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Post new topic I knew it was just a "matter of time" before it happened.
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Author Topic:  I knew it was just a "matter of time" before it happened.
Pete Nicholls


From:
Macon, Georgia, USA
Post  Posted 6 Dec 2014 7:16 pm    
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Been playing steel now for 2 and 1/2 years, and on the third song tonight, the third string broke. I took a deep breath (and thought about Sara Jory changing her string while still singing the song) and methodically went about putting on a new one. Guess what, it worked out ok! Only missed one whole song. I had dreaded this moment happening while on stage, but I survived!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
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Ben Lawson

 

From:
Brooksville Florida
Post  Posted 6 Dec 2014 8:21 pm    
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Now you're qualified to wear the t-shirt. Welcome to the club, but what took you so long?
Some years back I had the third string break minutes before we went on a Jerry Lewis telethon. They said I didn't have time to change it. I had to play without it on my first TV shot. I did have time to fix it but they kept on saying "30 seconds" for about five minutes.
I guess that's TV time????
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Micky Byrne


From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 2:30 am    
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I broke a 3rd once at a particular gig, and our Roadie timed me, getting the old one off, getting the new one on and tuned up to take my "Ride" in 60 seconds Very Happy There's no way I can do that now lol. I always had my 3rds and 5ths ..normal winder with built in "cutter" right next to me. I just think it was my lucky day Laughing


Micky "scars" Byrne U.K.
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DALE WHITENER


From:
TRINITY,NC USA
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 5:47 am    
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My band had a couple of "string break songs " available just in case I broke a string .
They were usually acoustic numbers giving me time to put on a new string . Welcome to the wonderful world of pedal steel guitar.
Dale
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 7:55 am    
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I'll always change my 3rd and 5th strings before I think their life has expired. Still, I've had those moments too.

Losing the 3rd is irritating but I can happily improvise around the missing string for the rest of the tune. But the 5th??? Not a hope! E9 without that middle B is a lame duck so, if I break it, I get on with changing it there and then.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Tom Gorr

 

From:
Three Hills, Alberta
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 8:32 am    
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There are enough spare strings on my uni that I can get by... Laughing
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Lyle Clary

 

From:
Decatur, Illinois, KC9VCB
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 11:22 am    
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Play a Zum or Zum Encore with Live Steel Strings and you won't be breaking any.
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chris ivey


From:
california (deceased)
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 11:58 am    
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i play a zum with dead steel strings. broke a 4th string last night on a dark stage. it's been so long i had a hard time getting the ball end on the peg!

it's been so long i could even feel the rust on the new string.
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Dale Rottacker


From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 12:18 pm    
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Filled in for a friend of mine, a long time ago...and quickly broke 5, yes 5 number 3’s before I got my 6th and last string to stay...I was sweating great big bullets!!!...5 in a row!!!...still hard to believe!!!
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Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
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*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
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Craig Baker


From:
Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 12:20 pm    
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If you want to change a string in record time, play a Fender 400, 800, or 2000. No "peg" to find in the dark, and no fumbling because the string remains captive at both ends. Don't know why other manufacturers don't pick up on this genius design of Fender. Loved that about my 800. Just wish it had pull rods and better sustain and tone.

Dale, any chance those 5 strings were on an Emmons?


Craig
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Roger Rettig


From:
Naples, FL
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 12:45 pm    
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That's one thing I love on my Carter and my Zum Encore - the swallow-tails instead of those scary pins! It speeds up string-changing enormously.

I wish my Emmons had 'em.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Dale Rottacker


From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 2:25 pm    
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Craig Baker wrote:
If you want to change a string in record time, play a Fender 400, 800, or 2000. No "peg" to find in the dark, and no fumbling because the string remains captive at both ends. Don't know why other manufacturers don't pick up on this genius design of Fender. Loved that about my 800. Just wish it had pull rods and better sustain and tone.

Dale, any chance those 5 strings were on an Emmons?


Craig


Craig...NO, on a Sho~Bud Pro lll, which I still have...in fact set it up last week to practice a little while my Mullen, (Jim Lindsey’s 1990 one) was at the church...pretty sure the strings were Ernie Ball stings though...never had a problem like that before or since...I used EB's a lot back in the late 80’s-early 90’s...still have some and even some OLD Sho~Bud strings if you can believe that.

BTW Craig...Lovin my Izzy’s Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
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https://www.quilterlabs.com
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James Sission

 

From:
Sugar Land,Texas USA
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 2:52 pm    
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPienXdvXJ0
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Godfrey Arthur

 

From:
3rd Rock
Post  Posted 7 Dec 2014 6:26 pm    
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James Sission wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPienXdvXJ0


Hahahaaaaaa. Great clip. Was thinking he should stretch the string too and he did it. What a hoot.





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Fred Layman

 

From:
Springfield, Missouri USA
Post  Posted 9 Dec 2014 8:33 am     string break
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Pull up one of Sarah Jory's European performances with her band on the internet. She and the band had just kicked off on the introduction to what has become a signature performance for her of "Together Again" when the fifth string on her steel broke. Without missing a beat or a word in the song, she got up, pulled a replacement string from her case, installed and tuned it, sat back down and wrapped up the finish of the song without missing a beat. Unbelievable!
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Godfrey Arthur

 

From:
3rd Rock
Post  Posted 9 Dec 2014 8:51 am    
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Sarah is a goddess. She has so many videos out though. Crying or Very sad
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Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 9 Dec 2014 1:37 pm    
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You haven't yet experienced poking your finger in the rush and bleeding on the guitar. Oh the pain. Then you get to play the rest of the night with a bandaid and a throbbing finger.
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Drew Pierce

 

From:
Arkansas, USA
Post  Posted 10 Dec 2014 3:48 pm    
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I agree with replacing 3rds and 5ths before a big gig or recording session if there's any doubt. But I can usually finish a song O.K. with a busted 3rd. Not so much with a 5th. It's really hard to work around that hole in the middle.

To my delight, I almost never break strings on my old PP, whereas I used to regularly break 3rds and 5ths on my Zum when I played it all the time. Not sure why that is. But my suspicion is that the pedal action on the Zum, being quite a bit faster than the PP, works the changer enough faster to weaken the string faster at the point where it bends on the changer, which is where they always break.
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Drew Pierce
Emmons D10 Fatback, S10 bolt-on, Zum D10, Evans RE500, Hilton volume and delay pedals.
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Dan Robinson


From:
Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 10 Dec 2014 4:59 pm    
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Dale Rottacker wrote:
Filled in for a friend of mine, a long time ago...and quickly broke 5, yes 5 number 3’s before I got my 6th and last string to stay...I was sweating great big bullets!!!...5 in a row!!!...still hard to believe!!!


Dale, you have so many beautiful steels you should bring a spare to your gigs!

Fastest reload is another guitar Very Happy
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Dale Rottacker


From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
Post  Posted 11 Dec 2014 7:40 am    
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Dan Robinson wrote:
Dale Rottacker wrote:
Filled in for a friend of mine, a long time ago...and quickly broke 5, yes 5 number 3’s before I got my 6th and last string to stay...I was sweating great big bullets!!!...5 in a row!!!...still hard to believe!!!


Dale, you have so many beautiful steels you should bring a spare to your gigs!

Fastest reload is another guitar Very Happy


I wish that were true Dan...Only have the 1990 Mullen now, but do have my old Sho~Bud Pro lll set up next to it...I gave that to my Son years ago when his Mom and I split up...He’ll never play it, and has no interest other then sentimental interest in it...So gladly at least I’ll have access to it and one day hope that we’ll be tearing it down, clean up and give it a bit of an overhaul... Very Happy
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Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com
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David Cubbedge


From:
Toledo,Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 11 Dec 2014 9:25 am    
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I had a 3rd string break and swipe me across the face for good measure....

Maybe I need a full-face helmet?....
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