Sean.BB Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Well, it was my bands first gig tonight was playing an epiphone dot. Was playing throw are first song and 2 strings nipped and i didnt bring a spare and i was on stage asking another band for a guitar i got one thankfully but it was a whole shambles and i ended up stage diving twice. I was wondering whats the best strings to buy for strenght and still get the sound that i use, i am using Regular slinky at the moment. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 A thicker gauge will be stronger... the only other option is to play lighter. Where are the strings breaking? If it's at the nut or saddle, you may want to check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I've never broken an Everly string. Not once since I started using them. And I love the sound. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Norm Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 The best thing to remember when giging....Always carry a backup guitar and a few sets of strings...whatever the made or gauge of strings. I always carry a second guitar and 4 or 5 spare sets of strings when I play a gig. I'm lucky, it just hapenned a few times to break a strings, but it took a second to take the other guitar and continue. BTW, I also use Regular Slinky and never experienced any problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Wow dude, sorry about the gig...... I remember my old SMF head caught on fire during a gig, safe to say the gig ended right there..... BTW be careful with the stage diving, we were at the Whiskey when a bass player broke his neck stage diving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memphs1978 Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 put some .11's on that mofo and play it like you stole it... ive NEVER busted a string Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iansmitchell Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Use a roller bridge, make sure you've got no sharp saddles or any place the strings touch sharp. Flatwounds are a bit more durable, but that could be attributed to guage difference as well. EQ your amp such that everything sounds good and feels natural at 7 vol/tone. Then turn it up to 10 on gig day. You'll not hit so hard, and it'll still sound right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLesPaul2006 Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I use D'addario EL 110 W (third wound) 10's I bend and play hard and never have broken a string on my LP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eor Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Wow dude' date=' sorry about the gig...... I remember my old SMF head caught on fire during a gig, safe to say the gig ended right there..... BTW be careful with the stage diving, we were at the Whiskey when a bass player broke his neck stage diving.[/quote']you cant just throw those two stories out there without finishing them. as for the op, dean markleys were the most reliable string brand for me over the years. im trying out different things now due to my predelicition for tension, really fat strings and sometimes, flatwounds. currently bouncing back between several webstrings gauges. as for strings i don't like, i've never been to impressed by d'adarrios or ernie balls. but i never really, really used them. they let me down early and that was that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memphs1978 Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 .08's and .09's i will bust every time .10's are not too bad but i really like .11's on a semi hallow body much more of an acoustic fell to the guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Obscure Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Where are the strings breaking? If it's at the nut or saddle' date=' you may want to check it out.[/quote']Try this before changing anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean.BB Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hey guys, It is the saddle were it breaks always. And i use dean markleys only because their cheaper, but we did get paid for the gig so ill prob buy a few packs of Enrie ball because thats the only strings that i would know of. But i think i know why i broke my stings was because i use a pretty hard pick, it would pass as a bass pick. Ive learned from my mistakes and ive let my band down but their will always be next time. We also got ask to play another gig so wasnt that bad. Edit - Sorry i didnt get the guys name but the guy that mentioned the roller saddle that aint a bad idea, how much would these cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 It is the saddle were it breaks always. And i use dean markleys only because their cheaper Edit - Sorry i didnt get the guys name but the guy that mentioned the roller saddle that aint a bad idea' date=' how much would these cost?[/quote'] Have your saddle looked at. It may have a small burr or irregularity. Dean Markley are fine strings. Changing stringbrand won't help much unless you go up a gauge. Roller bridges are tonal crapola. Stay away unless you have a Bigsby installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 I hate to be the guy to say this but you know it was your own fault. Hopefully you learned a valueable lesson: NEVER go to a gig without a spare ax and a couple of sets of spare strings. Anytime you've got to stop the gig for something like that you completely blow whatever momentum you had & it looks real amatuerish. I've used GHS 9-42s for 25 years and don't ever recall breaking a string. When I used Ernie Balls I'd break them all the time (but always had my backup rig tuned up & ready to go. I'd change strings at break). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 put some .11's on that mofo and play it like you stole it... ive NEVER busted a string hmmmmm......i've heard that phrase somewhere b4.....:) I've used regular slinkys(.010's) for over 20 yrs. now and only had 1 break because of a sharp edge in the tuner hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexygibson Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 The best thing to remember when giging....Always carry a backup guitar and a few sets of strings...whatever the made or gauge of strings.I always carry a second guitar and 4 or 5 spare sets of strings when I play a gig. I'm lucky' date=' it just hapenned a few times to break a strings, but it took a second to take the other guitar and continue. BTW, I also use Regular Slinky and never experienced any problems. [/quote'] +1. You always have to have spares. I also usually took a back-up amp also. You can never be too prepared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkuss Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Whatever happened to the good old rock and roll ethic? Spare guitar? spare amp? spare strings? too much effort! If i break a string on stage I just work around it and if the lead guitarist breaks a string we swap guitars.. haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memphs1978 Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 my sugestion for brand.... DR tight fits.. or bright wires and bender your quote was my insperation ( sp ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Whatever happened to the good old rock and roll ethic? Spare guitar? spare amp? spare strings? too much effort! If i break a string on stage I just work around it and if the lead guitarist breaks a string we swap guitars.. haha I hear ya. It took me 6 years to get my FIRST electric guitar. If I had bought a spare, in some of the places I played, it would have been stolen instantaneously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generation zero Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 I'm sorry, but IMO if you can't come up with even a cheapo 100 dollar used pawn shop guitar to take as a backup, you're not ready to be playing out. If nothing else, have one backup guitar owned by the band as community property, for either guitarist to use if needed... I always carried at least one backup from the first gig I ever played, even when I had to borrow my brother's guitar to take, when I did still only have one guitar. A spare guitar is necessary gigging equipment. It's not very "rock and roll" to have to stop a show to solve instrument problems... And if my lead player ever tried to make me play his guitar instead of mine because he broke a string, he'd be looking for another guitar while I was looking for another guitarist. Fwiw, a decent drummer usually brings a spare snare drum too... At least in my experience. You should never bank on the idea that other bands will share gear... And if having equipment stolen from the stage is an issue, perhaps finding better venues to play at should be on the to-do list... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 That's also true... carry an extra guitar. Even though I always have two electrics, I still carry a spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 That would be nice, but when I was in a garage band, we often played for 3 hours and got about $10 each. That was a lot since minimum wage then was $1.05 an hour. As far as I know, John, George, and Paul didn't have backup guitars during their early Cavern and Hamburg years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eor Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 having backup gear tends to invite other morons who don't have backup gear trying to borrow your stuff. don't forget about that. but one spare guitar for a two guitar band isn't unreasonable. and if you don't want to keep a spare amp around, try to find workarounds, like going direct through an effects processor or something. or look for one of those little crate head things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 having backup gear tends to invite other morons who don't have backup gear trying to borrow your stuff. don't forget about that. but one spare guitar for a two guitar band isn't unreasonable. and if you don't want to keep a spare amp around' date=' try to find workarounds, like going direct through an effects processor or something. or look for one of those little crate head things. [/quote'] Backup guitars, amps, and extra strings are a lot like car insurance. As long as you have it nothing happens. But the minute you leave home without it: POW! - an accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generation zero Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Backup guitars' date=' amps, and extra strings are a lot like car insurance. As long as you have it nothing happens. But the minute you leave home without it: POW! - an accident.[/quote'] Exactly. That's why I always bring not only at least one extra guitar, but also a gig toolbox packed with extra tubes, fuses, and power cable for my amp, a spare 20 foot guitar cable, 3 or 4 spare 1 foot cables, spare batteries, both 9 volt and AA for pedals and wireless systems, an unopened package of picks, and a few sets of strings. Eventually, I'll end up buying and carrying a spare amp head as well, but the last 2 grand I had to blow went on my Les Paul, LOL... I was never a boy scout, but I like their motto of "be prepared". I have never had to use my spare fuse or tubes at a gig, but I have been the hero when my friend's band who we were playing with had an amp blow a fuse, and I just happened to have one they could use to finish their set. Which brings up my other point... Not bringing spare equipment just because somebody else might need to borrow it? Please... I would much rather have a piece of extra gear to lend, than to need it and not have it, thus rendering me the a$$hole that has to borrow from somebody else who actually came prepared. Anyone posting "reasons" not to bring spare gear to a show is rationalizing their lack of professionalism. What they are actually posting is poor excuses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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