Breaking strings - More problematic for Short scale, or Long Scale basses?

[toma_hawk01]

What size basses has the greatest propensity to maintain strings integrity the longest?
 
Please share your thoughts...
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on August 16, 2010)

[bassman10096]

Good question.  I've played both a lot and never noticed a difference.  I'll be interested to hear from others.  Bill

[jazzyvee]

I've only broken strings on my short scale as far as I can remember. Probably more to do with my playing technique than anything else. I do play it a lot harder than my other basses.
 
Jazzyvee

[benson_murrensun]

Been playing bass for 18 years, never once broke a string. But I never had a short scale bass for any significant length of time, as far as that goes.

[hb3]

I don't think I've ever broken a string on my short scale.

[mario_farufyno]

Don't use short scales, but never broke one single string in 20 years...

[slawie]

I play 34 scale instruments.
I have used various types of string but predominantly Dean Markley Blue Steel.
I have never broken a string in 37 years of playing.
Once they start to sound dull I replace them.
 
slawie

[hb3]

I've broken lots of strings, both at gigs and rehearsals. Not so much practicing, but I'm sure it's happened. But the short scale...never.

[bigredbass]

When I broke strings in the old days, I was framming the hell out of them with a heavy pick and playing entirely too hard . . . . when I grew up and let the gain knobs do the work and lowered my action, it's never happened since.  I've always played 34 scale.
 
J o e y

[mike1762]

I've never broken one on an Alembic, but I broke a bunch on my Stingray.  Back in my Metal days, I dug in pretty hard.  I probably didn't break as many as I would have otherwise since I pluck pretty close to the bridge.  I've been trying to follow Joey's advice lately... no problem when practicing, but as soon as I start playing in a band situation I fall back into my old habits.  I was thinking about getting a ramp, but I hate to deface an Alembic.

[slammin]

I break G strings all the time.  Especially when using 40-100's but I also break them when using 45-105.  In the year I've owned my Persuader, I've broken two.  I've also broken G and D strings on my 35 Peavey Cirrus.
 
The biggest difference is in the way I break them on the Alembic.  With the Alembic (32 scale), I tend to stretch the crap out of notes sometimes, and invariably break a string.  With longer scale basses, it's harder to stretch notes as far as I can on shorter.  I usually break strings on longer scale by thumping and plucking too aggressively.

[pierreyves]

never broken a string before I change it (each 6 month). If you have a problem of breaking string, take a (in french) lime and take the corner of saddle more sweet.

[krystoof]

I used to break the A string twice in a very short time,  with a previous bass I used to play, but I guess the scale lenght was not involved in this problem, since I changed for another brand, and it never happened again...
 
(Message edited by krystoof on August 17, 2010)

[toma_hawk01]

I'd never broken strings on my short scale basses...  
 
Sadly, long scale basses; Alembics and others basses (strings) always break on me...
 
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-

[karl]

Don't usually break strings at all - maybe once or twice, Louis Johnson style, pulling the G a little too vigorously during a slap solo in my younger days ...
 
That said, I went through a phase where I broke three D strings in quick succession on my short scale, no slapping or pulling, just fingerstyle. Didn't seem right, so I took the bass in to my tech and he diagnosed a burr on the D string saddle, filed it down gently and it's never happened since.
 
I wouldn't have thought shorties would be any more prone to string breakages than long scales. In fact, since the tension feels lower, my gut instinct says they'd be less prone to breaking, wouldn't they?