Do any of the string maintainer products (Fast Fret etc) actually work?

[Jack]

I'm not normally that bothered about keeping my strings amazingly-super-bright but I have always wiped down after playing with Fast Fret. I kind of feel like it does something, but maybe it's just placebo. However recently a few things have happened all at once which has got me really thinking about the life extender type products. Firstly, I've joined a pop punk band and need the brightness. Secondly, strings are ridiculously expensive nowadays. Thirdly I've sort of hit a concentration of needing new strings. It's like this year when the 5 year and the 7 year cicadas will line up, several of my basses would all benefit from new strings at the moment, to an investment of around £120. It's be nice to keep them lasting as long as possible.

 

I have used Fast Fret, Dunlop XLR8 (that felt useless) and more recently the Dr Duck's Ax Wax, which I kind of feel like it does something. Anybody else swear by anything that I might want to check out?

[Lozz196]

I play punk & rock so similarly need that brightness on the top end and found the best thing for me is Elixir steel rounds. I get about a year from a set before the brightness fades. 

[BigRedX]

IME it completely depends on what's in your sweat and how much of it you leave on your strings (and the rest of the instrument).

 

I'm seem to be lucky in that my sweat is fairly innocuous and TBH the Fast Fret applicator added more crap to the bass guitar strings than it appeared to remove.

 

OtOH I used to play with a guitarist whose sweat was so corrosive that he would have to give the whole guitar a thorough clean immediately after the gig otherwise not only did the strings rot away but so did all the other metal parts of the instrument.

[Lozz196]

Sounds like something from the Alien films!

[skidder652003]

Elixir strings are your friend..

[dudewheresmybass]

I use fast fret regularly (and have done for many years) once my strings are over around a year old to maintain the snap and sparkle.

Makes a real difference to me

[Reggaebass]

What is this brightness you speak of 😁

[EliasMooseblaster]

Personally I find that they're quite useful for getting making the strings a bit slicker, and easier to glide over. Judging by the dust on my pickguards under my usual right-hand position, I'm leaving a lot of shredded fingertip on and around the strings! So whilst the audible difference is a bit on the subtle side*, I can definitely feel a difference.

 

*I have also noticed it's more audible on acoustic instruments than electric (like so many of these things...)

[ahpook]

I used Fast Fret for a year or two about 30 years ago.

 

Apart from making the strings slippy I didn't feel it added much sonically to my set-up.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Fast Fret is just mineral oil with added scent — the same as lemon oil. I wipe my strings down with mineral oil (& then wipe off) to keep them clean.

[BigRedX]

On 08/03/2024 at 12:44, Lozz196 said:

Sounds like something from the Alien films!

 

This is a Yamaha Super-Strat that I used to own and let him use for a few gigs.

 

 

Despite the fact that the guitar was thoroughly wiped down after each playing session this was the result after a month or so of him playing it with all the rusting and pitting of the black finish to the metal parts caused by the reaction of the metalwork to his sweat.

[Lozz196]

Def one of HR Gigers aliens, with acid for blood. You could rent him out to Fenders Road Worn department for legit and completely individual wear on their instruments.

[Jack]

So it looks as though they're not held in too high regard! Mostly mineral oil with some snake oil? 

[MrDinsdale]

When I’ve tried it I haven’t really notice a change either way in longevity of the strings. The one positive was that it made fresh DR strings bunch less abrasive and sliding easier. I don’t really bother with it but have some in a drawer somewhere. 

[StingRayBoy42]

I like Elixirs - used them a while ago and they do seem to stay 'new' for ages.

I've got a set to put on my 5 as I want a brighter sound for that band.

Elixir reccomend *not* using any cleaning products on their strings, just wipe with a dry cloth.

https://www.elixirstrings.com/support/elixir-strings-faq?v=Products


I use the Dunlop string cleaner on my EB Cobalts and DTFs at the mo - can't hurt, can it?

[Maude]

I use it to make my strings a bit slicker. "Get down with the slickness.... Oooh waa a a aah!" 

I'll even use it on my plucking fingers as it's less nasty than the famed nose grease. 

 

 

[Jack]

3 hours ago, Maude said:

I use it to make my strings a bit slicker. "Get down with the slickness.... Oooh waa a a aah!" 

I'll even use it on my plucking fingers as it's less nasty than the famed nose grease. 

 

 

Both of those sentences make me want to go "urgh, urgh". 

Edited March 13 by Jack