How long do your new strings retain their twang?

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1448280500' post='2914064']...
I play bass and the bass has to be heard and respected, not just a muddy thump, it's a harmonic instrument as well as rithmic, for thump i would buy a kick drum, much cheaper...
[/quote]

[size=4]I play drums and the bass drum has to be heard and respected, not just a muddy thump, it's a harmonic instrument as well as rhythmic; for thump I would buy a P bass, much cheaper... [/size]

[MoonBassAlpha]

Has anyone ever tried an ultrasonic cleaner? I bet that would work really well and take a fraction of the time.

I used to boil, but now soak in meths. Any cleaning process is helped if you have a simple string removal method, like a headless (brilliant) or slotted top-loading bridge.
I find the greatest hazard is caused by straightening the curly end for removal. A couple of bend/straighten cycles can stress a string enough to weaken it.

[pfretrock]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1448275380' post='2914020']
Meths is good. I leave them for a 48 hrs soak but the silks on some strings are a PITA and cause impurities in the cleaning
fluid, IMO.

This can add up to causing rust spots or stains on the string..so I find silks counter-productive....they get ragged and look terrible
so no point at all being there on a decent string IMO.


[/quote]

Meths can contain water, up to a few percent. Is this adding to the rust problem with a 48 hour soak? I've no idea. I've read that boiled strings can rust.
I have put strings in an ultrasonic cleaner, the muck flies off and I'd guess the cleaning time would be much less. I don't think it is a good idea to put alcohol in an ultrasonic cleaner, but in water they'd be exposes to rust risk for a lot less, time, provided you could dry them rapidly. ( quick soak in meths which displaces the water?) You would still have the silk problem.
Although I've tried an ultrasonic cleaner, I should add I've noted the muck coming off but don't do it as I use gunky flats, so I'm not sure if there is any advantage. The ultrasonic cleaner was fairly cheap from Maplin (bought to de-gunk spectacles)
Incidentally, if you add detergent, don't use domestic stuff ("Fairy"), it contains salt. I think you can get ultrasonic detergent, which might be better or may be just a way of selling you stuff you don't really need.

[pfretrock]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1448282549' post='2914083']
Has anyone ever tried an ultrasonic cleaner?
[/quote]

....Must type faster. Bach made my fingers ache!

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1448282016' post='2914079']
I play drums and the bass drum has to be heard and respected, not just a muddy thump, it's a harmonic instrument as well as rhythmic; for thump I would buy a P bass, much cheaper...
[/quote]

Touché!

[Dad3353]

[Beer of the Bass]

For anyone doing the alcohol soak or wipe, I much prefer isopropyl alcohol to meths. Maplins sell it in cans. Most meths has additives which are supposed to make it unpalatable, that leaves a residue I detest the smell of. Isopropyl evaporates without leaving any noticeable residue. Any alcohol will absorb water from the environment if it's not stored under controlled conditions and it still evaporates readily even with a few percent water, so I wouldn't worry too much about potential water content. It's probably less than they're exposed to from sweat anyway.

[Lozz196]

Not wanting to be a dum-dum here but if using alcohol based soaks what do you do - just soak the strings for a couple of days in a container (sealed or unsealed?) and then wipe them down?

[ubit]

I find they lose the sound I like after one gig. Cost means I have to put up with them for longer, but it's usually three gigs then boil them !

[JTUK]

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1448283502' post='2914100']
Meths can contain water, up to a few percent. Is this adding to the rust problem with a 48 hour soak? I've no idea. I've read that boiled strings can rust.
I have put strings in an ultrasonic cleaner, the muck flies off and I'd guess the cleaning time would be much less. I don't think it is a good idea to put alcohol in an ultrasonic cleaner, but in water they'd be exposes to rust risk for a lot less, time, provided you could dry them rapidly. ( quick soak in meths which displaces the water?) You would still have the silk problem.
Although I've tried an ultrasonic cleaner, I should add I've noted the muck coming off but don't do it as I use gunky flats, so I'm not sure if there is any advantage. The ultrasonic cleaner was fairly cheap from Maplin (bought to de-gunk spectacles)
Incidentally, if you add detergent, don't use domestic stuff ("Fairy"), it contains salt. I think you can get ultrasonic detergent, which might be better or may be just a way of selling you stuff you don't really need.
[/quote]

Maybe, I put the little stains down to residue when re-using the meths....or the metal being a tad off..??
I use 48 hrs just to be sure they have a good soak.

I find I get about 3-5 cleans this way before I throw the string out.
I don't get much more technical that this really.
Coil them, put them in a clean container and make sure the whole strings are covered
in the clean solution.

I never straighten out the strings and never allow kinks to make a weak point.
I'm careful with the way they come off and I put them back on the same way.

[BottomE]

Personally i don't like that new string twang which seems to last a couple of weeks of daily playing. Much prefer the worn in sound. I try to change strings if there is a period of not gigging for a week or so just to have an opportunity to "age" them. Unfortunately got so many gigs at the moment this won't happen so the DR Low Beams that have been on the Jazz for the last year will just have to keep going.

[JTUK]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1448301673' post='2914288']
Not wanting to be a dum-dum here but if using alcohol based soaks what do you do - just soak the strings for a couple of days in a container (sealed or unsealed?) and then wipe them down?
[/quote]

I don't wipe them dowm...I just soak them in a sealed container, dry them off naturally and put them on a cleaned bass.
I don't play with dirty hands and don't sweat much but the only things that touch my strings is me...
They go off soon enough.

Edited November 23, 2015 by JTUK

[sunburstjazz1967]

I am still using the ones that came with my Encore Jazz bass from Argos in 1992 they sound fine but I only gig once a month maybe less, I did not think people changed them unless they broke them?!

[Dad3353]

If I want 'twang' I'll use a guitar. My 'go to' bass has Rotosound Tru-Bass 88's, black tape-wound strings that last forever. The sixer fretless has D'Addario round-wounds on; the same set for the last few years. No 'twang' here; move along there, please.

[itsmedunc]

Mostly use Elites and used to change them every rehearsal just before a gig. We used to play quite often then. I dont play as much now and just don't change them as my reference in sound seems to have changed. If they were totally dead I'd restring. If I broke one I would change the set. In skinter days, I'd boil them in a pan of water. Seemed to work well at the time.

[Davo-London]

I use DR Sunbeams and find that after 2 week the strings are perfect. Enough zing and plenty of body. This tone lass for about 3-6 months in my view - very gradually getting duller.

Davo

[anaxcrosswords]

Suppose it also depends on your preferred gauge. I’ve always gone for 40-95 or 40-105 if the lighter ones aren’t in stock, so from the outset I’m after good twang. Just moved from Rotosound to an Ernie Ball set (never tried them before) and they seem OK after 4 or 5 hours of practice, although the A string seems to have a far livelier tone than the other three. Thankfully I’m bandless so the expense is rare.

Just out of interest re boiling strings; I was once told you could only do it once as it weakened the strings – is that an old wives’ tale?

[ubit]

I've boiled them twice before. Never noticed them becoming weaker but they don't seem to brighten as much after the first cleaning. It's amazing how much gunk comes out when you boil them !

[Ghost_Bass]

A lot of people will say i'm mad for doing this, but it works.

I don't boil strings or use alcohol, tried it and the results weren't as good as this: I spray the strings with grease remover (the ones your mother/wife uses on the stove) and leave it to act for 10 min. Then i wash the strings with soap and water and use a scrub/sponge a couple of times on it. Dry them very carefully and they're new again for two or three more weeks.

I've done this a few times when i find myself without a fresh set of strings to go on the bass and a new set won't arrive in time for an upcoming gig. It works but you need to be a bit carefull and use rubber gloves because the product is corrosive if you leave on your skin for some time. This is the product:

Edited November 25, 2015 by Ghost_Bass

[casapete]

As previous post, I've found most of the branded roundwound strings I've tried over the years quickly lose their
initial twang after 1 - 2 gigs, then stay the same for maybe a dozen more after which they become dead
which is when I replace them. I'm not a very sweaty handed player, so this of course may be different for
those who are?! Might try the boiling thing soon just out of curiosity.

[Phil Starr]

[quote name='mr zed' timestamp='1448276966' post='2914036']
I seem to recall a string manufacturer (Dean Markley?) Cryogenically treating bass strings. Did anyone try them & if so did this process help to keep the twang for longer?
[/quote]
Yep their Blue Steels. They certainly last much better than Roto's without that initial zing, which I don't like much anyway. I'm running a set of these at the moment on a Jazz against some Elixirs on my P. I preferred the sound of the Blue Steels at first though the sound is similar to the Elixirs. I'd say the Elixirs are sounding a little better now after 6 months so the BS's must be degrading a little.

I love the sound of month old Roto 66's but found I needed to change them after 3 months when they ent dead, I reckon year old Dean Markley BS's sounded better than three month old Roto's if that helps, so worth the extra cost IMO.

[Behlmene]

I generally change my strings when I have trouble keeping them in tune. I go about a month or so. I've never tried boiling or a cleaning solution. I just lay down the 20 bucks for a new set (GHS).