Breaking Strings

glynnd

glynnd

Blues Newbie
Since starting the BGU course I'm breaking high e strings like crazy. They break in the middle of the fretboard at about the 10th or 12th fret where I am bending. I'm not overbending the strings, if anything the opposite.

I don't think its the frets, I play a strat and a tele and it is happening on both guitars. I always polish the frets with steel wool when I do a complete string change so I think the frets are pretty smooth by now.

It must be some sort of technique issue but I don't really know what. Anyone else have this problem or know how to fix it.

Thanks
 
Steve G

Steve G

St. Simons Island, GA
Many, if not most of us, had the same problem initially with bends.  I used to break the high e string all the time but I rarely do any more.  The best advice that I got was 1-keep the bending finger between the frets, not up against one; 2-Use one or 2 other fingers to help the bending finger; 3-Concentrate on pushing the string up and not squeezing it against the fretboard.  Hope that helps a bit.
 
H

henryj

Blues Newbie
Believe it or not, practice cures this problem.
Many of us went through the same issue.
Whe first starting we tend to grind the string into the fret.
With practice you will develope finger strength and technique. You will soon start bending smoothly with out rubbing and breaking. For now buy a few extra e strings and keep practicing.  This problem, like many others, goes away with time and practice.
 
cowboy

cowboy

Blues, Booze & BBQ
Steve and Henry have some great ideas....my question is what gauge strings are you using? For me, I found 9's to be easy to break and 11's worked my hands a little too much....ended up with 10's and have never looked back...later.

cowboy
 
Steve G

Steve G

St. Simons Island, GA
Steve and Henry have some great ideas....my question is what gauge strings are you using? For me, I found 9's to be easy to break and 11's worked my hands a little too much....ended up with 10's and have never looked back...later.

cowboy
Click to expand...

Yup, I should have mentioned that. 
 
Rancid Rumpboogie

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
Maybe I'm a freak, but I use 9s and have never had this problem, and I never use more than one finger ... my other fingers have other things to do ... like being ready for the next note.  And I rarely break an E string until it's time to change the whole set anyway.
 
giayank

giayank

Just another day in paradise
I also don't break too many strings . However I ease into most of my bends and also relax the bend when I'm done . I like the sound of this . The real quick bends and release are more difficult for me to play because of this .If you are bending on the 12th fret and breaking strings only there maybe it's pitch related and you are over bending or the intonation of the guitar is off so you might be over bending to get to pitch .Just trying to throw out some different ideas to look at . ;)
 
DesmoDog

DesmoDog

Desmo was my dog. RIP big guy
I play with 9s on a strat. When I started bending my string life was measured in minutes. I went through high e stings in about 15-20 minutes. After this happened three or four times I ordered up a dozen high e strings and didn't practice bends until they showed up.

After the strings showed up I may have broken one more but it's been so long no I don't remember when the last one broke. I didn't change the guitar set up, I didn't go to heavier strings, I just put more thought into what I was doing, so I wasn't pushing down on the string as much maybe? I was more gently bending it as opposed to trying to shave down the fretboard with it?

In any case it kinda came naturally. I've even TRIED to break strings when bending them now (when they need to be replaced anyway) and rarely am successful.

Which is a long way of saying I agree with the guys who say it will come with practice.  ;)
 
MikeS

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Yeah desmo, I think I did the same thing. bought a bunch of extra E strings and never had to use them. I think buying the strings is the solution.
 
Rancid Rumpboogie

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
Yeah desmo, I think I did the same thing. bought a bunch of extra E strings and never had to use them. I think buying the strings is the solution.
Click to expand...
Yeah ... if you want sunshine, do a rain dance.  Big Chief Little Grunt taught me that. ;D
 
Steve G

Steve G

St. Simons Island, GA
Yeah desmo, I think I did the same thing. bought a bunch of extra E strings and never had to use them. I think buying the strings is the solution.
Click to expand...
Yeah ... if you want sunshine, do a rain dance.  Big Chief Little Grunt taught me that. ;D
Click to expand...

Come to think of it, I did the same thing & my problems stopped shortly after that.  I think we're onto something here.
 
P

panther

Blues Newbie
Yeah desmo, I think I did the same thing. bought a bunch of extra E strings and never had to use them. I think buying the strings is the solution.
Click to expand...
Yeah ... if you want sunshine, do a rain dance.  Big Chief Little Grunt taught me that. ;D
Click to expand...

Come to think of it, I did the same thing & my problems stopped shortly after that.  I think we're onto something here.
Click to expand...

I agree Steve, I can't play my guitar as well as I'd like to, so I'm going to go out and buy 10 more. :eek:
Dan
 
DeanR

DeanR

Blues Newbie
Like several others who responded, I went through high E 9's in short order when I started playing the BGU solos. 'Tried 10's with no noticeable improvement. After considerable thought and a few gins (regular Bombay would be my favorite) I realized I was pushing down much harder than required. Some conscious thought about technique erased the problem and I now have a surplus of high E 9's that I purchased as singles.
Dean
 
Rancid Rumpboogie

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
Like several others who responded, I went through high E 9's in short order when I started playing the BGU solos. 'Tried 10's with no noticeable improvement. After considerable thought and a few gins (regular Bombay would be my favorite) I realized I was pushing down much harder than required. Some conscious thought about technique erased the problem and I now have a surplus of high E 9's that I purchased as singles.
Dean
Click to expand...
So ... the secret is to soak your high E strings in gin?  Or soak yourself in gin?  or both?  I do know I sound better when I'm soaked in gin ... and bourbon produces sad, soulful blues ... and tequila produces dance on the table boogie.  And mixing all three makes me sound like a bucket full of silverware tied on a rope behind a freight train ... until I fall over.
 
B

Blues_Man

Blues Newbie
i don't think anyone broke more strings in  BGU when we started,

i blamed it on everything but ME....................

i even got Fender to send me a new guitar as i blamed the frets,

bottom line, i was just playing over and over the same licks trying to learn them,

what happens is the string becomes Hot and or scored in that spot

which weakens and fatigues the string in that spot,

i had a heavy hand as well and i still do, i had to have brand new guitar re-fretted after 2yrs!

i now have stainless steel frets which are doing great and are kinder to the strings :>
 
Chuck

Chuck

Moderator (One of the Men in Black!)
Staff member
I had all the above problems as well! Too much repetition in the same spot, too much pressure in the string etc.....

With time and practice it will go away. I haven't broke a string in over a year now. Some of the brands will allow you to buy singles of the strings you are going through. That should help until you get where you need to be.
 
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