String Change Time.....

[Mark Dyer]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1396435191' post='2413463']
Heating them up will restore this a bit. The problem with water is that it'll rust the core eventually and the string will break mid set.
[/quote]

Exactly how does 'heating them up a bit' restore loss of elasticity?

As far as I can work out, my strings are stainless steel or nickel, never seen them rust?

[Number6]

My Nickel Wound XL's are on.....set up checked. They sound nice and bright accoustically and nice through the amp. Quite pleased at the mo but i am struggling to get intonation on the E string.....may need a bit of stretching first??

[Conan]

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1396436718' post='2413512']
i am struggling to get intonation on the E string.....may need a bit of stretching first??
[/quote]

Are they the same gauge as the strings you took off? Even if they are, there is variation from brand to brand. Your intonation may need adjusting slightly

One of the downsides of changing your brand or gauge of string!

Edited April 2, 2014 by Conan

[discreet]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1396437685' post='2413534']
One of the downsides of changing you brand or gauge of string!
[/quote]

That's right, depending on the severity of the change you may also need to adjust the action and in some cases tweak the truss rod.

[discreet]

Fnarr.

[TimR]

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1396435981' post='2413484']


Can you provide some evidence that this actually happens, and how loss of elasticity affects the sound?
[/quote]

As Number6 points out. You have to stretch them when you first put them on. They're quite unstable until they've settled in.

The exterior wrapping is stainless the core is steel. This does depend on the manufacture though. Which is why some strings seem to last longer.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DRLRMH545/specs

[Mark Dyer]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1396438893' post='2413568']
As Number6 points out. You have to stretch them when you first put them on. They're quite unstable until they've settled in.
[/quote]

For sure, I understand how they need to be played in a bit so that the string stays in tune, but how does it affect the sound?

[Conan]

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1396433580' post='2413434']
I know people have their preferred method of cleaning but, all you are effectively doing is trying to 'de-grease' the string, and the easiest way to do this is simply a bowl of very hot water and some washing up liquid, just wipe them in the water with a cloth until no more marks appear.[/quote]

Yes, that's another method - but I don't agree that it is the easiest. Sourcing some IMS (Industrial Methylated Spirit or "alcohol") can be a pain, but once you have it all you need to do is coil the strings up according to the size of your vessel (I use an old "Vitalite" margarine tub), pop them in and pour the liquid over them. Leave them for a few hours, giving them the odd swirl, then take them out and drain the alcohol off. No need to even dry them!

[Number6]

Got there eventually.....dug out a proper analogue tuner (you know the ones with a needle lol) and a bit of perseverance and it's tuned! These strings are definitely better after a bit of a stretch and a play......they're .45 to .105's btw and i don't even remember if the old ones are the same gauge haha

[Mark Dyer]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1396440621' post='2413624']
Yes, that's another method - but I don't agree that it is the easiest. Sourcing some IMS (Industrial Methylated Spirit or "alcohol") can be a pain, but once you have it all you need to do is coil the strings up according to the size of your vessel (I use an old "Vitalite" margarine tub), pop them in and pour the liquid over them. Leave them for a few hours, giving them the odd swirl, then take them out and drain the alcohol off. No need to even dry them!
[/quote]

Okee dokee, I might try this although my method takes about 5 mins yours appears to take a couple of hours?

What exactly does the [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Industrial Methylated Spirit or "alcohol" do to the strings?[/font][/color]

[JTUK]

I use meths from a hardware store as I wanted no residue and something to evaporate off.
I will leave the strings to 'soak' over a few days in a sealed tin and I can watch the oils
come to the surface of the meths.

I devised this method myself when I first heard of boiling strings ( I've been doing it ever since I first started using Rotosounds which were pretty much the only roundwounds going back then.. )...as boiling and metal didn't make much sense to me at the time.

So, now, I prefer strings with no silk winds as that just gets very ragged after the 1st clean.
With my current brand of strings, the sound is still acceptable-ish...but the gunky feel is the thing that tells me
it is time to change the strings. A good long soak should clear out the gunk and make them feel better... but altho the sound
is close to new... the feel may not be and therefore the string doesn't last on the bass..and this is what determines when I bin the string.

[HMX]

I like Rotosound Swing 66s, but I sometimes get a dud E string from the pack. I didn't this time around.

[ubit]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1396263038' post='2411437']
String choice is an incredibly personal thing. The only way you are going to find what you like is by trying for yourself. The only useful thing that comes from these threads is a list of stings for you to try. For instance there are already more than a couple of recommendations for DR Strings, however I found them all horrible. As I said it's personal. here's two more to add to your list - La Bella Steels and Warwick Red Label.
[/quote]

This in heaps, it's true strings are personal cos I like Roto's, I doesn't matter to me that they don't last cos I don't think any string lasts, plus coated strings don't sound bright enough for me, but that's my choice. I like new string ring.

The only way is to try every string you can, it's usually a trade off between quality and price ain't it? So if you want cheap, try eBay , if you want quality, try strings direct

[Back to Bassics]

Sometime in the early '80s I finally realised Rotos were cheap, nasty strings. Ended up putting Guild Lights on everything. Fender put a stop to that, so now it's D'Addario EXL 220s (40, 60, 75, 95) on everything. I love 'em. Of course if you like heavier strings or flats, YMMV.