Broke a string today

**Tadpui** · 01-25-2013

I can't remember the last time I broke a string while playing.

However, I have a nylon string acoustic that will occasionally break a string while it's in its case. The D string likes to break on its own, no playing required. Weird, I never could figure out what the deal was with that. Although I don't think it's happened since I started using Oasis soundhole humidifiers a couple of years ago. Could the wood really move enough to break a string when it's dehydrated?

**muttley600** · 01-26-2013

Originally Posted by Tadpui

I can't remember the last time I broke a string while playing.

However, I have a nylon string acoustic that will occasionally break a string while it's in its case. The D string likes to break on its own, no playing required. Weird, I never could figure out what the deal was with that. Although I don't think it's happened since I started using Oasis soundhole humidifiers a couple of years ago. Could the wood really move enough to break a string when it's dehydrated?

No, it wont.

The D on a nylon set is always the first to go. It has a high tension close to the stress point and as soon as it starts to wear on the fret your time is limited.

**Tadpui** · 01-28-2013

Originally Posted by muttley600

No, it wont.

The D on a nylon set is always the first to go. It has a high tension close to the stress point and as soon as it starts to wear on the fret your time is limited.

Good to know. It's always a surprise to open the case and find that I'm down a string before even picking up the guitar!

I used to keep it hanging on the wall and every once in a while I would hear that D string break in the other room, out of nowhere, in a quiet house. That'll pick up your blood pressure!

**muttley600** · 01-29-2013

The weakness is in the core. You may have noticed that the winding wears and after that you get the filament fraying. Detuning when you're not playing it can help but after a while it gets to the point where the string is so worn that it loses it's uniformity and the intonation goes to pot. The less mass per unit length the more you'll notice it thats why the D is the worst culprit. Keeping the frets clean and well polished can help a bit but it's the nature of thing I'm afraid.