Broken String

I broke a string while performing this Sunday. Really embarrassing when you're only doing 3 songs.



It was my D string. Broke at the bridge. How do you break a D string? What do you do?

I had been religiously changing my strings before every 'gig.' I really love the sound of new strings, but very few people notice. So, at $4/pack I started making them go longer.

And when the cursed event happens:

• Everything on your guitar is now out-of-tune. It
  is, indeed, the laws of physics.


• What's that? Did you say that you don't keep a spare
  set of strings in your case? For shame!


• Changing a string will take at least 5 minutes because
  you have no roadies, and the case is 30 feet away.


• Tuning quickly and making do could work... but all those
  hours of practicing all those tasty licks are... not much use now.
  Every scale. Every arpeggio. They need that string.


• What's that? You don't know where the octaves on your
  guitar are located? Too bad. It's going to be very
  hard to make-do.

I chose to make do, because I knew I couldn't grab a string fast enough.

The best way is to change your strings is on the D'Addario website: here. They stay in tune, break in very quickly, and makes changing strings super fast. You end up with about 1 wrap (which breaks in quick), but you do a "lock-wrap" so that it stays really secure (which stays in tune). Using this method, I've been able to change strings right before a performance without having to re-tune more than once or twice.

So tell me: What are your broken string war stories? What did you do?

[1] - Image from http://www.verkstad.com/art/stringball/StringBall05.jpg, by John Kieltyka

[2] - @Mike: better? :-P