerhino]

I honestly can't remember the last time I broke a string. However, that hasn't stopped me from using the "I need to have a backup guitar in case I break a string during a performance" excuse to get a new guitar. BTW, I haven't had a public performance in years! :lol:

Since it's not isolated to one guitar and the strings are breaking in different places I'd rule out bad saddles, nut etc.
I'd guess it could be: too heavy a pick (I use mediums), too light a gauge strings (I use .011s), cheap strings (I use either EB Slinkys or Snake Oils) or you're just a bad ass.

[classic rock]

Haha I think I am just going with option "you're just a bad ass". I use dunlop tortex .73mm ... This time the e string broke near the tuning peg so maybe I should run a sheet of sandpaper through the nut just to see if it helps. I just hate when it happens, its like my guitars cant handle me. I play like a fuckin animal sometimes. I cant wait until I can play live and release the fire inside me.

[lukemc]

Just thought id say, i have graphtech saddles and i keep string on for months at a time lol
if they aint broke dont fix, plus i hate the sound of new strings.

[classic rock]

I think sometimes im unlucky and get a bad string. Ive been play pretty hard and especially when im playing blues solos and have not broke a string in a long time. I ordered a set of strings .11 with a wound G string. Anyone try a set with a wound G string? I couldnt stop myself from atleast trying it out.

[Lordakamai]

I used to have allot of of string breaking on my Les paul Copy and a friend told me to put the stings in different (like shown in the picture) and this i just can't get to break em now i have been doing allot of aggressive overbending but they don't break and i actually have to change them now because of they are all rusty and shitty they have been on for close to 2 months now and i play allot