I feel like I'm getting in on this discussion kind of late. But that's never stopped me from contributing my 2-cents before.

I don't think that you run much risk of breaking your fifth string due to frequent retuning. I've busted a couple of them, but it took months to do. Still, I wouldn't run around without a couple of replacements for all my strings.

Weighing in on the "To Spike or Not To Spike" controversy, I've never done it. I just re-tune when necessary. no real good reason, but somehow the idea of driving little nails into one of my intruments fills me with dread. Call me a wimp, if you must, but there it is.

- Sean