do new in packet guitar strings have a shelf life? I have restrung 2 guitars (both have had pro setups)
& am breaking high e & b strings I have been given strings as birthday/fathers day gifts about a year ago both guitars have been OK up to now so is it the strings are out of date?
Strings that have been in a packet for a year shouldn’t break any more readily than ones that were made yesterday. Depending on how they’ve been stored they might show signs of corrosion or perhaps not sound as ‘bright’.
Can you give us a bit more detail. Where are the strings breaking? At the bridge, at the nut, at the tuning peg, at a particular fret? Do you play every day, do you strum hard?
You say this has happened on two different guitars.
Are they breaking while playing? Are they breaking as you tune up? Do you take care not to overwrap the strings on the peg when fitting them?
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Also what kind of guitars, and where did you buy the strings?
There are plenty of fake strings on amazon and ebay.
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breaking around the bridge I’m sure it’s me being heavy handed just frustrating to fit new strings then break them in a couple of days as I haven’t broken any for a while (E2 to 3rnie Ball super slinky 09’s guitars are Gibson sgj & firebird with the Steinberger tuners. play about 1/2 to 3/4 hours most week nights. I think the string came from amazon. will probably try going up a gauge if this keeps happening
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They’re probably fake then if you haven’t had breaking issues before. Buy your next batch from a guitar shop (even if online) and see if you have the same issue.
That is if you haven’t had breakage issues in the past.
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I think Ernie Ball has a code on their packaging similar to D’Addario that allows you to check the authenticity of the strings.
Yup, just checked on a set from a 4-pack of strings and EB has a 20-digit code on their packs, and all of the sets in my 4-pack are different #'s so that says serial number to me.
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Yes D’Addario have the same system. You put the code into a page on their web site and it tells you if they are genuine. Their system works as on one set of strings I could not decide if the character was an 8;or a B and had an email conversation with one of people and sorted it out. Was impressed as they were straight onto it when I expressed my concern.
Michael
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