In the year and a bit that I’ve been playing electric guitar, I’ve broken one string.
Brand new guitar and been through THREE high E strings in a week.
It’s breaking every time at the 8th fret, when I’m bending a whole step.
I can’t see or feel any rough spots on the fret.
It’s entirely possible that this is a technique issue - I’ve been playing the same phrase pretty much constantly for the last week every time I practice which begins with that bend from 8 to 10 on the high E.
I know I have a tendency to fret too hard but does this still sound out of the ordinary?!
Update 5/2/18 - happy ending - guitar exchanged for the same in Olympic White!
Comments
is the string actually breaking at that point and not say the ball end breaking - what make of string and are they genuine (assuming D'addario)
not sure what to advise as so unusual
Yep definitely breaking at the 8th fret each time which made me think that there was a rough spot or something.
I can only think it’s a technique thing. I have another lesson on Fri so will raise it with my tutor.
Unless you’re pushing it well hard into the fret and other strings, kinking it and weakening it...
Do your frets look like this....?
https://i.imgur.com/MgIfPhB.jpg
Are your strings new or old/unused?
-reading this thread, I wonder if these old strings'd break if I use them?
I have been known to throw out un used strings with pitted marks/blemishes on them since I didn't want to use them/were no good to me.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
@Alnico I’ll get a pic of mine up this morning
I have noticed over the years that when a string breaks it always seems to be around the 7-9th fret, presumably there s some scientific explanation for this?
Strings should put up with way more than that.
Their ‘techs’ may be hit & miss though. Could be a decent and knowledgable tech in some stores, but in others, not so much.
I would say speak to em, see what they say. Most likely they’ll tell you to bring it in for them to look at, and then they’ll find nothing apparantly wrong, like your previous tech.
But the problem persists so they’ll have to help.
Does the break occur EXACTLY over the fret or break under your finger thats fretting it?
If its right over the fret, maybe there is a bump or spot that can hardly be felt, but is there.
The other two don't look *really* smooth.
If it were my guitar I'd be using wet n dry 1200-2000 and then peek metal polish (mask the board up first) and then see if the string still breaks....
https://i.imgur.com/l8hYOVP.jpg