How does Vai not break strings?

Fry · #1 02-23-2004, 03:15 AM

I didn't know where to put this, so sorry if it needs to be moved. Anyways, I have been wondering how the hell Vai and Satch don't break strings regularly in concert. I have seen a couple of vids of their concerts and I haven't seen them break a single string. If I abused my trem like Vai does, i break the high e string in a second. Yngwie too, how does he constantly bend his high e up to the 24th from the 21st fret, and not break a string? I consider myself to have good technique, but is it something about their technique? (by the way, my jem seems to be in perfect shape, I am 99% sure it is not something like a burr or whatever.)

Ibateur · #2 02-23-2004, 05:32 AM

Do you change strings before every show? I think they do. At the end of each show, their strings are probably pretty much ready to break, and the only reason they don't is that they get changed off.

Anders_destium · #3 02-23-2004, 05:35 AM

Having your own guitar technician helps as well. I have been wondering this same thing and I think Ibateur is right with the new string thing

Swirly · #4 02-23-2004, 05:40 AM

Its a mixture of having fresh strings every show, a good technician and knowing how not to break them, not to just pound on them all the time.
Also if youve ever seen the Ibanez promo vidwith Timmons, Vai and Gilbert Vai brakes a string on the jam at the end

Ibateur · #5 02-23-2004, 05:54 AM

But then that would be on the "How to intentionally break strings at the end of the show while playing" video...

caprile · #6 02-23-2004, 06:15 AM

Yngwie uses very light strings tuned to Eb, so he can bend them a lot.

phienix · #7 02-23-2004, 06:53 AM

On AIAUW he breaks a string too

davester1234 · #8 02-23-2004, 10:15 AM

vai breaks strings all the time on stage.

The only precautions you can take are to learn how to handle strings with care while your playing, and to keep fresh ones on all the time.

I'm assuming that new ones get put on immediately after each gig, so they can spend the night on the guitar to stretch out.

Christoph_JEM · #9 02-23-2004, 10:48 AM

Back in 1996 or 1997 I went to a G3 show here in Germany with Vai and Satriani. In the end Vai and Satriani jamed together and during this jam session Vai broke his high E-string. At that monent when his string broke he did nothing with his tremolo. It just broke during some fast picking stuff. So I don´t think that Vai´s strings don´t break.

Btw, I am playing Lo-Pro edges since about 10 years and in this time my high E-string broke not more than 5 or 6 times. Well, but I don´t abuse my trem as much as Vai does...

I also have a strat with an original Floyd Rose. And on this guitar the high E-string breaks regularly...

Which brand do you use? Mostly I use D´Addarios with which I made good experiences, not only concerning string breaking. Ernie Balls for example seem to be a bit weaker. But this are only my experiences...

Fry · #10 02-23-2004, 05:10 PM

I use ghs and d'addarios. I change my strings every two weeks, because I just change them when a string breaks, which is usually once every two weeks. Also, I didn't really mean that he NEVER breaks strings, I just meant that for all the abuse he does to his trem, it seems like he should be breaking a lot more strings.

Dead Roman · #11 02-23-2004, 11:53 PM

well i have been breaking strings, and recently i took a look at my saddles under a good magnifying glass and noticed that they had a good bit of wear on em/grooves. so i took a dremel with a polishing tip and smoothed them back to a mirror finish, havent broken a string yet.

Arnie · #12 02-24-2004, 02:54 PM

During a show (European G3 97) Steve broke a string in the middle of a song (don't remember which one now...), but he kept on playing to finish the song, though it was a bit out of tune. That was pretty challenging, I think.

bammbamm · #13 02-24-2004, 03:37 PM

I've seen most of my fave players break strings live.
When I was practicing 4 hours a day, I would go through strings every 2 weeks, but now a set will last me MONTHS...sad actually.

Bamm

Ralph khoury · #14 02-24-2004, 05:08 PM

i broke strings twice while playing live.
the 1st one went ok cos i was in the sound check
the 2nd on was in the middle of the show and it was the A or D string

anyway in both cases the strings were really worn out.

but i broke many high E strings while installing them on my JEM lol!

AARRGGHHH · #15 02-24-2004, 07:36 PM

to test the reliability of my wolfgang i left the same set of strings on for a few months(i acctually dont mind the feel when they are that old)
a set of 9 - 42s and i really bend the hell out of them alot, up to a tone and a half a fair amount, non of them snapped