Round Rounds or Flats... What stings are stronger?

[hendixclarke]

I am looking for science here. Pound for pound, what string can hold/yield the most stress and weight? I am tired of buying bass strings. Please help!

[jacko]

Try checking you have no Burrs on your bridge saddles or at the nut. These are the usual causes of string breakages. I check mine regularly and haven't snapped a string in years despite being very aggressive when I hit them.
 
Graeme

[bsee]

You'd probably have to get advice from others who break strings.  I have done so few in 30+ years of playing that I am sure they were flukes or string defects, or installation screw-ups.  Bend it too hard over the bridge when you're installing the string and you can fatigue the core.  It's only a matter of time from there.  What is your playing style, and, when you break a string, where does it fail?  
 
I would wonder, for those of you who break them, what are you using?  Are heavy strings more durable because of the size, or maybe less durable because you have to stretch them tighter to get them to pitch?  Flatwounds are usually a bit heftier for a given thickness, but often less flexible.  Which is more important?  I would think that the most flexible strings would be the most resilient, but I don't know.

[jazzyvee]

I think I need to check my nut for burrs as my D-string broke last weekend at the nut again. I've had a number of strings break at that point. I was learning o play Come On  from Stanleys latest album a the time so maybe I was being a bit heavy handed as well.
 
Jazzyvee

[hendixclarke]

I think round-rounds (RR) are more prone to break than flats. It just seems like RR's are designed for breaking. I would love to get some stress data on the composition of the metals used.  
 
I been using Flats, and they almost rarely break. I just think they are better and stronger strings design which were made to last. Is this true for the most part, with your experiences?

[howierd]

I've been playing the Bass for 45+ yrs. Until round wounds came out I used to break strings alot. (D's and G's) I very rarely break strings now. I'd say I've broken 2 or 3 round wound strings in 35+ yrs. I have only used rotosound RS66 or RS66LN. Depending on the genre of music I'm playing. Check out this site for info on string tension.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strings_(music)#Roundwound

[jet_powers]

My experience with breaking strings is practically nil, as the only time it happened to me was 20 years ago, on someone else's intrument. I was invited up to play a song and on the third note the E string broke on the Dean Baby I was playing. The owner later told me they were the original strings and the bass was six years old!
 
-JP

[howierd]

When you get to site click on:
 
 Strings (music), flexible material that provides vibrations in string instruments

[David Houck]

Or, click here

[82daion]

There's probably some variation in quality between manufacturers, but I imagine that stainless steel is stainless steel, and nickel is nickel, for the purposes of this discussion.
 
I've never broken a bass string, and I don't think that switching brands will stop yours from breaking. I'd make sure that your bridge saddles are smooth and free of burrs, and if that checks out, rein in your technique so that you aren't stressing your strings so much. The only players I know who break strings regularly have an extremely heavy attack with the right hand. It's possible that you break strings less often with flats because the shape of the windings makes the string less susceptible to burrs, etc.

[rockbassist]

In 30 years of playing I have only broken one string. I played with a guitarist who would break several strings per night and it didn't matter what guitar he was playing. It seems to me that technique can have as much to do with breaking strings as anything else. If you play with a very aggressive style you will be more likely to break strings. I think you would have to apply a lot of force to break a bass string though.