Tuning down cause string break?

[Donnie]

I am about two months into learning . I was playing around the last couple days trying to learn a riff tuned down.(man in the box Eb) after practicing for half hour on that each night , I started my scale and chord practice , tuning back up again to standard. last night pow there goes my b string, LOL. Does changing tune that drastic weaken the strings? It broke at the bridge, right at the thing that holds the string in place. I thought strings would last like a year, lol. These are the stock springs that were on the guitar when I bought it two months ago !! Guitar center is about twenty miles away... Playing with a missing string is not cool. I'm buying xtra !Guess Im gonna learn how to restring a guitar next ! I cant wait to hear what its gonna sound like !!

[Shagnwagon]

I notice I tend to break strings within the first 30 seconds of playing if I break one. I would say either you tuned up till it broke, or you got a fluke and it broke. I doubt it has anything to do with you down tuning. Now you know to keep a couple sets of spare strings.

[NovaSDF]

Could be a fluke, but its also possible that your bridge is sharp and actually cutting the string. It's not totally unheard of. I would take a close look at the bridge, especially if it happens again. Some people have to file a bit of the sharpness off the cut in the bridge to keep it from slicing the string.

[Davet]

They only time I've ever broken a string was on a day when I switched tunings about 4 or 5 times.

[Lpendes]

It has only happened to me once. And that was when I tried using Ernie Ball strings instead of D'addarios.

[stock_hippie]

i tune down to a D ...i break sttrings alot ...like 3 a week...but i stretch strings alot

[SexyGibson]

Possible Causes

1. Problem with saddle

2. Cheap stock strings

3. Poor technique

Oh, and btw, don't expect your strings to last a year. Oh they COULD, but they wouldn't sound ery good. I generally change strings every month to month and a half.

[stock_hippie]

i had to go to a studio for an album and i busted the high E string...so i just recorded...my girlfriend was losing her mind so what could i do>?

[Kirrt]

I switch between standard, half step and full step down tuning almost every day, yet nothing ever happen

Originally Posted by SexyGibson

Oh, and btw, don't expect your strings to last a year. Oh they COULD, but they wouldn't sound ery good. I generally change strings every month to month and a half.

You may not care about the way they sound but for god sake, those one-year-old-string feels like shit, don't expect a good bend or slide on those
Change them every one or two months

[Stage Fright]

My Epi still has the original strings on it from 2005. It still sounds great and I bend the crap out of them. They still sound good and look good, too. They are coming off soon though when I replace my pups and pots.

[Shagnwagon]

Originally Posted by Kirrt

I switch between standard, half step and full step down tuning almost every day, yet nothing ever happen

You may not care about the way they sound but for god sake, those one-year-old-string feels like shit, don't expect a good bend or slide on those
Change them every one or two months

Mine are done after about 2-3 weeks. Stupid sweaty hands.

[voodo child]

You could try some Big bends nut sauce on the nut and saddle of the guitar.
I use it on my guitars and its amazing

[River]

I broke my first string in years the other day. Same string, same spot. You may have a burr there at the point of breakage. I do not, and blame the other most common cause, in my experience: manufacturing defect of the string not being properly twisted around the ball end.

But I would never ask a set of strings to last months, much less a year. Ever.

[GitFiddle]

Originally Posted by Donnie

I am about two months into learning . I was playing around the last couple days trying to learn a riff tuned down.(man in the box Eb) after practicing for half hour on that each night , I started my scale and chord practice , tuning back up again to standard. last night pow there goes my b string, LOL. Does changing tune that drastic weaken the strings? It broke at the bridge, right at the thing that holds the string in place. I thought strings would last like a year, lol. These are the stock springs that were on the guitar when I bought it two months ago !! Guitar center is about twenty miles away... Playing with a missing string is not cool. I'm buying xtra !Guess Im gonna learn how to restring a guitar next ! I cant wait to hear what its gonna sound like !!

That thing on the bridge that holds the string in place is called the saddle.
Like most have suggested you could have a rough spot on your saddle and tuning down (or up) just increases the amount of friction/wear the string will experience on that rough spot.

Put the guitar down and go get yourself at least three sets of strings. You can get them at Best Buy for less than 4 bucks a set. Now learn how to change your strings. That's like driving a car without knowing how to put gas in it.

When you are changing strings check your saddle for rough spots and put some graphite or pencil lead shavings in each string slot of the nut. This will also help reduce friction and stress on the string.

A large number of problems many ask about in here can be cured by a fresh set of strings. They are not a fixture on the guitar. They have to be changed periodically, just like tires or underwear.

[Dolebludger]

Also, some 1200 grit wetable sandpaper with a piece folded in half makes a good tool for getting rid of small saddle burs that might be hard to find, but are still enough to cut enough of the width of a string to make it break under bending.

[Donnie]

Ok GitFiddle, I went and bought three sets of Ernie Ball strings. I wanted to try some different gauges so I got 10-42, 10 -52, and 11-46. Ill check those saddles when I change them. I believe my strumming technique is to blame, that what I was doing at the time. I did change tuning about three times before that though. I told My wife, "we cant have that string breaking thing going on, I need a guitar just for Drop tuning." She said she was going to suggest that very thing. : ) Anyone have suggestions on which set of strings to try?

[GitFiddle]

Originally Posted by Donnie

Ok GitFiddle, I went and bought three sets of Ernie Ball strings. I wanted to try some different gauges so I got 10-42, 10 -52, and 11-46. Ill check those saddles when I change them. I believe my strumming technique is to blame, that what I was doing at the time. I did change tuning about three times before that though. I told My wife, "we cant have that string breaking thing going on, I need a guitar just for Drop tuning." She said she was going to suggest that very thing. : ) Anyone have suggestions on which set of strings to try?

Good show Donnie and Welcome to MLP.

You should be able to beat the hell out of your strings without breaking them, especially if they are tuned anywhere below standard tuning. Take a close look at your saddle and take Dolebludger's advice if you find anything.

You could take something like a cotton ball or Q-tip and drag it around the saddle where your string sits. If there is any tiny burr it should snag the cotton.

I think caring and maintaining a guitar is just as important as knowing how to play it. The singer in my band strums an acoustic on stage. He just plays until a string breaks, then has to take it to a shop the next day and gets just that string replaced.

One night at a gig, he broke a string. He just put it away for the rest of the night because he didn't know how to change it. I had a spare set of acoustic strings so I had to replace it during a break so he could keep playing. I took it home that night and put a whole new set of strings on it. I bet it still has that same set on it now.

[Donnie]

Q-tip hey? I will try that , its a good idea. I'm a hands on type of guy too, Im suprised I havent already taken it apart to see how it works ! I watched a few vids on tuning ( the one on this site actually.) fret leveling, etc. just haven't wanted to take my only guitar apart. lol guess I need guinea pig! Thanks everyone for all the good advice.

[Donnie]

oh, just one more question , one string at a time or remove them all and clean and check neck level ?

[jay1williams]

Originally Posted by Lpendes

It has only happened to me once. And that was when I tried using Ernie Ball strings instead of D'addarios.

That's too funny! same thing happened to me and I haven't used / tried EB's since

[GitFiddle]

I always change mine one string at a time, unless I want to clean/oil the fretboard or maybe give the pickup covers a good polish. Many people take them all off at the same time with no ill effects. I've just always felt the less changes to the tension on the neck wood and joints the better.

Just NEVER EVER cut your strings while they are under tension.

[Donnie]

Originally Posted by GitFiddle

Just NEVER EVER NEVER cut your strings while they are under tension.

LOL. Ill remember that ! wonder if that's how slash got his nickname?

[Dolebludger]

The only "problem" (not a big one) I've had from taking all the strings off is that on some guitars the neck relief rather immediately is reduced (sometimes to negative relief) due to lack of neck tension. And the neck relief does not immediately return with installation of the new strings. So when I take all strings off for cleaning purposes, I always wait about a day before doing a set-up. If I don't, I find myself doing two or three set ups instead of one.

[River]

Every time I take all of my strings off, I have to reset the bridge height. I know how to keep the bridge where I had it, but I always forget to take the precautions. It's not a huge deal, but I only do them all at once if I'm bound and determined to detail the board, pickups, and other under-string stuff.

[Donnie]

one at a time it is. I want to get back to playing. I didn't get to practice yesterday, and at my age I cant afford to miss a session.

[River]

Originally Posted by Donnie

one at a time it is. I want to get back to playing. I didn't get to practice yesterday, and at my age I cant afford to miss a session.

What's your demographic, Donnie? I'm a late-bloomer, myself.

[Donnie]

I live in Mid Michigan, Kinda grew up poor, well poorer than I am currently,lol. I have always loved music. I started playing a saxophone by ear when I was 17. playing in church with others helped. I tried playing a Tenor sax again recently but dont have the lungs ! I have lupus so alittle trouble with lungs. (my wife would disagree! ) My oldest son bought a guitar and I tried it and fell in love. I cant explain the way It made me feel , I guess I don't have to. Im hoping to get good enough to play in church, and maybe teach my Grand kids to play. awww who Am I kiddin ! I wanna Rock !!

[Donnie]

Oh NO! got all my strings changed tuning last string low E and a piece of the nut went snap! outside of notch broke off! would switching to 52 from 48 cause nut to break?
there's enough of a slot to hold the string apparently but not much . but I can play it.
Every tuner was loose. I had to tighten each one by two turns to tighten them. My guitar plays better and sounds better than I could imagine. I know what you guys mean by brighter now. like its alive! sweet. I have the extended warranty on the guitar (just in case) and on the amp too. guess we will see how good it is!

[Dolebludger]

Yes, switching from a 52 from a 48 (though I've never heard of a 48 -- only 46) could cause a plastic nut to break, depending on how wide the grove was. Whether this would be covered under warranty, I haven't a clue. But because you mention "warranty" I assume you have the standard Epi plastic nut, which (IMO) is pretty crappy no matter what strings you use. For nuts, I prefer bone, while others prefer grahpite or tusq. I don't think anybody here prefers plastic.

[SexyGibson]

Originally Posted by Donnie

I wanted to try some different gauges so I got 10-42, 10 -52, and 11-46.

Bear in mind that changing the gauge of strings may, and probably will, affect the " action " of your guitar.
You may not notice a huge difference switching between 10s and 11s, just some info for future reference.