We have been string break free for ......days.

[Dom in Dorset]

Well, never, can't remember ever breaking a string.
I play with fingers and a pic, for a few years in the 90's exclusively pic. Played some quite heavy music.
I did break a few while setting up a fretless a few years ago, but I was using old strings and took them up to tension and down again many , many times while shaving the board down and fiddling with the truss/saddles.
I can honestly say that I've never broken a string gigging, rehearsing, recording or noodling around at home.

[paul_5]

I used to break the E strings quite regularly. Turns out it was a [i]really[/i] badly setup bass…

[geoffbyrne]

I once broke a bass string because I wasn't paying attention & tried to tune a D up to a G. DOH!

G.

[sykilz]

I recently started doing proper regular pub gigs, 4/5 a month, and my mate, who plays rhythm guitar, says " where's your spare bass, what if a string goes?". Never in 26 years playing have I broken a string. The guitarist has done three mid song changes in the last couple months. Glad I'm not a guitarist! Still, if they had proper BIG FAT strings like us, perhaps the problem wouldn't occur!

[Noah Deere]

I've never known one break either, I always have a spare set just in case though.

[Roland Rock]

I've done it once. It was while rehearsing, hours before our first ever gig. E string went during a particularly heavy rendition of Day Tripper.
I went and bought a spare single string, and was surprised to hear that it was much brighter than the others (which had never been changed)

[spike]

Broke my D string once at a gig about 25 years ago. Since then I've always carried a spare set with me and It's never happened again.

[Bassman Steve]

Not a single one in 42 years playing - and not lightly!! I can't ever quite understand how you do manage it.

[cytania]

Try some Thomastik Infeld roundwounds and the joy of breaking strings will be yours :-)

[Beer of the Bass]

I've never broken a bass string at a gig and only once broke a guitar string. I was making noises with a beer bottle against the strings at the time (I couldn't find my slide), so that one was probably my fault.

[FinnDave]

Never broken a string in 40+ years of playing, but still take a spare set AND a spare bass to every gig 'just in case'.

[goblin]

I've lost a string twice over the last few years. One was a low B which gave up and uncoiled itself, then this time last year I lost a D with a ping mid (assessed) gig. Old strings and I did a bend, kinda asked for it really

[Grassie]

Come 4th January next year I'll have been playing for 20 years, and I've never broken a string. Not once.

[RhysP]

I've buggered up a couple of strings putting them on many years ago but I've never broken one playing in 34+ years.

[Dave_the_bass]

Broke one, second ever gig.

It was during the sound check and I was playing with my fingers. I played a note on the A string, bounced my finger in to the low E and it snapped around my finger.

It put a massive deep gouge down each side of my finger that probably should have had stitches, but I was too rock n' roll for that! Took me about three hours the following day to clean all of the blood from my bass!

[RandomBass]

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1386425606' post='2299968']
Broke one, second ever gig.

It was during the sound check and I was playing with my fingers. I played a note on the A string, bounced my finger in to the low E and it snapped around my finger.

It put a massive deep gouge down each side of my finger that probably should have had stitches, but I was too rock n' roll for that! Took me about three hours the following day to clean all of the blood from my bass!
[/quote]

Ouch! This is why we now do a full H&S Risk Assessment before every gig, including full protective clothing, safety goggles and shoes, and nearest exit in the case of fire. Yeah right.

Actually the only 'assessment' we do is finding the quickest route to the bar & loos (and buffet if applicable). It's all Sex, Drugs & Sausage Rolls.

Back on topic - never had a string break, but about 3 years ago I did have one suddenly stretch about a whole centimetre for no apparent reason. Most odd. Mid song re-tune and it just held until the break (gig, not string lol) for a quick change. I always carry spares.

Edited December 7, 2013 by RandomBass

[Ziphoblat]

I've never broken a string on one my own basses, but I did break one on a school bass back at school. I don't think it really counts though, the string had literally rusted over and it was about three seconds after picking it up that I broke the string.

EDIT: Always carry a spare set in my leads & bits bag just in case, though.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Ziphoblat

[el borracho]

20 odd years ago I tried out a lighter set (Superwounds - remember those?) and broke two, the A & the E, in one gig! Went straight back to my usual gauges (45-105) and have never broken another since.

[Cameronj279]

Broke a G string once (no pun intended) and a D string by trying to tune it to G by accident. At this time I hadnt been playing 4 months so I was being stupid and not paying attention

[yorks5stringer]

Had a JD Roadie Supernatural around 30? years ago and kept on breaking the G strings on it (Golden Optima Strings too)! Touch wood nothing since except on my home-made EUB which has a very dodgy string path....

[TimR]

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1386412885' post='2299745']
I recently started doing proper regular pub gigs, 4/5 a month, and my mate, who plays rhythm guitar, says " where's your spare bass, what if a string goes?". Never in 26 years playing have I broken a string. The guitarist has done three mid song changes in the last couple months. Glad I'm not a guitarist! Still, if they had proper BIG FAT strings like us, perhaps the problem wouldn't occur!
[/quote]

Funnily enough. I think I may have broken one string at a gig. A string I'd done the boiling water thing on back in the '80s.

A few years back I did a New Year's Eve gig and the singer asked me if I wanted him to bring a spare bass. I said I'd got a spare but won't be bringing it, just spare strings.

So tuning up waiting to start the set and my E string goes floppy. No worries, I'll change it. Turn the tuning peg to loosen it and nothing happens. The machine head had snapped!

Moved all the strings up one place during the first verse of the second song and played a three string bass for the entire night. Some tunes were not as rehearsed.

[Roger2611]

[sub]I have never broken a bass string but that is only because I take a spare bass to every gig[/sub]

[Roger2611]

Who shrank my writing....and why?

[BigRedX]

I always carry both a spare bass and a spare set of strings (for each bass) to every gig.

At one of my first bass-playing gigs I broke a string during the opening number and was only able to complete the gig by borrowing the support band's Grant violin bass copy which was strung with flats and on a strap so long that it dangled just below my knees. At the time I was playing a Burns with round-wound strings and wore my bass just under my chin. To say that I struggled with both tone and playability for the rest of the gig was a bit of an understatement... The following day I went out and bought a Hagstrom Futurama bass for £35 so at least I would have something that was used to playing as a spare. I've rarely gigged without a spare since - in the days when I played both fretted and fretless I would have a spare for each.

Over the years I have managed to break every string including the low B on a five string bass. IME the usual cause of string breakage is manufacturing defects in the core. I generally sense that a string is going to break as I can feel the compliance change shortly before the core itself snaps.

In my guitar playing days I would never had considered setting foot on stage without at least one spare guitar and someone poised ready to restring them as required.

[cytania]

I've also had a machinehead shear off at a rehearsal, The A string too. Had to rethink several songs on the fly...

When you think of the things could give out... a bridge saddle, pots, caps, solder joints etc. a backup is a must when it's live.