August 30, 2007

Hi folks,

For a few years now, I have been having string breakage problems with Elixir strings (mostly D's and G's).

After browsing various internet guitar forums, it seems that this is not an uncommon experience with Elixir strings.


Frank Ford's website has some excellent educational material concerning string breakage causes and solutions:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/Strin...ge/stringbreak1.html


Taylor Guitars also has some good material on this topic:

http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/breakage_and_buzzing.pdf


Another tip to avoid string breakage that I got from Taylor in a phone call was to use "gel picks" (which are made from a slick material that causes less friction as they are rubbed back and forth over the strings.)

After trying all of these remedies, I was still have string breakage problems.

Lately, though, I have tried something that has been helpful. I have a pretty aggressive right hand stroke when it comes to strumming my Collings D1A. I usually play in a seated position with the guitar angled on my knee at about a 35 degree angle.

The thought occured to me the other day that, because I am aggressively strumming up and down on a guitar that is positioned on an angle, I am actually not strumming the strings side-to-side but am really hitting down on them leaving them little place to vibrate in a side-to-side motion.

Lately, I have been trying to lessen the angle of the guitar on my knee and trying to strum the strings more in a 90 degree side-to-side motion. Although I can't hear the guitar's sound as well when I play it more upright, it seems to help with the string breakage problem.

Just thought I'd share this.

I really do like the sound and the longevity of Elixirs and don't want to give them up!


God bless,
"louisiana"

Hey there Louisiana: Some good thoughts there. The achilles tendon is that you're using Elixirs. They have a well-documented history of breakage on the G & D strings. They keep saying they have resolved the problems, but I haven't heard any player reports. I have never broken a string on an acoustic guitar except Elixir in all of theirs, original, nano, pb. I finally gave up and found strings I like the sound of (JP medium 80/20, D'Addario 80/20, D'Aquisto 80/20) for my DIAs and CW braz/ad and leave it at that. Let me know if you find some other solution. I bet Jimmy Martin, God rest his soul, would have busted a fist full of Elixirs with his G run.....that's not abuse, that's Bluegrass!

I haven't broken an acoustic guitar string by playing it in 25 years, at least. I've had ball ends, usually on the high E, come off during string changing, but having one snap during strumming just doesn't happen for me. First: how hard do you really have to play to get the tone out? You don't have to beat the snot out of it. Read Clarence White on this. Use dynamics, e.g. vary the volume a little, emphasizing some passages or key notes over others. Also, consider a jazz pick. A great player told me that about 20 years ago, but it took me ten to give it a try. It keeps you close to the strings, helps prevent over playing, and they never break. Ever. I play Dunlop Jazz II, rounded tip, and I think the gauge is 2. Relax your right hand, and see where the natural swing of your wrist takes you; it's not straight up and down, it's angled across. Finally, the guitar has six strings, but there are many times, I'd say a majority, when you don't want to be playing all six. Three and four note voicings often get you all you need. Why work so hard? thanks tom

ditto Doc - I used to use Elixirs. I was blinded by the longevity. I was in love with the fact that they sounded the same for so long. I also broke a G sting at every gig. My partner became very proficient at playing Rocky Racoon while I changed the G. I've seen the light and now use John Pearse PB Bluegrass guage (light top, medium bottom) on my OM and light on my small-bridge C-10. At John's suggestion I also bought his String Wipes. They last almost as long as the Elixirs if the wipes are used regularly (before and after playing). Regarding pick attack, they always broke at the saddle so angle of attack wasn't the culprit. Sonoman is right but after a few Vodka and OJs and a responsive audience, I like to hit the strings hard. It's part of my excessive nature. Too late to stop now...

I do still us Elixirs on my '34 National Style O. Since my finger oils rarely muck up the stings on the National they last for over a year and the slightly subdued jangly highs and the smooth sound of the heavy brass slide on the coating makes for a nice combo when amplified. Also, that one hangs on the wall and the strings don't oxidize at all. They do have their place.

I Held of for a while on getting, expensive strings, Until I tried the Elixirs. I think they sound great and I don't have a problem with breakage, but they don't seem to last that much longer then the Martin strings I was using. Maybe I give the John Pearse strings a try.

I am hard on strings, dulling J17s in as little as an hour.

Nano's are heaven sent in my book, sound quite good, keep that sound for a very long time. I've tried everything else and they DO last significantly longer. Lots of folks break the Gs, I never have.

I have only played about 2 years and have been using Elixers during most of that time. U until just recently I would have said Nanos were just fine; but, in the past 6 weeks I have broken 4 G strings. 3 on my Goody and 1 on my Bourgeois. I like the Elixer sound, but am not happy that a G string pop costs me a new set of strings.
Does anyone know if you can buy just a single string?
Also have been thinking about going to a med/light string to see if they would hold up better. Does Elexir make med/lights?

Here's a drumming analogy. To manufacture good tone when you hit a drum (or a cymbal), the object is to pull the sound out of the drum and not to push the stick into the drum. To accomplish this, you have to relax everything - hand, arm, etc. - except at the moment of impact. You have to let the stick rebound totally freely and grip it only enough to keep from dropping it. With practice, you can get so loose that you literally whip the stick off the drumhead. A drummer with good tecnhique can play a roll on his knees and you will hear the sticks ring like a bell - the hands (and knees) aren't absorbing any excess energy.

Since I can't help but think like a drummer, I try to apply the same principle to gripping a guitar pick as I do to gripping a drumstick. I only squeeze as hard, and as long, as possible to control the pick, and everything else is about getting loose and pulling tone OUT of the guitar. I don't break guitar strings, and I think it could be because I try to pull energy out instead of making the strings/guitar absorb it. For what it's worth....