3rd string keeps breaking

[Grayson Flynt]

I've gone through 5 strings and every one has broke . I have stretched it out, let it sit overnigh and it still breaks everything so now I'm wondering if it's a mechanical issue never have had this happen before.

[Ricky Davis]

Where does the string break at?? Same place every time? What string brand?? How many wraps on the tuning key shaft?? What string guage??
Ricky

[Grayson Flynt]

Sorry for not specifying ricky. I use ghs buddyemmons strings and it breaks around the 3-5 fret

[Ricky Davis]

ghs buddyemmons strings and it breaks around the 3-5 fret

Well that is actually signaling "BAD WIRE"; when they break anywhere other than the parts they touch>(finger top; roller; tuning key shaft).
So I would certainly go to different brand; like D'Addario; Just Strings; Jagwire as all of them have proven VERY GOOD WIRE consistency.
Ricky

[Dave Magram]

I use ghs buddyemmons strings and it breaks around the 3-5 fret

Hi Grayson,

You wrote that you are using "GHS Buddy Emmons" strings.
I don't recall ever seeing Buddy Emmons signature strings from GHS.
On the other hand, the S.I.T. (Stay-In-Tune) brand does offer Buddy Emmons signature strings--did you perhaps mean to say "S.I.T. Buddy Emmons" strings?

- Dave

[Dave O'Brien]

SIT had a bad batch of ,011s check out old posts about it.

[Richard Alderson]

I busted a bunch of SIT .011s last night.. Four of them! All from a batch of new ones I had purchased in 2023.. I normally buy 10 sets at one time and they last a couple of years. I keep two guitars active and in constant use and I change strings regularly. That was the first time I have busted a string ever like that and they have lasted me well and served me well until last night. SITS come with an extra .11 in every set; So I do have a large supply of extra .11s lying around as generally they don't give out. One of the extras I had lying around from an earlier batch was fine, and that solved the problem. But it makes you gun shy to bust so many strings in a row, just by pressing the B pedal a few times. That should not have happened like that and I will be contacting SIT directly to ask for some courtesy replacements.

[Grayson Flynt]

I use ghs buddyemmons strings and it breaks around the 3-5 fret

Hi Grayson,

You wrote that you are using "GHS Buddy Emmons" strings.
I don't recall ever seeing Buddy Emmons signature strings from GHS.
On the other hand, the S.I.T. (Stay-In-Tune) brand does offer Buddy Emmons signature strings--did you perhaps mean to say "S.I.T. Buddy Emmons" strings?

- Dave

Sorry about that I wrote this in a rush and forgot it is the SIT strings

[Grayson Flynt]

I busted a bunch of SIT .011s last night.. Four of them! All from a batch of new ones I had purchased in 2023.. I normally buy 10 sets at one time and they last a couple of years. I keep two guitars active and in constant use and I change strings regularly. That was the first time I have busted a string ever like that and they have lasted me well and served me well until last night. SITS come with an extra .11 in every set; So I do have a large supply of extra .11s lying around as generally they don't give out. One of the extras I had lying around from an earlier batch was fine, and that solved the problem. But it makes you gun shy to bust so many strings in a row, just by pressing the B pedal a few times. That should not have happened like that and I will be contacting SIT directly to ask for some courtesy replacements.

I feel your pain i busted 4 in one week also must've had a real bad batch of strings

[Damien Odell]

Over the last 11 months I have broken in excess of 30 x .011 SIT's. Infuriating. I have never had the issue before and put it down to a bad batch. I purchased them online through JusStrings and by the time I contacted them asking about some replacements I couldn't find the receipt. Annoying.

I have been using D'Addario and they've been pretty good however I'm still breaking some - on more than one steel. Vert strange.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Maybe it's that high quality Chinese steel the music wire is drawn from?

[Bill C. Buntin]

One other thing I would mention…..the late gene fields (fender/EMCI/ GFI) master builder and fantastic player…suggested to me about 30 years ago to use a .012 instead of a .011. I’ve done that consistently now since 1994. Using d addario and George L. Basically stopped string breaking for me. You always will have a #3 break on occasion. But it usually breaks at the changer end where it’s constantly being stressed. The .012 is a bit more durable I guess. And I always nurse it up to pitch a little slower than I did with .011…works real well for me.

[Jerry Overstreet]

If you guys are breaking that many strings, they are just bad metal. Like Ricky states, breaking anywhere between the nut and bridge or machine, indicates just bad strings.

Under normal circumstances strings don't break even at those points except for actual fatigue or a burrs etc.

The suggestions like more wraps at the tuner, using a 12 v. 11 could help the longevity, but what you are describing here is abnormal.

If a string is any good, it will tune right up without you having to tease it to pitch by doing it in intervals, sitting overnight etc. Of course tuning one up beyond pitch could pop it, but you should be able to get it in tune right away if it's a good string.

It is my opinion and experience that this is not specific to one brand or label. Many strings are just repackaged for a distributor by a so called house brand.

[Bobby D. Jones]

Bad Wire, IS BAD WIRE.
If the steel was not to content specifications. Or if something happened to a fire in the heat treating process. Strings will break or work harden and raise up off the changer finger, Then the weird sounds will appear. The 4th is usually the first string affected.

What Is Scary. There is only 4.5 grains of wire in a .011 (3rd) string. How many bad strings could be out there on the market. 1 pound = 7000 grains divide by 4.5 gr = 1555.5 strings per pound.
Just a 10 lb. roll of bad wire means, 15,555 bad .011 (3rd) strings is out there to break, And us players worry about breaking.

[Dave Magram]

Sorry about that I wrote this in a rush and forgot it is the SIT strings

Thanks for the clarification. I've tried SIT strings a couple of times, but unfortunately they did not live up to their name (Stay In Tune)!

I never had that problem with other brands that I've used: GHS, John Pearse, Jagwire, etc.
They all stayed in tune, and I never had a breakage problem with them.

- Dave

[Steve Lipsey]

I had that with GHS dobro strings at one point...in talking to them about it, they discovered that one of the machines in the manufacturing process was out of spec...they replaced my strings, but refused to put out a notice or recall about the existing stock...
the G string would break at F#, not go up to G...but on short scale instruments it was fine...

[Bob Cox]

You may try backing off tunning nylon so when u pedal first time the string will have a chance to experience stretching, then bring it back up to pitch.

[Grayson Flynt]

first of all thank you for the info. For the past week ive focused on my guitar playing skills and gave my steel a rest while i figure things out. I still haven't came up with a strait conclusion but im trying some different strings. Thanks to all .

[James Quackenbush]

I’m not sure how metal or steel is produced, but I can attest to the fact that a lot of metal/steel parts that are being manufactured today are NOT of the same quality of years gone by….Many parts from the auto/motorcyle industry are just not up to snuff…It’s industry wide !…..They just don’t make things like they use to !…Get use to it…. It will only get worse !

[Bobby D. Jones]

Back about 2004 George L got a bad bunch of .011 wire. Our local string supplier go an order of bad 3rd strings. At one show 3 steel players broke strings on stage. Had a man after the show ask, If we was having a string changing competition.

[Grayson Flynt]

I bought a bunch of 11s and fixed it. thank yall.