Yes .. as I was reading I was thinking "must recommend alternate thread!".
A few threads that I like because I don't suffer breaks (with exception of ummm ...operator error) and I don't suffer tons of lint (I hate lint and I will not buy a thread that throws a lot!)
Aurifil
Superior Threads (various types including King Tut, MasterPiece and Bottom Line)
Gutterman
Aurifil is by far my favorite. It's strong, it's a 2 ply so it's finer than most 50wt threads, and it has a very nice sheen to it. The lint is minimal. Gutterman is a smidge heavier than Aurifil but still a nice thread. Superior King Tut is also a little heavier than Aurifil and a smidge more on the lint side .. but no where near as bad as some that I've tried.
Aurifil is pricey and not easy to find. None of my LQS carry it and my online source has since gone out of business. I was lucky enough to know she was going out of business and I stocked up (seriously stocked up!) so I have not looked for a source for quite some time.
While I know that splices can happen ... I've never run into one. To run into two or more splices on the same spool is just plain shoddy manufacturing in my opinion.
The worst ... Connecting Threads Essential. I quilted what was probably less than 1 yard of thread and had to clean my needle area because there was so much lint I couldn't see my hopping foot. This was after spending a small fortune to buy all 12 colors of thread I needed for a project. I traded them all away on QB for fabric.