The dreaded string break

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Michael Sawyer
Posts: 264
Joined: 15 Jun 2019 8:32 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

The dreaded string break

Post by Michael Sawyer »

1st chorus,1st song,thank God it was the last set.
.11 ( G) in my C tuning.
Got thru fine,but I was limited at times...
First time for me.
Nobody's fault but mine,the strings had been on too long and i knew it.Had bronchitis all week,and just too lazy to change em.
Lesson learned...
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Paul Norman (RIP)
Posts: 2606
Joined: 18 Mar 2005 1:01 am
Location: Washington, North Carolina, USA

Post by Paul Norman (RIP) »

Go to a .012 on that string and you wont have any more breaking. And it will sound good.
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Kevin Fix
Posts: 1264
Joined: 28 Apr 2007 9:11 pm
Location: Michigan, USA

Post by Kevin Fix »

A .011 string hitting the end of your nose is a night to remember!!!! You won't forget it!! Happened to me about 30 some years ago. Drew some blood.
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Michael Sawyer
Posts: 264
Joined: 15 Jun 2019 8:32 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

Post by Michael Sawyer »

Paul Norman wrote:Go to a .012 on that string and you wont have any more breaking. And it will sound good.

Wait,you ain't heard the best part....
I was playing a '59 Fender 400 with a fixed bridge- I knew dern well to change em before a show....

Never again
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Michael Sawyer
Posts: 264
Joined: 15 Jun 2019 8:32 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

Post by Michael Sawyer »

Kevin Fix wrote:A .011 string hitting the end of your nose is a night to remember!!!! You won't forget it!! Happened to me about 30 some years ago. Drew some blood.
I was lucky then,I didn't spring a leak!
I sure jumped back though....
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Don Crowl
Posts: 293
Joined: 26 Apr 2010 9:35 am
Location: Medford, Oregon, USA

Here is a "How To" example by Sarah Jory

Post by Don Crowl »

If you haven't seen this, don't miss it & if you have seen it, it's a great review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbYxmzJkrLE
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Michael Sawyer
Posts: 264
Joined: 15 Jun 2019 8:32 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

Re: Here is a

Post by Michael Sawyer »

Don Crowl wrote:If you haven't seen this, don't miss it & if you have seen it, it's a great review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbYxmzJkrLE
I'm speechless....
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Tom Alexander
Posts: 36
Joined: 15 Oct 2018 6:15 am
Location: Anchor Point, Alaska

String breaks

Post by Tom Alexander »

I was told that my father-in-law, Wayne Gailey, had a string break while he was recording "Old Slew Foot" with Rose Maddox on her album "Rose Maddox Sings Bluegrass" circa 1962. The impeccable timing of the string break made it an easy decision to leave it in the final recording of the song. Check it out at approx. 1:53.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1opKluCKpxY
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Larry Dering
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Joined: 17 May 2013 11:20 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Post by Larry Dering »

Amazing work during a set. I seen Doug Jernigan change a string, tune up and play during a single song before his 2nd ride came around. Fastest string change I've ever witnessed
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Don Euton
Posts: 193
Joined: 16 Jun 2009 4:26 pm
Location: Texas, USA

Saw Buddy Emmons change one

Post by Don Euton »

In about 1962-63, when Buddy Emmons just left ET and joined Ray Price, I saw him at the Sam Houston Coliseum, Houston, TX. He broke a string and he had it changed and was going on the next song.

Don Euton
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Floyd Lowery
Posts: 374
Joined: 5 Nov 2012 8:02 am
Location: Deland, Florida, USA

Post by Floyd Lowery »

I always kept a full set of strings along with several .11s. If one broke, I took it off and put another on. Sometimes during the song, sometimes after it ended.
Carter 12 string 4petals 5knees, Mullen G2 3 petals 4 knees
Alesis QuadraVerb, Goodrich Match-Bro II
Peavy Nashville 400 & Session 500
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Michael Sawyer
Posts: 264
Joined: 15 Jun 2019 8:32 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

String change mid song

Post by Michael Sawyer »

I will definitely be prepared New Years Eve gig....
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joe long
Posts: 874
Joined: 30 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: San Antonio, Texas

Post by joe long »

Before playing a gig I always put a new 3rd and 5th string on before the job. Strings are cheap.
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Joe Goldmark
Posts: 1116
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA 94131

Post by Joe Goldmark »

Hey Tom,

I think that's just a good story. I think he deliberately played that slide to fit the lyrics. Never heard a string break sound like that. But, Wayne Gailey was an amazing player, no question.
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Tom Alexander
Posts: 36
Joined: 15 Oct 2018 6:15 am
Location: Anchor Point, Alaska

Post by Tom Alexander »

Joe Goldmark wrote:Hey Tom,

I think that's just a good story. I think he deliberately played that slide to fit the lyrics. Never heard a string break sound like that. But, Wayne Gailey was an amazing player, no question.
Thanks for that explanation Joe! It was told to me by a loyal fan/friend of Wayne's and very well could be slightly exaggerated or not quite "exactly" what happened. I sure wish I could have heard him play! He passed before my wife and I even knew he was her father. Cheers!
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