Breaking a String While On Stage

I avoid playing my Fender Stratocaster on stage because of the ever present possibility of breaking a string midstream while playing. Anyone who has a guitar with a floating tremolo system knows that once you break a string, all of the other strings go out of tune. I know many guitarists keep more than one guitar handy on stage. I have heard of others who have "blocked" the floating tremolo to cure the problem. I am interested to learn how many of you deal with this problem.

...but that's why we usually bring an extra guitar...

Believe me I've had many different experiences where I've broken strings, and believe it or not have even cut myself on stage. Just let it be know that every musician strives for perfection, however this is not something you can always achieve, especially in the unpredictable atmosphere of a live show. You shouldn't deprive yourself of your favorite guitars on stage because you fear something might go wrong. Just learn to work around your mistakes, accept the inevitable, and learn to roll ith the punches. That's what separates the true musicians from the amateurs.

-Joseph

I always put on a new set of strings and clean & setup everything before each show and I rarely have a string break. (and I wrench the crap outa mine)
Plus, maybe it's just me, but there's something psychological or something about bonding with your guitar before the show, cleaning it up...making sure everythings working etc...

I have a Strat with floating tremolo and a broken strins happens, but like Joseph said "accept the inevitable". Sure as hell no broken string won't let me put my Strat away.
Of course lowerin the tremolo will eliminate this problem, but then you should be a bit careful when u use it.

What will lowering the tremolo do? Is that the same as blocking the tremolo? And what problem can you run into by lowering the tremolo (other than fret buzz) ??

:D
All you needa do is improvise!

take the broken string and strangle yer bass-man with it - then claim that he was responsible (bass players are responsible for everything anyways *LOL*). this will most likely get u in jail and the band will be headlining the local newspapers - is there anything better that could happen to a band? *LOL*

-=[Azrael]=-

[Edited by Azrael on 12-08-2001 at 06:19 PM]

that sucks if it happens to you but i rarely break strings on my strat but just in case its good to have an extra guitar with you

Originally posted by Azrael
[B]:D
All you needa do is improvise!

take the broken string and strangle yer bass-man with it - then claim that he was responsible (bass players are responsible for everything anyways *LOL*).]

::flexes muscles::

Bring it punk.

Seriously though, by lowering your bridge until it rests against the body, you make it impossible for the bridge to move back when a string breaks. You loose the ability to pull up, but when an if a string breaks you can stay in tune to finish out the song or the set, whichever you have to do to swap guitars or replace the string. This is how SRV set up his strats as well as how I have mine set.

When you lower the bridge, do you also have to use something to block the other side of the tremolo system as well? I know someone who lowered the bridge on their guitar so the bridge rested on the back of the guitar, but he also put a piece of wood on the other side of the tremolo system which made it completely stationary. Is this necessary? Also, when you lower the bridge do you have to use heavier gauge strings (heavier than .009, .011, etc...) or can you still get away with using 9's? I ask because I know SRV's set up involved a much heavier gauge string than I am accustomed to using.

No, you don't have to use a block, you just have to tighten down the strings, and loosen the screws in front of the bridge saddles about a quarter of a turn each so that the bridge lays fully flush with the body. What the block does is give you better sustain (and make the vibrato totally stationary).

As for the string gauge, that doesn't matter too much, the lighter the strings, the less you have to tighten the springs in back.

I also block my tremelos (with 2 pieces of ceramic tile), so I don't use them, but I've heard that a drop of oil at the nut and on each saddle of the bridge goes a long way toward reducing string breakage because it reduces the amount of friction caused by the string sliding on the saddle and bridge. I think SRV used to do it.

I use the block rather than tightening the springs because it increases the sustain, eliminates that "wobble" that you get when you're really picking hard, and, when you're bending one string (say, the B) and letting a different string ring (say, the E), a block prevents the open E string from going flat as the tension from the bend pulls the floating trem lower on that side.

Is there any reason you use ceramic tile instead of wood to block your tremolo?

No reason, really. The tiles were laying around the garage and I didn't have a hunk of wood the right size. I like to think the hardness and density of the ceramic contributes to better sustain, but it could be all in my head. On one of them I also wedged a metal washer in there to fill that little gap between the two tile pieces.

You might want to check out a StepMax tremolo they stay in tune when you break a string. You can check out the website at stepmaxtrem.com
I have been using one and they are very cool.

Thanks

mark