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boiling strings?


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[quote name='peted' post='244225' date='Jul 21 2008, 08:41 AM']I boiled a couple of sets of strings a few years ago. I did notice that it removed a lot of crud from the strings and when they went back on they were fresh and zingy again. The zing only lasted a couple of days at most though and then they were back to their old, dead, flat, selves. I find that preventative measures, such as wiping your strings over with a dry towel after a practice or performance, will greatly extend the life of your strings.

I currently change my strings just 3 or 4 times a year. I can't imagine how much it must cost you guys that change them every week![/quote]

I changed the strings on my Jazz (my gigging bass) the other day for the first time in 18 months, I must change them more often than that.

My first ever bass (Encore) hasn't had a string change in 14 years.

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I change my pants every day and my strings probably every 2 months thats almost 15% if my calculations are right. I am also planning on changing my Gas provider (real Gas) that should get it down to a modest 12.5% if interest rates hold again next month.

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[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='244361' date='Jul 21 2008, 12:14 PM']I change my pants every day and my strings probably every 2 months thats almost 15% if my calculations are right. I am also planning on changing my Gas provider (real Gas) that should get it down to a modest 12.5% if interest rates hold again next month.[/quote]

:)

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[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='244361' date='Jul 21 2008, 12:14 PM']I change my pants every day and my strings probably every 2 months thats almost 15% if my calculations are right. I am also planning on changing my Gas provider (real Gas) that should get it down to a modest 12.5% if interest rates hold again next month.[/quote]
Do you find your pants are more zingy after you've boiled them? :)

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[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='244361' date='Jul 21 2008, 12:14 PM']I change my pants every day and my strings probably every 2 months thats almost 15% if my calculations are right. I am also planning on changing my Gas provider (real Gas) that should get it down to a modest 12.5% if interest rates hold again next month.[/quote]
You can usually get another day out of your pants if you turn them inside. :huh: :)

...I'm not sure if this also works for steinberger double-ball strings though :huh:

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[quote name='Mr Fudge' post='244130' date='Jul 20 2008, 11:05 PM']then I may dry them off in the microwave.[/quote]

hahaha.

Now ive read the thread i may have to give boiling strings a go.

Edited by WarPig
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[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='244206' date='Jul 21 2008, 07:29 AM']Does anyone else use vinegar? I was told it breaks down the grease.[/quote]
I advise against using caustic soda in an aluminium boiler. That's really something that I should have spotted as a bad idea, what with an A-level in chemistry that was only about a year old at the time...

Ultrasonic baths do bugger-all as well. Well, the cheap ones anyway, I could get a lifetime supply of strings for the price of the expensive ones that might (or might not) have an effect.

I keep a list of when I last changed the strings on the various instruments. It just demonstrates that I am a lazy bastard. I really ought to replace the strings on the two main basses, it's been 18 months now and I've got spare strings knocking around waiting to be put on.

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'noon.

I'm surprised no-one's punted the alternative yet....

Meths.

Seriously - hoy down to the local DIY shop, pick up about a litre or so of methylated spirits, pour into a larger bottle (e.g a 2-litre fizzy pop bottle), thread your strings in though the top, screw the top back on & leave 'em to soak for a couple of days. Fish them out, let dry for about 5 minutes & pop them back on.

I've been rotating two sets of Hartke-el-cheapo-Ebay-special-3-for-20-quid strings since New Year on my SB-900 & they're still going strong.

Pete.

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i tried boiling, wont do it again though.

leave them in methylated spirit for 12-24 hours, you will get a much better result, imo.

this link will explain, the yanks call it DENATURED ALCOHOL but we call it METHYLATED SPIRIT

[url="http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/how_to_clean_bass_strings.html"]http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/how_to_c...ss_strings.html[/url]

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I can't believe this thread has got this far without someone mentioning Elixir strings...so allow me... :)

They're worth considering, the coating keeps them fresh for months and months so no hassle of taking them off, cleaning and re-installing them, and that same coating stops them feeling rough like stainless steel strings do. Not cheap but they'll save you in the long run and if you go for them shop around on eBay, they're often cheaper from the 'states even with shipping.

The thing I worry about with the boiling methods is that you can't be 100% sure that all the water that may have got under the windings has been dried out, and then it'll start to rust to core wire, assuming it's only the wrap wires that are stainless steel (does anyone know for sure?)

I tried boiling mine long before Elixirs came out and like someone above said, it works but the newness disappeared so quickly that it seemed a lot of trouble for not much benefit.

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[quote name='LukeFRC' post='244173' date='Jul 21 2008, 12:27 AM']tried it once- never agian, made them feel wrong.
keep the dirt, it keeps the funk in or summit[/quote]

i didn't really like the feel of them after either ! and to me the improvement in tone wasn't significant or long-lasting enough to make it worthwhile.



i wonder if you could heat the string up and anneal it...how would that affect the tone ? i'd always assumed that the slow work-hardening of the metal in the string that caused the eventual loss of tone, so annealing it might actually help.


dunno...that was a bit of a mental bimble there

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