horrible personal concert performace experience

[маразм1]

I think I had it yesterday.  here's what happened.  I changed the strings on my guitar 3 weeks ago.  I thought I would be fine.  2 days ago, one string pops, so I just change it, thinking its weird that it would pop so soon.

Yesterday, we start playing the first song, another string pops.  Now, my guitar is made so that if one string pops, the entire guitar is unplayable.  So we stop, I quickly change the string.  Start playing the same song, another string pops, so we just kinda went with it.  So I had to change one more string.

I tried playing as gently as possible after that, but man!  what a nightmare.  I never popped strings on stage before.  And before that time I changed the strings, I didnt change them for like 5 months.  I have no idea!!! 

so right now, I will start changing strings every time before the gig!

d.

[Larry Rinkel]

I think I had it yesterday.  here's what happened.  I changed the strings on my guitar 3 weeks ago.  I thought I would be fine.  2 days ago, one string pops, so I just change it, thinking its weird that it would pop so soon.

Yesterday, we start playing the first song, another string pops.  Now, my guitar is made so that if one string pops, the entire guitar is unplayable.  So we stop, I quickly change the string.  Start playing the same song, another string pops, so we just kinda went with it.  So I had to change one more string.

I tried playing as gently as possible after that, but man!  what a nightmare.  I never popped strings on stage before.  And before that time I changed the strings, I didnt change them for like 5 months.  I have no idea!!! 

so right now, I will start changing strings every time before the gig!

d.

You're not alone. From a 1986 article in the NY Times:

DURING THE 1980'S, Midori virtually embodied the violin-playing prodigy. Her astonishing precocity and the stratospheric ascent of her career were the stuff of legends.

In 1986, for example, her photograph appeared on the front page of The New York Times, beneath the headline ''Girl, 14, Conquers Tanglewood With Three Violins.'' While playing Bernstein's ''Serenade'' under the direction of the composer, she broke the E string on her instrument. The violin she borrowed from the concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra suffered the same fate, so she finished the performance using the associate concertmaster's violin, all without losing her unflappable poise. You couldn't have bought better publicity.

[Szykneij]

Legend says Paganini purposely broke his strings while playing for effect. If that's not your intention, though, I'd stick to Dean Markleys.

[greg]

I think I had it yesterday.  here's what happened.  I changed the strings on my guitar 3 weeks ago.  I thought I would be fine.  2 days ago, one string pops, so I just change it, thinking its weird that it would pop so soon.

Yesterday, we start playing the first song, another string pops.  Now, my guitar is made so that if one string pops, the entire guitar is unplayable.  So we stop, I quickly change the string.  Start playing the same song, another string pops, so we just kinda went with it.  So I had to change one more string.

I tried playing as gently as possible after that, but man!  what a nightmare.  I never popped strings on stage before.  And before that time I changed the strings, I didnt change them for like 5 months.  I have no idea!!! 

so right now, I will start changing strings every time before the gig!

d.

what strings do you use? i normally use super slinkies since when i first started playing it seems like a string would break every month from bending, or from nothing at all.
i hate it, too! have you ever had a low E break? that's actually happened to me before! 

[маразм1]

i changed the strings 3 weeks ago.  I bought zakk wylde ones, only to discover that the low 3 strings were 3 times as thick.  so i took them off and put super brites on the bottom. 
but i broke a, d, and b strings. so something's very weird.  maybe its the 6-hour recording session we did, maybe its the gig bag i bought that put a strain on the strings.  I never had that happen to me before. 

[M forever]

I changed the strings on my guitar 3 weeks ago.

Guitars are for girls. Real men play the bass.

[greg]

Guitars are for girls. Real men play the bass.

yeah, cuz real men are lazy and want something easier to play 

i changed the strings 3 weeks ago.  I bought zakk wylde ones, only to discover that the low 3 strings were 3 times as thick.  so i took them off and put super brites on the bottom. 
but i broke a, d, and b strings. so something's very weird.  maybe its the 6-hour recording session we did, maybe its the gig bag i bought that put a strain on the strings.  I never had that happen to me before. 

i've never even heard of those strings before. Super brites? That sounds like a toothpaste.
it might be the gig bag...... anyways, maybe you should just change all of your strings to Super Slinky or D'Addario and see if they keep on breaking

[маразм1]

i returned that gig bag anyway.  the zipper was coming apart.  ugh.  its just because for last gig i had to carry the amp head as well, and i was dying (it seems its made of bricks), so i thought if i could find a gig bag where i could put all the guitar junk as well (pedals, cables), it would be easier.  The bag was beautiful, but the zipper was not.

i hope this ends my unlucky streak. 

[aquablob]

i changed the strings 3 weeks ago.  I bought zakk wylde ones, only to discover that the low 3 strings were 3 times as thick.  so i took them off and put super brites on the bottom. 
but i broke a, d, and b strings. so something's very weird.  maybe its the 6-hour recording session we did, maybe its the gig bag i bought that put a strain on the strings.  I never had that happen to me before. 

Did you actually put the Zakk Wylde strings on your guitar and tune them up to standard pitch before taking them off? That's very bad for your neck -- way way way too much tension! Those bass strings shouldn't be tuned to E A D, and even if you don't tune them up that high, you should still seriously adjust your action (loosen truss rod significantly, possibly adjust bridge) before putting on strings that thick, especially if your previous strings were light to medium gauge. In fact, you should adjust your guitar any time you change gauges (although you can get away with changing between 9s and 10s most likely).

If you did have the Wylde strings on and tuned up to the standard E A D, for how long did you have them on? Depending on your guitar and bridge/trem, it is possible that these did some damage.

[маразм1]

Did you actually put the Zakk Wylde strings on your guitar and tune them up to standard pitch before taking them off? That's very bad for your neck -- way way way too much tension! Those bass strings shouldn't be tuned to E A D, and even if you don't tune them up that high, you should still seriously adjust your action (loosen truss rod significantly, possibly adjust bridge) before putting on strings that thick, especially if your previous strings were light to medium gauge. In fact, you should adjust your guitar any time you change gauges (although you can get away with changing between 9s and 10s most likely).

If you did have the Wylde strings on and tuned up to the standard E A D, for how long did you have them on? Depending on your guitar and bridge/trem, it is possible that these did some damage.

I am aware of this.  the low 3 strings are unusable, they are very very thick, like those of a bass guitar.  the top 3 ones are regular.  i took them off asap.  Les paul is built solid, so no harm was done at all. 

I have no clue how you're supposed to play with those strings--they are just too damn thick.  forget about the tremolo (which I have).

d.

[aquablob]

I have no clue how you're supposed to play with those strings--they are just too damn thick.  forget about the tremolo (which I have).

d.

They're meant for like drop-C tuning. They should really come with warning labels on them!

Regarding your guitar, it is unusual (obviously) for strings to break like that in rapid succession, especially given that they were different strings that broke. What kind of music do you play? Do you do lots of hard strumming? Did you notice where the strings broke? By the bridge? By the nut? Did it vary?

[маразм1]

They're meant for like drop-C tuning. They should really come with warning labels on them!

Regarding your guitar, it is unusual (obviously) for strings to break like that in rapid succession, especially given that they were different strings that broke. What kind of music do you play? Do you do lots of hard strumming? Did you notice where the strings broke? By the bridge? By the nut? Did it vary?

it's a lot of palm-muting, and hard strumming, but I am certain now that it's the gig bag.  because we rehearsed a lot and my strings were fine for 5 months of the same abuse.  I had a gig bag and all the pedals in there as well, so that screwed up the guitar.  The strings tore right where the bridge is.

Ok, there's just a lession in all of this, so no gig bags for me!

d.

[aquablob]

it's a lot of palm-muting, and hard strumming, but I am certain now that it's the gig bag.  because we rehearsed a lot and my strings were fine for 5 months of the same abuse.  I had a gig bag and all the pedals in there as well, so that screwed up the guitar.  The strings tore right where the bridge is.

Ok, there's just a lession in all of this, so no gig bags for me!

d.

For your guitar's sake, I hope that's all that is wrong!
Do give an update if the problem continues, I'm always interested in this kind of stuff.

[Bonehelm]

You're not alone. From a 1986 article in the NY Times:

That's actually freaking hilarious.

[Saul]

I think I had it yesterday.  here's what happened.  I changed the strings on my guitar 3 weeks ago.  I thought I would be fine.  2 days ago, one string pops, so I just change it, thinking its weird that it would pop so soon.

Yesterday, we start playing the first song, another string pops.  Now, my guitar is made so that if one string pops, the entire guitar is unplayable.  So we stop, I quickly change the string.  Start playing the same song, another string pops, so we just kinda went with it.  So I had to change one more string.

I tried playing as gently as possible after that, but man!  what a nightmare.  I never popped strings on stage before.  And before that time I changed the strings, I didnt change them for like 5 months.  I have no idea!!! 

so right now, I will start changing strings every time before the gig!

d.

youre playing Pop , thats why your strings pop...

[greg]

youre playing Pop , thats why your strings pop...

ya know, a lot of your jokes really aren't funny, but this one actually made me laugh. 

(technically, he does more rock-like stuff rather than pop, but still funny anyways)

[маразм1]

good one, Saul!  ha ha ha. 

Anybody wants to be my guitar tech for this next gig?  come out and support music for a good cause!

D.

Loki the GrumpLoki the Grump: CalendarSaturday, September 8th, 2007
GRGR @ Katies of Smithtown
Girls Rock & Girls Rule Summer Preview 2 - 7:00pm
145 W. Main Street
Smithtown NY 11787
USA
631.360.8556
Price: $10 tax-deductible
Its the 2007 Girls Rock & Girls Rule Summer Preview event # 2! Join GRGR and catch the hottest girls on the Indie Rock Scene! Featuring The Rosies, All Out Riot, Dormitory Effect, The Raygun Girls, G-spot, Loki the Grump, RewBee and Marisa Mini! Benefiting Willie Mae Rock Camp For Girls!

[маразм1]

I put regular slinkies.  the show was great, but today, the day after the show, I popped a d-string.  This is the first time I'm using the slinkies.  I think I'll stick to Gibson or gibson les paul strings.  those last a lot longer.

I'm starting to get a bit paranoid about my string popping incidents.  hmmm, it broke right where the bridge goes again. 

d.

[aquablob]

I put regular slinkies.  the show was great, but today, the day after the show, I popped a d-string.  This is the first time I'm using the slinkies.  I think I'll stick to Gibson or gibson les paul strings.  those last a lot longer.

I'm starting to get a bit paranoid about my string popping incidents.  hmmm, it broke right where the bridge goes again. 

d.

What kind of guitar is it? What type of bridge?

[Grazioso]

If your string keeps breaking near the bridge, check for minute burrs on the saddles and have them filed down as needed, or perhaps try some of those graphite saddles.