catastrophic incidents?

[rayme330]

Have any of you recitalists experienced a catastrophic string breakage or guitar problem immediately prior to a performance, and what did you do?

[Kent]

Glanced over to my comrade and said, "Would you be so incredibility generous, as to loan me your instrument for this performance?"
Keep a used set of strings in your case, and rotate them with recently used sets. They will settle in fast enough to get you by if you open your case before a performance and find a broken string.
The audience always has patience for something like this. Just be prepared to offer up an anecdote or two while you fumble with retuning. It can actually work in your favor by having some interaction with the crowd.

[montana]

Store a used set of strings..that is brilliant Kent. I have not performed in a concert yet ..which i dread...but this is a great tip for a lefty that cant borrow a cg.

[lagartija]

Whenever I have loosened my strings, or taken one off and put it back on, they seem to take a day or so to settle in again and stay in tune. So I'm not sure if using used strings would be of help in a recital situation where your string broke. I am using EJ45 normal tension strings. Is it just me?

[Kent]

Whenever I have loosened my strings, or taken one off and put it back on, they seem to take a day or so to settle in again and stay in tune. So I'm not sure if using used strings would be of help in a recital situation where your string broke. I am using EJ45 normal tension strings. Is it just me?

If you pop on a used string, it will need multiple tuning adjustments, but will quickly cooperate enough to get the job done. Especially a treble string. Experiencing a broken string is rare, but if have no alternative but to use your own guitar, a used string can be a godsend, because it will soon stay close enough in tune to get through your performance.

[WilliamSchart]

The ultimate solution would be to have a second guitar. Many of us couldn't afford to own a second high quality guitar, even if we have the first, but you might be able to borrow one from someone you know.