GHS .011 String Breakage

Steve Mueller · From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Has anyone else had .011 GHS strings break when putting them on or shortly thereafter? I broke 4 in 2 days(GHS .011 cryos) on 2 separate steels that have not broken one in the past unless I kept them on over 2 months. Some broke at the changer and some at the roller. I spoke to someone else who said that he also recently broke a couple installing them. He he talked to GHS and thinks it's due to a change in manufacturing equipment there. Don't want to repeat this. I've got a bunch of .011 cryos I can't use. Will try D'Addario.
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George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

This is why I use Live Steel strings. They don't break and are the best sounding strings I have ever used.

Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

Could it be just the cyro's ? I have been using GHS Boomers and Super Steels for several years and have yet to break an 011, or any for that matter, this is on a Mullen guitar which tend to be gentle on the strings. I just installed a set a month ago and they are still going strong. I also heard about players getting a bad batch of strings and this can apply to any manufacturer.

Steve Mueller · From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

It's certainly possible it could be a bad batch, The ones I broke were cryos from the same recent order. However, the other person I spoke to that broke 2 putting them on used regular stainless .011's, not cryos.
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Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

I order them 10 sets at a time, so if it was a bad batch, I must have missed it. I remember years ago breaking 3 in a row of a different brand before they even reached tension, I stuck with them and had no problems after, weird.

Doug Palmer · From: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

I do not know about the cryo string, but I use the GHS .011 PG string. I played 16 weeks on one before it broke just to see how long it would last. This not the same as the regular boomer .011 string. Bob sells them here on the forum. They also make a.017 PG.
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Dennis Rehrig · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I been using Live strings .011 for 4 yrs then they started to break switched over to GHS NO PROBLEM.

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

On the 3rd string only, try 10-15 wraps around the post when winding it on, layer the string over the windings for cushion.
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Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

"Live" strings are probably made to their specs (thread color, ball end twist and core/winding type for the wound strings) by one of the big makers. They might wind their own but most small string companies don't - they are "private label" brands made by one of the large string manufacturer.

There are only a few manufacturers - the big guys like D'Addario, Ernie Ball, GHS etc - and not even all of those "draw" their own wire. It's an expensive process requiring a large investment in tooling.

Smaller makers and companies that don't draw their wire buy it out from bulk producers like Mapes; as I recall they were the largest producer of guitar strings in the world as of a few years ago. Even many larger string brands sell plain strings made by Mapes. I don't recall whether GHS draws their own wire or not.

Except for the way the ball ends are wrapped there's almost no difference between brands of plain strings unless coated or plated - except packaging.

Packaging and storage are fairly well accepted among string makers as the cause for breakage that's NOT related to instrument sets/maintenance and/or pick attack. Corrosion starts before you can see it, weakening the string - that's the root cause of most breakage.

FWIW I keep about 50 sets of various guitar strings on hand and a large number of single gages. Not all are for my use - some are for tech clients - but I do have a LOT of instruments many of which I play regularly.

I haven't broken a string on steel - or any other instrument - in decades. I have played E9 on and for years and never had a 3rd string break. I have had a few random strings (of various brands) unwind at the ball end; on pedal steel and B-bender guitars I use a tiny drop of superglue on the ball windings for reinforcement.

I pick parallel to the top and don't pull up on strings, but more importantly (IMO) I polish both nut and saddle to a mirror finish and use a hand-held microscope to inspect for even the tiniest irregularity. I also purchased only fresh strings (I have returned sets and singles that show any sign of corrosion).

And all strings are stored in airtight containers with bags of silica gel, which absorbs moisture.

Hope that helps somone else.
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Tyler Hall · From: Mt. Juliet, TN

Probably just a bad batch. I had issues with .22's several years back. By the time I ordered again, the problem was gone. It happens... GHS is still the best.
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Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

That's all I have used for many years, and I never have any problems with them. I might be lucky, but they work for me on my LDG.
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Kevin Fix · From: Michigan, USA

Live Steel here. Smile

Steve Mueller · From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Bought some D'Addario .011's today and put them on both steels, no problem with either. Threw away my remaining .011 GHS cryos. I'll stick with the D'Addarios for now. Can't afford to break strings on a gig. Lost my confidence in GHS due to their poor quality control on that batch.
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I buy George L's by the dozen sets when I buy them. When I moved to Florida with all the humidity I vacuum sealed them using my wife's kitchen vacuum sealer. I sealed the first dozen sets but the next dozen I did not. As it turned out it didn't make any difference. The strings didn't go bad by the time I used them.

Right now it will take me a year to go through a dozen sets of strings as I change them once a month (10 shows). From about 2000 to 2012 when I was also doing road shows (here in Florida) I would change them every 10 shows.

Don Sulesky · From: Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH

I buy .0115 in a batch set of 12 from JustStrings.com which work very well on my 24 " scale Weenick steel. Last week is the 1st time in 8 years with this guitar that the 3rd string broke while playing. Other than that I use the GHS SS strings, but I am thinking of going back to the GHS nickel strings when I use up the SS sets I have now. I'm not into the "you need this brand or that brand" I see on the Forum.
I use what works for me and that's it.
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Drew Howard · From: 48854

Never any problems with GHS, from my experience.
Love that they're made just down the road in Battle Creek.

George Seymour · From: Notown, Vermont, USA

All the GHS strings are individually packaged now in a nitro sealed sleeve..light year step forward..no tarnish even at the end of a dozen order
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Eddy Dunlap · From: Nashville, Tn

Exactly one of the many reasons why I only trust D'addario on all of my instruments. I do think GHS makes a good string, but I too ran into a bad batch a few times and have broken a few .11's, .18's, and .15's. I prefer using a .12 for my high G#, but they never included those in an E9th set and I was too afraid the .12 would give after a certain amount of play time. The D'addario NYXL nickel pedal strings blew my mind the first time I tried them and I found tonal balance in all registers, even tension, and consistent quality control. Plus they last ALOT longer than any other brand on the market. I've been clocking alot of hours filming an up an coming television series live and have only changed strings once in the 8 weeks. And my G# that's a .12 is still there. Steve, I think you will love the Daddario!

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I buy Ernie Ball specially reinforced .11's they have extra windings at the changer end ,Larry Allen gave me a few years ago,A little hard to find but "Just Strings"has them.
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George Seymour · From: Notown, Vermont, USA

Bill Ferguson · From: Milton, FL USA

Exactly George,

I like the NYXL, but I just am not willing to pay that price for strings that I change once a month. That's after 8-10 gigs and some of those outside.

I will stick with my tried and true George L's stainless.
I change them once a month, so I rarely have any breakage.
And the cost is about 1/3.

And I love the sound of brand new stainless strings.
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Were they the regular .011, or the .011PG?

Also, did you buy them from me?
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Steve Mueller · From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Bob, They were .011 cryos from Just Strings.
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

The CR-011PG is the string used in GHS's Americana E9th string set. It's stronger than the CR-011.

https://www.steelguitarshopper.com/products/CR-011PG.html

I don't even sell the CR-011. Why bother when the CR-011PG is available?

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Steve Mueller · From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Bob, I was under the mistaken impression that cryos were an improvement. I did however, talk to a very reputable steel player who said he broke two .011's from super steel sets putting them on. He called GHS to complain and they told him they had changed the equipment used for that string recently. Hopefully they've fixed the problem.
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