How often do you break strings when bending?

21

I used to break a lot of strings, too, for several reasons:

  1. I always bought the cheapest strings I could find.

  2. I used extra light 8-gauge strings because they were “easier” to play.

  3. I was completely tone-deaf and as a result tuned the high e to breaking many more times than I’d like to admit.

1st is easy to remedy, and won’t even cost much - e.g. D’Addario is a quality brand with acoustic sets as inexpensive as $6.

2nd is personal preference, but I probably wouldn’t go below 11s on an acoustic.

3rd is the most difficult to remedy, or at least the most time-consuming. If it’s a problem for you, too, well, my only advice is to purchase extra high e strings until your ear gets the hang of it, or if you can, tune with a buddy nearby who has better trained ears.

As others have mentioned, it could also be something related to the guitar, but if nothing jumps out at you as terribly wrong, I’d probably try to rule the above out first before taking it to a luthier. Good luck, and don’t give up!

22

Tune up from the low E.

You can fret the note on the lower string (5th or 4th) to know where about you should be tuning too.

You can use the harmonics on 5/7th fret too if your keen.

But doing that you shouldnt be over tuning the high E at all.

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23

I don’t have any trouble now, but when I was first starting, I did all of that and still tuned the high e to breaking many times, even after having it more or less in tune initially lol.

I literally couldn’t tell if it was sharp or flat, but that was many years ago before electronic tuners were ubiquitous - OP, if you’re still using a tuning fork or something like that, get an electronic tuner. :wink:

24

None. Haven’t broken any strings bending.

In fact I’ve only broken one string in 2 years, and that was on a new guitar which I figure had been sitting in the store for a while having a bunch of people play it. It broken when tuning - to standard.

25

Broke strings while bending maybe 3-4 times but only happens when my strings are really worn out, like 6 months old.

26

By the way, Rotosound strings include a spare high-E string in every pack.

I have so many spare high-E strings now, that it’s ridiculous (I have only broken 1 or 2 ever).

And they are also good strings.

Cheers,

Keith

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27

Nice share Keith and a good watch. I thought it was good that a pair of cheap strings made it to the semi-final.

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