The Steel Guitar Forum

Sometimes my grandson likes to set in my lap while I play. Since I set up much higher, I worry about if a string breaks could it hit him. Has anyone ever been hit by the end of a broken string while playing?

I've had them hit me across the back of the hand a few times. That is pretty heads up on your part to think of that for the little guy.

At the risk of sounding really stupid, you might want to consider some safety glasses for him. Just make them part of the fun, his "cool dude steeler shades".

I don't think anywhere else would hurt any more than a scratch, but in the eye would be a loser.

PS-Sounds like you're a swell Grandpa to me.

I have been cut on the fingers of both hands and have been "tickled" pretty good when strings broke. Also, I have heard of strings breaking and sticking in a hand or arm. Therefore, I never let my grand children or anyone sit or stand near the steel when I am playing and I always wear glasses as a safety measure.

"cool dude steeler shades". seems a great idea.
When a string goes it is VERY fast the first few inches, and who's to say what diretion it goes.
You tend to pull from both directions, but a thumb pull away could still come towards his face.

I once had a 3rd. string to break at the tuner end that curled over my bar hand and stuck thru the metal fretboard. I know this sound impossible but it actually happened, believe it or not!

The point of this story is that a broken string could very easily pierce an eye. I wouldn't want a small child exposed to that danger by sitting on my lap while I'm playing, unless the child was maybe wearing some cool wrap-around sunglasses or something similar for eye protection.

Just my $0.02