String Breakage Questions

[btbliatout]

Greetings all. I've been studying/practicing classical and flamenco guitar for 8, going on 9, years. I've noticed during the winter, my instruments that are stored in my humidity controlled guitar closet tend to have bass strings occasionally snap, most frequently the D strings. It tends to only happen in the winter, and it happens across multiple instruments, with varying string manufacturers, and the break points are no where near the saddle or nut. I was wondering if others experience this too.

My initial thought is maybe it has to do with sudden changes in relative humidity (RH). During the winter, I'll take them out to practice for 4 hours, where the air is really dry (it's cold, so we crank up the heat, thus low RH), then I put it back in the closet, where the RH is optimal (~50%).

I have a carbon fiber instrument that sits out all year around, and that doesn't have said string breakage issues.

I have also tried down-tuning my instruments when I put them away in their closet, to relieve some of the tension, and that seems to prevent the breaking issue, but it's annoying having to tune it back to pitch and let it settle for a half hour every time I need to practice.

Am I an oddity? Please don't tell me I'm the only one. And if I'm not the only one, I'd love to hear if anyone has a reasonable explanation for what's happening.

[Mandobart]

I had a similar experience on a fiddle. I put it in its case tuned to normal pitch with a damp dampit sponge humidifier. When I opened the case the next day mt D string had snapped. I believe it was too humid, and the violin absorbed excess moisture and grew, putting too much tension on the strings.

I now keep all the instruments in a humidity controlled environment, and haven't had any strings break since.

[Gitfiddlemann]

Originally Posted by btbliatout

My initial thought is maybe it has to do with sudden changes in relative humidity (RH). During the winter, I'll take them out to practice for 4 hours, where the air is really dry (it's cold, so we crank up the heat, thus low RH), then I put it back in the closet, where the RH is optimal (~50%).

I'd love to hear if anyone has a reasonable explanation for what's happening.

I think that's your biggest issue. If your guitars are all wood, then the constant sudden changes in environment, especially 4 hours in the very dry air, will put a lot more stress on the instruments than having them adapt for longer periods of time in a non-changing environment. Still, leaving them in a super dry air area will eventually also cause you problems, with string breakage the least of your worries.
The D string is the most vulnerable, so that's no surprise. But I'd me more worried about actual and more serious structural damage to the guitars over time, which very dry winter air will cause.
4 hours of playing is a long time. If you like playing that much what I would do is invest in a room humidifier, and a hygrometer. That way, you can keep your playing area in the min. 40%+ zone, which is fine. When you put them away in your cabinet, the change in humidity is no longer an issue.
If you don't want to do that, then store your classicals away and just play your carbon fiber guitar, or your electrics, which are not as vulnerable to humidity issues. If you get a wetter stretch in winter, then take them out, but keep at least a hygrometer near you so you know where you're at.

[btbliatout]

Originally Posted by Gitfiddlemann

...If you like playing that much what I would do is invest in a room humidifier, and a hygrometer. That way, you can keep your playing area in the min. 40%+ zone...

I have an evaporative one. The original intent was just as you say, keep a room humidified. However it struggles to keep a whole room above 40% in the worst part of winter. Hence why I moved my instruments and said humidifier into a closet . The smaller air volume is something my humidifier can handle much easier.

Originally Posted by Gitfiddlemann

...If you don't want to do that, then store your classicals away and just play your carbon fiber guitar...

That's what I do at home . But for lessons/study/practice outside of my house, my wood instruments are unfortunately my weapons of choice. I love my carbon fiber guitar very much, but without amplification its quiet and not suitable for study/practice with others. So the wood ones do tend to leave their nice, cozy, and humid closet for 4 hours at a time (includes transportation and lesson/study/practice time). But I sincerely appreciate the recommendations!

Thanks for chiming in on this one. I'm glad to have some degree of validation on my thoughts.

P.S. I have 3 hygrometers, two in the closet (redundancy), and one in the living room where I tend to practice. Woodies only get left out in the living room when RH is reliably above 40% .

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by btbliatout

Greetings all. I've been studying/practicing classical and flamenco guitar for 8, going on 9, years. I've noticed during the winter, my instruments that are stored in my humidity controlled guitar closet tend to have bass strings occasionally snap, most frequently the D strings. It tends to only happen in the winter, and it happens across multiple instruments, with varying string manufacturers, and the break points are no where near the saddle or nut. I was wondering if others experience this too.

My initial thought is maybe it has to do with sudden changes in relative humidity (RH). During the winter, I'll take them out to practice for 4 hours, where the air is really dry (it's cold, so we crank up the heat, thus low RH), then I put it back in the closet, where the RH is optimal (~50%).

I have a carbon fiber instrument that sits out all year around, and that doesn't have said string breakage issues.

I have also tried down-tuning my instruments when I put them away in their closet, to relieve some of the tension, and that seems to prevent the breaking issue, but it's annoying having to tune it back to pitch and let it settle for a half hour every time I need to practice.

Am I an oddity? Please don't tell me I'm the only one. And if I'm not the only one, I'd love to hear if anyone has a reasonable explanation for what's happening.

If you're using gut strings that might be an issue. I didn't see string type specified.

If you're using standard synthetic strings I'd think that your strings are just shy of the breaking point and you may be experiencing a slight change in string tension as a result of humidity changes.

Mandobart is probably 100% on this one, as I've had arch top instruments that changed pitch by as much as a whole step after playing and putting therm back in a case.

I'd try to watch the humidity closer, and use a sound hole humidifier to even out changes in the top geometry due to humidity change.

If you use hard tension you might think about a medium tension string, too.