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Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Mar 3 2010, 01:39 PM

Hey guys,

I'm a beginner guitar player, and recently I've started to get to know the blues (currently I'm being mentored by Ivan Milenkovich on the subject). I like to jam by myself, but mostly the problem is that I don't get the feeling into it. Alright, that's a matter of training and relaxing, I can tell that much.

Now, here's the issue. Once I really got to the blues feeling and I got excited bending hard the high e string. And just when I was reaching the climax... SHWAK! My string was cut, but not like they usually do (from one end or the other) but from the middle. What a mood killer. But it was quite the sight, seeing my string broken like that. Guess there's a first time for everything.

Alright, changed the strings, as they were pretty old anyway, so today I was jamming with my acoustic guitar. And again I got the blues, so I got excited bending the g string. And again, reaching the climax... ... do I have to finish that sentence? Gosh.

So here I have made some deductions based on my experiences:

- Change your strings regularily.
- Do not get too excited bending the high e string.
- Do not get too excited bending the strings of an acoustic guitar.
- Do not time the climax of your solo so that it coincides with one or more of the above.
- If you start feeling that you have the blues, make sure that there's no way that one of the above might happen.

Otherwise you might end up feeling interrupted for the rest of the day.

- Kristian

Posted by: Ruzz Mar 3 2010, 02:32 PM

Perhaps it is about time to change to some thicker strings?

Posted by: Mr T Mar 3 2010, 03:13 PM

Time for the broken string blues!

Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Mar 3 2010, 03:53 PM

Good one!

Posted by: Staffy Mar 3 2010, 04:42 PM

I broke 6 E-strings on one of Mr.Milenkovics lessons, five 0.10 and one 0.11, on the exactly same note and on 3 different guitars..... (no kidding) So if You shall blame something, blame him!!!! I think GMC shall pay for those strings we poor students are breaking in our efforts to master the guitar. (kidding ofc.)

//Staffay

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 3 2010, 05:35 PM

If I had a nickle for each string I snapped..

Some good things come out of it too, if you don't have high E, so you are forced to learn new skills for playing the same licks on the B (which is now highest string)

Posted by: Staffy Mar 3 2010, 05:39 PM

Hehe, Ivan. In fact it was the high G on the 15 fret, so that would'nt be possible I guess. Btw. I still avoiding trying to play that lick of Yours, I'm scared of that note for some reason... In fact it was my right hand that cuts the string, not the bending itself..... but I will try it again when I've put on 0.12's on my strat!!!

//Staffay

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 3 2010, 09:31 PM

0.12??? *whip* *whip*

Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Mar 3 2010, 11:19 PM

I can already hear Staffay cursing that lick after he's tried even thicker strings.

Posted by: Staffy Mar 3 2010, 11:31 PM

Whaaaaaattt???? SRV once said: "When I realize that I'm starting to play too fast, I just switch the E-string to 0.13, and then it goes back to normal again...."

//Staffay



Nah, Im not cursing the lick, Im cursing the founder!!!
Everytime (not lately though) when I tried to play it, I succeeded one time of ten, and the eleventh time I broke the string....
Anyway, its a very good lesson, I will say one of the best of Mr.Milenkovic. (although all of them is good!!!)
Here is the one Im talking bout: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/srv_had_a_little_strat_blues_solo/

//Staffay

Posted by: Crazy_Diamond Mar 4 2010, 02:12 AM

I have broken a lot of string on some big bend but I kind of think that the bridge as alot to do in breaking strings. Since I got my strat i'm really hard on it and I bend like crazy.... never broke a strings maybe it is a coincidence but sometimes you buy strings that are a lot less resistant.

Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Mar 4 2010, 07:28 AM

A funny thing maybe - even though not strictly related to this topic. This is really embarrassing and I know I perhaps will be condemned to Hell for this, but at least it's done now. After the g string of my acoustic guitar popped, I decided to change all the strings. I haven't bought new ones yet, so I decided to give it a good basic cleaning.

I don't have any special lotions for it, just a rag and careful eyes. So I was cleaning the neck with the rag when my middle finger's nail scratched the neck a bit - and oh my God, there was this horrible scratch right before my eyes. I was panicking already, when I began to wonder; heck, what kind of a tree gives in this easily? So, I scratched it a bit more, and I was pretty astonished by what I saw.

About a 1mm thick layer of very tightly packed - well, stuff. Yuck! It must have been packing there for months, maybe even years! Dirty. It was nearly on every fret, and I had really fun cleaning it up for some 30 minutes...

What do we learn from here? Keep your instruments clean!

Posted by: Staffy Mar 4 2010, 07:41 AM

yeah, You right on this. Theoretically, You should never be able to BEND off the string - eg. then something is wrong with the bridge or even a sharp edge on some of the frets... Strats also has larger space for the string in the bridge than les paul type bridges. In most cases it's the picking technique that is wrong, hitting the string from the wrong angle or as in my case - coming down FAR too hard on the strings in general. I think that has something to do with the age, all players in my age seems to hit their guitars like crazy...

//Staffay



Nah, Why??? If You take away all the dirt, It would be impossible for the police to do a DNA-analysis if it got stolen....
'
//Staffay

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 4 2010, 12:22 PM

Also the added grease provides additional warmth to the tone, so the more the better

Posted by: Mr T Mar 4 2010, 12:39 PM

Think I'm going to stop washing the frying pan and dip my fingers in the grease before I play guitar, just think of the killer tone you could produce in a matter of days

Posted by: Staffy Mar 4 2010, 07:49 PM

I will suggest to pour the grease from the frying pan over the neck, when finishing cooking. I haven't tried it yet myself though, but if my LP doesn't stop to smell soon, I will give it a try!!!

Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Mar 5 2010, 04:00 PM

Also playing your guitar after working in the garden (without handwashing, of course) gives a nice twist the sound.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Mar 5 2010, 05:53 PM

Ah so that explains why Gary Moore have so thick tone. When he was a shredder back in the 80ties, he discovered that he likes gardening. It makes perfect sense!

Posted by: Kristian Hyvarinen Mar 6 2010, 11:57 PM

Now I'm not perfectly sure if I got you right, but whatever you meant:

Posted by: Daniel Realpe Mar 13 2010, 05:52 PM

those Elixir strings last a lot more with the "new" sound, so that might be a solution for that

Posted by: Staffy Mar 13 2010, 05:56 PM

Yeps, and it also explains why the Farmer nearby plays his electric in the middle of the field.....

//Staffay