5 Reasons Why the G String on Your 6-String Acoustic Guitar Often Breaks

Views：1358 Time：2022-06-29Writer：Alice

There are no unbreakable strings in the world. Though breaking acoustic guitar strings is common, guitar players try their best to avoid this situation, for it causes frustration on breaking the string, expenses on buying a new set, effort on restringing the guitar, and the potential embarrassment of having this occur during a performance. This situation frequently happens on a particular string, namely the G string – Many annoyed guitarists complain on Reddit and Quora about the G string on their 6-string acoustic guitar breaking for unknown reasons.

If you have the same trouble, read this article and check which behavior leads to the broken G string. 

What is a G string on a 6-String Acoustic Guitar?

The G string is the 3rd string on a 6-string acoustic guitar that is tuned to the note of G. It falls between the B and high E string. When playing in standard tuning, the G string bears the most tension among the 6-strings. If the 6-string guitar is often tuned by special tunings, such as frequently switching between G and #F, the risk of breaking the G string will increase.

 

Reasons Why the G Strings Break

1: Thinnest wound string

You will most likely notice improvements in intonation and tuning stability when you have a wound G string in 6-string guitar. Many guitarists believe a wound G string sounds better in a set with a fuller, warmer tone. But G string is also the thinnest wound string in a 6-string acoustic guitar and most vulnerable to abrasion, being the major reason why G string breaks.

2: Rough spots on Fret

Rough spots on the fretboard are common and generally happen due to some uneven friction or accidental falling. It can end up causing a breaking point in the fretboard. 

3: Worn Fret 

Frets get worn out over time with natural usage of the 6-string guitar. Since strings come in different thicknesses, frets wear unevenly, which can affect the playability of the instrument; as a result, the G string often breaks or goes out of tune.

4: Damaged Fret

It is one of the unnoticeable causes of broken G strings in a 6-string guitar. A damaged fretboard may cut the G string when you are pressing it to the sharp edge of the damaged fret.

5: Bad-conditioned string

This is an important reason why G string disappoints you the most. Worn strings can hamper your fretboards, and eventually, they won’t last that long. That is why you must pick a good string set for your desired instrument.

Few Steps to Solve this Problem

Clean the strings regularly

Spending a few minutes cleaning your 6-string guitar will go a long way to ensure that there are no major long-term issues. This will help you prevent damaging your guitar in the long-time practice.  

Pay attention to the Saddle and Bridge Condition

Proper bridge is essential in a 6-string guitar. If your saddle and bridge condition isn’t optimal, it will massively impact your G string's tension.

String Stretching

Stretching your strings, especially when placing new strings, is very important in your 6-string guitars. Slowly getting it placed reduces the tension on the G strings.

 

What Strings Should I Buy?

There are plenty of choices when buying the perfect strings for your 6-string guitar. Alice is producing some of the best quality strings at a fair price and with the best durability. Here we recommend a string set for your 6-string acoustic guitar to avoid the embarrassment of breaking the G string.

Alice AW456 acoustic guitar string set is one of the most comfortable strings that you have ever laid your fingers on, and its richness of tone is second to none! What’s more, it provides four types of string gauges for you to choose from extra light strings to medium strings. This nickel-plated phosphor bronze string set is durable to last a long time, being the best companion and witness your progress on the road to becoming a guitar master!

Wrapping Up

Figuring out the reasons why the G string or the 3rd string breaks is like overcoming a barricade that blocks your way to being the Jack of all trades in the guitar world. The next step is to eliminate the chance of replacing the strings again and again by repairing the 6-string acoustic guitar or choosing a high-quality string set.

Alice, with more than 23-year experience in instrument accessories manufacture, is confident to say that we can supply you with a rich category of accessories for 6-string acoustic guitars. Contact us and collect these useful gadgets at the best price!