Evolution Of String Changing Paranoia

[Bo Legg]

Out here in the real world.
I just seat out a song and change a string. The lead guitar player is more than happy to cover for you, no worry they play over you a lot of the time anyway!

[Ian Rae]

Much truth there.

[Andy Henriksen]

We probably don't play the 3rd string as often as the 6th, but every time we raise that 6th we yank the 3rd also, so it gets out of life less than it puts in.

I never thought I'd feel sorry for a guitar string...

[Don R Brown]

I never thought I'd feel sorry for a guitar string...

Well, don't get all wound up about a 6th string.

[Lee Baucum]

I never thought I'd feel sorry for a guitar string...

Well, don't get all wound up about a 6th string.

Good one!

[Jeff Peterson]

Over a 40 plus year career, I've never broken a string in a session or on stage(playing with a pro artist or tv show). 20 years at longest with Clint Black. On tour with anyone, I carry 2 steels, change strings every 3 shows...one on the stage, one on the truck. Finish the 3rd show, change strings and it goes on the truck, the one that got changed 3 shows ago comes off. TV shows, fresh strings always, along with any (what was considered important) shows...White House lawn, Carnegie Hall, whatever. For comparison, in the early '70's, I'd go as long as I could and then boil them suckers...made 'em clean, but had to oil them to be able to play. But, I'd get months of playing out of those strings..but swore to myself, if I EVER got the chance..I would always play with the freshest strings I could afford...even if I really couldn't. Work toward getting with an artist, or play like no one else and get an endorsement..after that, no worries!

[Dave Hepworth]

Put new Ernie Ball strings on my Mullen RP begining of March.Then Covid and no gigs.However I have been playing at home every day for at least 30 mins.duration.My 3rd string broke about a week ago.Others still going strong !!!.

[Georg Sørtun]

How did you re-attach the broken string?

Put the end through the broken-off ball-end - about one centimeter, and twisted it back one turn around the string and angled it sharply. Held it in place in the slot on the changer, making sure the string-end got squeezed under the string while tuning up. (Developed a technique for holding the string tight and in place with my right hand fingers during initial tune-up, usually without taking the picks off.)

Once in tune; the high pressure/squeeze on that twisted string-end under the string kept it in place and in tune until it broke again 8-10 hours of playing later - at the exact same place on top of the bridge.

The "pre-stretched" string usually needed less (if any) post-tuning after such a quick-fix than when it was new, and sounded just fine since the weak spot - caused by metal fatigue where it gets bended over the changer - was gone.

On my Dekley I lost about an inch of string every time it broke, so I had to have enough string in reserve on the key-post to "reel out" for such quick-fixes. Often the full-length 3d string went on the key-post, which worked fine when it was put on with a bit of care.

[Ian Rae]

Neat.

[Marc Muller]

Not sure how, but I could sense when G# was going to pop. As soon as I got "that" feeling I'd just throw a new one on. Playing with Van Zant 4th of July TV broadcast downtown Nashville, got "that" feeling. Didn't change it. A steel lick kicks off the whole show BTW.

I sit down, seconds before we go live, check tuning...POP goes string 3. F*ck. I whip out a string, throw it on, randomly tuned it up as quick as I could, only checking tension in a split second....2, 3, 4! I start and steel is in perfect tune. Just unbelievable. One of the eeriest, coolest things that ever happened to me.