broken string while playing

[GuitarownzU]

Have any of you ever broken a string while playing at a gig? What did you do?

[stevieboy378]

lots of times - with a floating Floyd it aint fun . . . . You have no real alternative to changing guitars.
The moral - never go onstage with a Floyd equipped guitar without a backup axe . . . . :o

[phingerboard]

There are two schools of thought on the proper method of handling this problem.

One is the Roy Clark method. Smile, wink, and keep on playing. This method is particularly effective if you can make it appear as if you broke the string on purpose.

The other is the Ned Landin method. Continue to play where there is no string, and make a point of concentrating on the no-string zone. This method is particularly effective if you do big, long silent bends, and really ham it up by putting some dramatic body language and facial expressions into it.

[Slipstream]

Eric Clapton used to just put on a new string while the audience waited. In the old days he broke strings (and blew speakers) quite often. The 'Slow Hand' nick-name from audiences doing a slow clap while waiting for him to get the string on.

Myself, I always take a back-up guitar, but never have broken a string on stage.

[flamin-gitaur]

I cant count how many times I have broken strings on stage over the years, and of course it never happens at a convenient time either. When it comes to solos, it is usually easier (for me any way) to compensate because you can just play the solo or something similar in a different position on the neck, but when it comes to chords.......well that is when you really have to be creative. As we all know, a chord just doesn't sound the same without all the strings needed to play a particular chord, especially when your guitar goes all out of tune. This is one situation that I would actually try to lead the attention away from my guitar by playing quieter and letting the rest of the band showcase, or just playing a different chord with the same root in a different position on the neck.

[scott powell]

play out enough and you'll break a string during a set,no big deal unless you let it become one. usally i wrap the string around the singers neck hahahaha. just finish the song, grab your back up guitar,and when the set ends,while everyone is having a beer, change the string. notice i mentioned back up guitar and spare strings, a MUST at any gig!

[Kitarii]

Lol, cool thread. Guitars are the only instrument with this sort of problem really, unless you're hitting the drums *VERY* hard...

Er, yeah, sorry, I have nothing of actual use to add...

[flamin-gitaur]

Lol, cool thread. Guitars are the only instrument with this sort of problem really, unless you're hitting the drums *VERY* hard...

Er, yeah, sorry, I have nothing of actual use to add...


Hey..who let that drummer in here!! :hammer:

[scott powell]

Its ironic,after making a post on this thread yday, i popped a high E string during the first set, third song last nite. It was on my LP,so everything stayed in tune, i jus t'faked' it for the rest of the song, then took about 5 seconds to change guitars afterwards. the funny thing is, i NEVER break strings! oh well, least i was prepared

[Kitarii]

Yeah, thank goodness for us warning you!!! :eek:

Hey..who let that drummer in here!! :hammer:

Uh, i resent that as well, actually... Drummers are necessary to a band!!! :hmmm:

[scott powell]

Yeah, thank goodness for us warning you!!! :eek:



Uh, i resent that as well, actually... Drummers are necessary to a band!!! :hmmm:


the drummer is the MOST important person in my band.( scores me BIG points with the singers when i say that lol ) i keep him happy! his monitor is HUGE, i push almost 500 watts into it alone,so he can hear whats going on. i dont care how good a guitarist you are, if your drummer cant hear, he cant keep time,and then the whole band sux. i look at our drummer as the foundation of our band,he and the bass are the glue that hold everything together

[Kitarii]

the drummer is the MOST important person in my band.( scores me BIG points with the singers when i say that lol ) i keep him happy! his monitor is HUGE, i push almost 500 watts into it alone,so he can hear whats going on. i dont care how good a guitarist you are, if your drummer cant hear, he cant keep time,and then the whole band sux. i look at our drummer as the foundation of our band,he and the bass are the glue that hold everything together

Thank you! Someone that appreciates talent. :p

But seriously, every member is important, you can't have the band without one of the players/singers, it's a real team thing! But yeah the drumming often holds together a piece, especially if the guitarists are having trouble keeping time together.

[flamin-gitaur]

Yeah, thank goodness for us warning you!!! :eek:



Uh, i resent that as well, actually... Drummers are necessary to a band!!! :hmmm:

Never said anything bout' drummers not being important. :hmmm:

[eexplorer505]

make sure i know how to play it two differnt ways

[Raucous]

I've always carried spare strings and re-strung after the set. If it were my only axe at the gig, we'd take an early break when this happened. Otherwise, just finish the tune the best you can with the missing string.....

[Ghostrider]

Just throw the guitar away and buy a new one.
The dude at Guitar Center says thats what all the pros do.

:whstl:

[thomo]

Just throw the guitar away and buy a new one.
The dude at Guitar Center says thats what all the pros do.

:whstl:


John Entwistle apparently did just that at one point when recording with The Who. The local music store didn't carry the strings he wanted so when he broke one he just got a new bass. Danelectros I believe. I heard this story a while back though so I may have completely warped it . . .

Thomo

[speddyfeddy1234]

Lol, cool thread. Guitars are the only instrument with this sort of problem really, unless you're hitting the drums *VERY* hard...

Er, yeah, sorry, I have nothing of actual use to add...
With woodwind instruments like saxaphones you can break a reed, and thats always a big pain.

[Slight Return]

My friend just does some legato for a little while and pulls the whole broken string off of the guitar. I'm not sure what he does after, but he can get a string on and ready to go in 30 seconds or less. DO NOT TIE KNOTS AT THE POSTS WHEN YOU ARE STRINGING A GUITAR. I've seen this done a lot...it ain't good.

[scott powell]

fergot i had replied already!! :cool:

[ZampraZ]

i have to say no