Yesterday I tried to boil my old set of strings using advice from talkbass. I guess I left them in too long, because when I took them out, they were a bit rusty! And, they still weren't clean. However, I found a pretty good method of cleaning them. Here is the recipe:
1 bottle (a jar is better)
rubbing alcohol
water
"Comet" cleaner
"Lemon Suds" pan cleaner
"Power Powder" stainless steel cleaner
shake vigorously for a couple minutes
bake in the oven at 300degrees F for 10 minutes

That's it! The strings are clean and bright again! I should note that I don't intend on replacing the flatwounds that I'm using now with the old Ibanez roundwounds, but if anyone wants to know a good method for string cleaning, just remember: "shaken, not boiled"

Dave

Dude! Where did you come up with that concoction?

I'd be afraid that it would explode or generate some type of poisonous gas!

Originally posted by ONYX
Dude! Where did you come up with that concoction?

I'd be afraid that it would explode or generate some type of poisonous gas!


That would explain the colorful animals I'm seeing!

Actually, when I was mixing the stuff in the bottle, it heated up a little bit. It's an exothermic reaction, but not explosive.

I got the recipe from Martha Stewart from her special on bass string cleaning and floral desiging.

Dave

By the way, it did release a poisonous gas! That would be chlorine. The chlorine is in Comet and I would bet that the stainless steel cleaner was the catalyst.

You might also be interested in knowing that chlorine can be deadly to stainless steel if left in contact with the metal for a long period of time. It literally eats stainless of certain alloys. You might have noticed this sometime on flatware that has little pits in it. That's from the chlorine.

Hey Hambone, it's good to know that at least one of us payed attention in chemistry!! LOL.

But you're right. Chlorine gas is pretty bad news. I think I'd rather just plunk down 20 bucks and buy new strings.:)

I just put mine in the dishwasher when they start getting dull. This really brightens them up for a couple weeks after which I discard them.

Originally posted by Hambone
By the way, it did release a poisonous gas! That would be chlorine. The chlorine is in Comet and I would bet that the stainless steel cleaner was the catalyst.

You might also be interested in knowing that chlorine can be deadly to stainless steel if left in contact with the metal for a long period of time. It literally eats stainless of certain alloys. You might have noticed this sometime on flatware that has little pits in it. That's from the chlorine.

Well, that's interesting! I should have looked at the labels before mixing. The stainless steel cleaner doesn't list the ingredients, but Comet says it contains bleach. The other ingredients say right on the container "do not mix with anything other than water". Oh well. I'd be surprised if I created chlorine gas though. I know mixing bleach with ammonia will create chlorine gas, but I'm not sure about bleach and alcohol and the other things.

Thanks for the advice; next time I'll make a less toxic mixture. I never liked chemistry - I'm a physics guy!

Dave

You boiled your strings and they rusted?? Thats very weird, man, did you leave them overnight or something?

You should only boil them for a few minutes, and them dry them thoroughly before putting them back on your bass.

Anyway, i'm glad you are still alive and didn't die from chorine poisoning :).

Use a little (maybe an ounce) white vinegar with the water when boiling strings...
I have found that it works marvelous..
It's the acidity in the vinegar that helps the strings get cleaner..
Also, for standard cleaning use a WD-40 dampened towel. (be careful to NOT touch the body, neck or fingerboard with WD-40)
WD-40 is a Rust stoping/protective oil.

Originally posted by lfabara
Also, for standard cleaning use a WD-40 dampened towel. (be careful to NOT touch the body, neck or fingerboard with WD-40)
WD-40 is a Rust stoping/protective oil.

It's also an effective blowtorch. :)
For now, I don't worry about cleaning my flatwound strings because I like their dead sound.

Dave

I just soak my strings in a small pail of methyl hydrate for a few hours. You don't need to do anything but leave them in there for a little while and the strings clean up really well. It's really cheap too (at your local hardware store).

As someone mentioned before, methyl hydrate is quite flammable, but since you don't need to apply heat, you should have no problems as long as you follow good sense precautions. In other words, keep the stuff away from heat or open flame.

I've heard that people have good experience with cleaner for third teeth (denture)- no joke.
I didn't try this yet, I'm always boiling the strings for a couple of minutes with wash up liquid. Then I rinse them and dry them with a towel.
But I do this only once with each set and don't use it too long after this, because it's not only the dirt wich influences the sound, it's also fatigue!

Matthias


[Edited by Matthias on 09-05-2000 at 05:27 AM]

I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys live in Hickville, USA, and have to be resourceful when you can't make the two hour drive to a real city with a real music store, or you're just ******. If you're just starting out, but a $20 set of Fender bass strings, and in six weeks when then start getting dull, TRASH THEM and put on a new set. If you're serious about bass playing, spend the $40 on the best strings on the market, Elixirs, and when they start getting dull after three months, TRASH THEM. Then, take the time you shared between your kitchen and the internet finding the right concoction to boil your bass in, and spend that time actually learning how to play.

[Edited by Big Wheel on 09-17-2000 at 03:14 PM]

I guess some people just don't appreciate gourmet bass string recipies.

:rolleyes:

Dave

I agree that using (boiling) water is bull...
But I clean my strings with a solvent(?), e.g. nitro thinner(?) which is great for getting sweat, dirt and skin fat off...I play my strings up to 12 months (unless recording or important gigs require new strings) and am always able to get serious (pre-Fender)Stu Hamm/Vic Wooten-like high-end with very well-balanced overall sound...

[Edited by JMX on 09-17-2000 at 01:36 PM]

Originally posted by Bass Guru
I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys live in Hickville, USA, and have to be resourceful when you can't make the two hour drive to a real city with a real music store, or you're just ******. If you're just starting out, buy a $20 set of Fender bass strings, and in six weeks when then start getting dull, TRASH THEM and put on a new set. If you're serious about bass playing, spend the $40 on the best strings on the market, Elixirs, and when they start getting dull after three months, TRASH THEM. Then, take the time you shared between your kitchen and the internet finding the right concoction to boil your bass in, and spend that time actually learning how to play.

Bass Guru:

First of all, I'd like to welcome you to TalkBass. It is always good to see new members who bring a new perspective on playing the electric bass; HOWEVER,

Name calling of any kind is not alowed or tolerable under any circumstances. This is a place where people communicate and many fine friendships have begun. Of course, being the new member that you are, you are not aware of the social dynamics of this newsgroup, but believe me, if you want your opinions to be respected and your posts to be answered in a way that is helpful, I suggest you learn to disagree respectfully.

One more thing, Please fill your profile.

Will C.:cool:

In respect to BassGuru's comment.
There are some people that do not have lots of money to spend so much in strings.And people like me that do not live in Hicksville, but in ECUADOR, South America. Here we DO have Bass Strings, not many brands(About 3) but the price is High, (Say,, $34 for a Smith Burner set) so I have to manage with them for some time.
Actually I think its not "stupid" to boil strings, but "Smart", "inventive", "wyse", whatever, You get more time playing, for the same dough.

If I want a good set of strings I would have to:
Pay $24 for a GHS Boomers Set at Marsmusic.
Pay $2 for taxes
Pay $8 for shipping
Pay $10 for shipping to Ecuador from miami
that makes $44 for a set.
So... DO I HAVE TO PAY THAT EVERY TWO MONTHS because you THINK that Boiling is STUPID???

I dont think So.

Boiling water destroys the strings!!!

Use a solvent (nitro thinner(?), turpentine or sth like it) - you don't need to heat it and it really does the job without ruining your strings.

[Edited by JMX on 09-19-2000 at 08:38 AM]

Stainless get ruined/stained by Boiling too long.
Nickelplated/Nickel just get a good bath, like any woman may enjoy.
:)

About the Turpentine stuff..
You still have fingertips?? I use to work with turpentine, paint remover and stuff like that.
But using turpentine in your strings... please.. Wanna kill your hands and fretboard?

No probs yet! Of course you have to rub them dry! Always carry your towel with you, like a good hitchhiker :D

And my ebony fretboard is still in mint condition!

[Edited by JMX on 09-19-2000 at 02:27 PM]

To JMX: What's up!!! Interesting recipes!!

To Ifabara: I can relate,when money is tight or scarce I have to resort to boiling.However,I've never heard of strings rusting after boiling...hmmm...interesting.I like to boil the strings for ten minutes,then pour them into a strainer to cool off and then hang dry them for a couple hours and wipe them down with a clean clothe soaked with a little bit of rubbing alcohol.They'll last for weeks,until I can replace them with a fresh set.

Eddie van Halen used to do that and he certainly is not Stupid!!!

To Bass Guru:If you are Guru,please show it in humility and consideration, no hard feelings.

"Can't we all just get along?"
Rodney king

Eddie Van Halen??
Man!! I "think" he is a guitar player..
And , I would NEVER EVER In the world boil guitar strings.
Now, that's what I call being Nuts!!
heheh
:D

Hey, Willie :)

I think you can leave everything out except the alcohol part - put the strings in it for 10 min to an hour. Any similar solvent should do the trick - I just don't know their English names ;)

Wait, so do you guys that only use solvents take the strings off your bass and soak them in a solvent, or do you leave your strings on the bass and wipe them down with a cloth soaked in solvent? With either way, how do you make sure you aren't going to get any solvent on the fretboard?

@ Phat Ham: I take the strings of and put them in a jar filled with solvent. Just make sure to rub them dry with a towel afterwards.

Methyl Hydrate is a very good option. It's quite clean and easy to use. It mostly evaporates quite quickly after removing them from the liquid but just wipe them off to finish it. It's only about $2 or $3 a litre at the local hardware store and you can clean many sets of strings with one bottle.

To ifabara: Yup!!!Eddie Van Halen is a guitarist and yes What musician isn't somewhat nuts? I tried it and it somehow works for me.That's the cool thing about this site ,everyone has some advice that is helpful.I've learned alot in the short time I've participated on this site.
To jmx: Okay,maybe I should leave out the alcohol.Hmmmm...Where have I heard that before?Just kidding, I prefer Kool aid.

Methyl Hidrate seems like a very good option.
I will try it.

Like Ifabara, I lived in South America. Bass players there often boiled their strings because sets were so expensive, as was any bass equipment. Not only that, the choice of strings, brans, guages, etc was limited.

However, the bassists told me that once boiled, strings tend to break much more easily and also that it is not very useful to boil strings more than once.

One bassist told me that if strings must be boiled, they should be boiled in a glass pan and not metal. I am not sure why he felt this to be so.

Thank heaven, I was lucky enough to afford bass strings whenever I wanted and bought a bunch everytime I went to the U.S. I always gave my used ones to other bass players and they were happy to have my castoffs.

I want to say this for musicians of the Third World. They persevere with tremendous handicaps, improvising ways to repair their instruments and keep them working. They sacrifice a great deal to be musicians and to learn to play.
There were students at my music school who enrolled with NO instrument and tried to learn just by borrowing the basses of others in the class who were lucky enough to have one. Another common thing was to see drummers play with sticks that were chewed up so badly, they were almost broken through.

That's why I HATE to see American and English rockers who destroy their basses and guitars at the end of a concert. It seems like such a terrible waste when there are so many musicians in Latin America, Africa and Asia who are longing for instruments they can never afford. It would be so much better if these rockers just threw their guitars and basses into the audience fully intact, so someone could use them and enjoy them.

I guess that is my little rant. North American musicians are so lucky and stores like Mars and Guitar Centers are paradises on Earth that Third World musicians can only dream of.

Jason Oldsted

I second Jason Oldsted's Opinion, many musicicians here have to "boil their own t-shirts to have something to eat"

I live in Ecuador, thankfully I happen to have a good job and wealthy parents, but things are still scarcier and more expensive than in the U.S.
Every piece of gear I have is because I imported it from the US.

Anyway, I boil strings Only ONCE, never more.

With methyl hydrate I seem to be able to soak them several times with good results actually. I remember when I was much younger I used to boil strings, and it seems to me that that's around the last time I ever broke a string.

Originally posted by Spike
I just put mine in the dishwasher when they start getting dull. This really brightens them up for a couple weeks after which I discard them.

I tried that but I couldn't get the door closed, I suppose I should have taken the strings off the bass first LOL

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!

Boiling (or whatever) your strings is OK if you really need to do it. Just remember that all strings get flat spots where they contact the frets and they bend at the nut and bridge. When you remove them and put them back on they won't sit at the same exact position that they did before you took them off. The strings are weaker and could break when you least expect it. It happened to me.

As far as cleaning strings, I wipe mine down after a gig or practice session using a terry cloth with a little windex on it. It works fine keeping sweat and crud off. I change strings on both of my basses every 8 weeks.

I tried boiling once when I was broke. It didn't brighten the tone at all. (there was an incredible amount of dirt and oil in the water, though.) After reading this thread I tried a solvent on some old strings and put them back on my beater bass just for kicks. It didn't do anything either. I used Methyl Propyl Ketone. (Not for home use!) It did remove a lot of dirt, etc. But it didn't brighten the tone. I think the hardness or elasticity of the string has more to do with the tone than the dirt in it. I definitely understand why people would do this, though. Once you got life in your tone you can't go back. Tone is addictive, like a drug. (Some of your string cleaning recipes sound like they could make a drug of some sort.) And there is no cure for the hunger...It constantly burns inside. Woe is us bass players.

Originally posted by CROZ
Once you got life in your tone you can't go back. Tone is addictive, like a drug. (Some of your string cleaning recipes sound like they could make a drug of some sort.) And there is no cure for the hunger...It constantly burns inside. Woe is us bass players.

It's interesting to see everyone's comments about string cleaning. Even though I started the topic and came up with that silly recipe, I haven't even used the strings that I cleaned since I tested them. I personally don't like a bright sound most of the time, which is why I use flatwounds (and I don't clean them either). The only reason I cleaned the old strings was that I was bored. :)
Oh well, everyone's got an opinion when it comes to tone. Thanks for responding.

Dave

To Jason Oldsted and Ifabara:
I can relate to what you're saying.I was originally born in the Philippine Islands.I know from my parents what it means to make ends meet.I couldn't possibly trash my valuable instruments.Even when I had a string endorsement,I still recycled my used strings.I must admit,as a citizen of this country,I am somewhat spoiled.Your letters remind me and convict me of how wasteful the west can be.

This has never made sense to me. You spend $1,000 for an axe, $2000 or so for a rig (or whatever you spent) and then won't spend $20 for a set of strings?

Originally posted by Turock
This has never made sense to me. You spend $1,000 for an axe, $2000 or so for a rig (or whatever you spent) and then won't spend $20 for a set of strings?
This is for people who don't have the money to buy a nice rig or amp. What if it actually worked? Don't you like to save money? I do...

>This is for people who don't have the money to buy a nice rig or amp.


These people would probably benefit most from a set of good sounding, dent free strings.


>What if it actually worked? Don't you like to save money?


I would consider doing this (boiling strings)if strings were unavailable (as some have mentioned), but I would not do it just to save a few bucks.

To Turock: I guess you misunderstand me.When I HAVE the money I do change my strings.Also,I don't mind spending money on a nice rig,however,after doing so, I am financially strapped.I'm just greatful that I do have access to numerous music stores and access to fast viable information,such as this site.
I do care about my tone and what not,but if cash is low,I do what I have to do.Hey,whatever works for you is fine with me.

"It goes to 11"
Nigel Tufnul

>but if cash is low,I do what I have to do.

I can't argue with that. Take care dude.

Originally posted by lfabara
Use a little (maybe an ounce) white vinegar with the water when boiling strings...
I have found that it works marvelous..
It's the acidity in the vinegar that helps the strings get cleaner..
Also, for standard cleaning use a WD-40 dampened towel. (be careful to NOT touch the body, neck or fingerboard with WD-40)
WD-40 is a Rust stoping/protective oil.
I once tried the vinegar approach, but found that it stank the house out. Now I use a squirt of Jif Lemon (not the cleaner, the stuff you put on pancakes), as this too has a high acid content. It really does the same job as commercially available guitar neck Lemon Oil cleaner.

I can only repeat: Don't use water!
Pure alcohol or some other solvent is the way to go IMO.

I allways thought boiling was an old wives tale.
But I've got an audition tonight, I'm totally broke until Wednesday, I've got just enough petrol to get there and back and I've found $2.50 in the lounge for the bridge toll. I'm set, except my two month old stings (5) are totally dead.I can hardley hear the B string.
So I thought carn't hurt, anything would sound better than thud thud. Bolied them for 20 minutes. Noticed a small ring of greasey scum around the water line. Put them back on and wow! they sound nearly new, I'm very plesantly surprised. So now I'm of to the audition with a better sound and feeling alot more confident, win win. So boiling worked!
I can see how it wouldn't work if there was too much muck and vinigar would help alot. Maybe it's like don't knock it you haven't tried it. Or maybe it's mainly string sellers who say it dosen't work.
How long dose the boiled effect last and dose it only work once? Thank you

hey everyone i have a question .i heard from a guitarist that you can boil bass strings in water to rejoovinate them . if you can how long should i boil them ?any help will be greatly appreciated

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't do it!

Use a solvent like alcohol or turpentine (NOT HEATED!!!!!) to clean strings. It's mostly the body fat and sweat that has to be removed, and those do it really effectively.
Use a glass jar and put the string in ther with the solvent over night. Don't forget to close it tight.

I use my strings for 9-12 months and get Wooten/Hamm-like sound from them - nobody ever noticed I use old strings.

Boiling water gives a short burst of rejuvenation, but then they're REALLY DEAD.

1. the water gets into all the little gaps and causes corrosion.
2. The thermal stress of the boiling water makes 1. even more damaging.

I second. Boiling is bad. I have used parts cleaner (like the stuff that you wash carborators in) to soak them. It works well also. Although a non petroleum-based substance like alcohol will dry much faster.

My prefered method is to use less expensive strings and change them fairly often.

Chas

I am so sick of hearing about this ridiculous concept. Just get new strings for gawd sake!!! Jeesh!!!!

"just get new strings"..........what at £25 a set for my 5! Aint made of money, I'll try anything to keep 'em fresh!

thanks guys ill try terpintine .
and im with KCM string are to expensive thats why i asked

Someone on here posted a few months ago, about using denaturized alcohol and pvc pipe. He said to cut the pvc pipe to string length, cap it off and put the strings in the pipe with the denaturized alcohol. I tried this and it worked pretty good. :D

I prefer to just buy new strings though, they still sound better imo.

Hmmmm....
I have a theory on this.
Heat destroys magnetism - right?
I guess this is all that is happening when you boil strings.
I would think that over a period of time strings will become magnetised due to their proximity to the pickups.
I can't see that dirt etc would have much effect on the sound quality.

Hmmm... if boiling is bad for strings, then who started this technique? I read about it years ago though I have never done it.

If you use turpentine, do you then wash it water afterwards? Turpentine is oily you wouldn't want the strings to smell of turpentine too. I am interested in extending the longevity of my strings too. Thanks.

Just wipe it dry with a towel.
It evaporates quickly anyway.

Thanks, JMX. Much appreciated. I will try this in a a month or so.

I just tried the suggestion that some one made a while back to use Denatured Alcohol (The kind you get in the paint section at Home Depot). Get a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe and cement an endcap on one end. Next hold one of your string next to the pipe and mark the pipe right below the wrapping. Cut the pipe to length. Drop your strings in and fill with the denatured alcohol and stand the pipe in a corner. Let em soak for a couple of hours or overnight. Take em out and wipe them off. The excess alcohol and smell will go away in a few minutes. You can pour the alcohol back in the can to reuse. This works great and can repeated as often as needed. The strings will sound like new and this lasts alot longer than boiling them (Which I did for years). For me this isn't a matter of being cheap it's a matter of need as my skin has alot of acid in it and I can kill a new set of strings in a 4 hour gig.
:D Give this a try it works

PLEASE DONT USE SOLVENTS LIKE TURPENTINE OR CARBURETOR CLEANER!!!!. i am very familiar with these products and they will leave an petroleum residue on the strings. i dont think that needs to be near a bass or your fingers. i would recommend simple alcohol or a product called brake cleaner, (available at auto parts stores)

stevie ray vaughan did it. that he isnt a bassist is beside the point.

I heard that you should do it with new strings to keep them from going out of tune when you first put them on the bass. Either way, I dont think i'm gonna try it, with all the negative feedback on this..

I change strings when they break, not when they sound vaguely off. Nuts to rejuvenation.

Paul.. yes heat does destroy magnets.... but strings are not magnets..... they only induce a current in magnetic pickups when they vibrate. if you were to boil your Pickups... there would most likely be a problem, as they contain magnets... but in the magnetic field respect.. boiling is okay.... as far as thermal stress and corrosion... im sure that's true.

Can you use rubbing alcohol?

Rubbing alcohol isn't much better than water...it's mostly water anyway, with a small amount of alcohol.

Don't use rubbing alcohol. It has too much water content. Use the denatured kind.

What I recommend is to bring the strings to a rolling boil, let simmer for about 10 minutes, then add a dash of oregano, a sprinkle of salt and a pinch of pepper. Stir slowly and mix in a quarter cup milk. Simmer for another 10 minutes, then let cool. Serves 4.

I just tried the suggestion that some one made a while back to use Denatured Alcohol (The kind you get in the paint section at Home Depot). Get a piece of 3/4" PVC pipe and cement an endcap on one end. Next hold one of your string next to the pipe and mark the pipe right below the wrapping. Cut the pipe to length. Drop your strings in and fill with the denatured alcohol and stand the pipe in a corner. Let em soak for a couple of hours or overnight. Take em out and wipe them off

This is exactly what I do but I only leave it for about an hour, and it works amazingly well :) I now do it every week to keep my strings zingy and fresh. the smell is quite bad and I was initially woried but once I took the strings out of the tube (34 inchs :) ) they dried so quickly I couldn't even wipe them. Much better than boilling.

Matt

Believe it or not, I've used gas line anti freeze ( methyl alcohol, I think )with much success! First, wipe the strings with a cloth dipped in the antifreeze, then let them soak over night, fully immersed in the antifreeze, in a sealed container. In the morning ( well, afternoon for most of us ) take them out and wipe them dry with a clean cloth.......takes every bit o' chicken grease out of 'em!!!:D

i boiled my old strings to test it out they broke soon after and also sounded bad. im going to soak them in turpentines soon, i just wanna hear someone say "i soaked my strings in turpentines over night and they came out sweet as"

cool, see you;s later

Man.... just get some new strings already... they don't cost that much !

FYI, I have tried boiling them (about 5 years ago), and it did nothing but make them warm and wet ! My girl, maybe... my strings, NO !;)

Don't boil your string!!! Use Denatured Alcohol not anti freeze or turnpintine for God's sake those things are toxic. As far as just buying a set of new strings instead, I happen to be cursed with very very acidic sweat that will absolute kill a new set of string on a 4 hour gig. I mean totally dead! Some times I'll get 2 gigs out of a set but that's pushing it. So that can get pretty expensive with a half dozen or so sets a month x2 basses. I have tried Elixirs but haven't used them enough yet to make a judgement call on these. I have tried powders, an Alum block and even resorted to wearing drummers gloves ( What the hell it was back in the 80's ;) )

Mine point was that this method works, is reusable as many times as needed until the strings are physically shot, is very cheap. And it evaporates from the strings when you take them out of their bath. :D

Okay, okay..... so this alcohol-PVC pipe thing.......do you put a lid on it while the strings are soaking? It seems to me it would evaporate otherwise........I'm curious.....

You only need to leave the strings in the denatured alcohol for a few hours...not really long enough for much to evaporate. I have stuffed some wadded tissue in the top of the pipe, though, around the strings sticking out of the top.

I've boiled 'em. I wouldn't do it again, though. For a start it ruins the silk (or whatever) wrappings. They look a dreadful mess after boiling.

The string brightness is certainly improved, however, but it doesn't last that long. I'm a casual player and do not gig so that aspect isn't that important.

For regular players I really can't see boiling being of value.

But I do throw my hat in with the guys who can't afford to be buying strings regularly. I really don't think that they're so expensive, but if you can't afford them, then you can't. And I can't!

RJ

Originally posted by Rockin John
I've boiled 'em. I wouldn't do it again, though. For a start it ruins the silk (or whatever) wrappings. They look a dreadful mess after boiling.


yeah, the string windings on single ball end strings fall apart as well after a while but the double ball end set of Rotosound Swing bass on my Hohner B2A, which never had silk endings at all, is over a year old now- still soaking them in white spirit and boiling them after every gig.

there's a lot of wear marks on the undersides of the strings, but the intonation still seems okay.

The damage to the string windings is exactly the point of using the PVC pipe/alcohol method. You only fill the pipe to the level just short of where the windings start...they never get soaked.

Originally posted by mchildree

The damage to the string windings is exactly the point of using the PVC pipe/alcohol method. You only fill the pipe to the level just short of where the windings start...they never get soaked. Originally posted by


That's why I made my pipe 34 inches long :) A question though, how do you seal the end of the pipe? - the denatured alc dissolves the tape I used.


Matt

wadded tissue works

Originally posted by mchildree
The damage to the string windings is exactly the point of using the PVC pipe/alcohol method. You only fill the pipe to the level just short of where the windings start...they never get soaked.

I coil my strings up and put them in a bucket of white spirit, with the silk ends protruding above.
I boil them like this too.

removing the strings (especially on thru-body stringing basses) probably causes the most damage to the windings at the end.

Here's an article I'm just passing along...

Regarding the recurring postings about the merits of boiling old strings. I know more about boiled springs then I am comfortable admitting. And I paid a heavy price for this experience.

Almost 10 years ago, while completing graduate work in metallurgy at the Francke Institute of Applied Physics in Berne, Switzerland, I conducted a weighted analysis of new and used guitar strings. I had modest funding from a major off-shore string manufacturer (you know the company). This was during the height of the boiled-string debate, and the manufacturer was concerned the practice might cut into sales. In short, my corporate benefactor wanted information showing that boiling old strings was a bad idea -- tonally, financially and in any way that I could prove.

I was supplied with thousands of complete sets of old strings, every gauge, flatwound, roundwound, steel, phosphur, nickel, nylon and even European cat gut (which I eliminated from analysis).

Using neutron mass spectrographic analysis and companion laser spectrography, I came to three quick learnings about old strings:
1) Used strings are tonally dead exactly where you would expect them to be:
where strings cross frets most commonly played (frets one through five across the high e, b and g strings).
2) Surprisingly, used strings weighed more than new strings, even though strings had lost metallic mass as a function of friction caused by finger-play
against fret and fret board. The extra weight came from finger grime and oxidation.
3) Boil-cleansing used strings removed the accumulated weight but did not restore tonal function. Old strings remained dead because of wear in place and the stretching experienced by strings, resulting in reduced vibratory mass and diminished tonal and harmonic function.

I reported my findings back to the string company, which intended to use the data as needed if string-boiling ever became a serious threat to new string
sales.

I should have stopped there, but did not. Without further funding, I continued my research into guitar string dynamics. I had a hunch that old strings could be restored to good use, and I had to pursue it.

The key lay in molecular electrolysis. I did tests -- late at night, without permission, using some of the finest metallurgical equipment then available in
Berne. With my massive stockpile of old strings, I developed a methodology of "flash electrolytic replenishment," or FER, as I called it.

The secret lay in the consequences of string stretching: Strings lost mass in critical areas because of stretching, but stretched areas were hungry, in a metallurgic sense, for electrolytic replenishment at the site of string surface
abrasion. In other words, you could put more metal back into a stretched string surface than was lost from finger wear.

The technique was tricky, but it worked, and in time, I developed a zero-cost, kitchen-table technology for the home user. All you need is a gas range, a pot and common household chemicals like Bartender's Friend, the ubiquitous cookware
scouring cleanser. A few other chemicals are needed too, but the whole mash is safe, legal and acquired in the soaps and bleaches aisle of any supermarket.

The result: Home-replated strings that sound better even time you clean them.
Every time. You pull the strings off the guitar, you treat them for 10 minutes at home, you put them back on, and the strings will sing better than before. Metallic mass restored, and the strings acquire an almost liquid capacity to stretch without losing tonal function. Over and over again, virtually without cost.

Excited, I contacted the string company, stupidly thinking they might want the technology. I fancied myself getting rich from the research. How wrong I was!

The string company demanded my data, saying it was owed under terms of the grant. This worried me, but I complied. Then, the trouble started.

I was called before a university doctoral review board. This Swiss star court accused me of misusing Institute equipment for private gain. This was a bogus charge, and they knew it. i explained the grant, and said the research project
was approved by the Institute.

A dean looked down at his shoes and said: We have no record of a grant.

I was thrown out of school midway through my doctorate in metallurgy. Swiss authorities called me in and threatened me with prosecution. It was a hint, and I left the country.

That was pretty much it for me. I knocked around the southern United States for the last 10 years, picking up after-hours metallurgy jobs for companies that don't like being asked a lot of questions about their business. I don't stay to
long in any one place, because when I do, it seems my mail started getting messed with, and my phone service gets all clicky and weird.

Sometimes I take jobs in mom-and-pop music stores, sweeping up a bit and doing free set-ups on student guitars. It ain't much of a life, but some of those cheap student guitars sure sound sweet when I get done with them.

LMAO :D

I boiled my strings once. Two of them broke when I put them back on.

The next set, I had for fourteen months. I cleaned them every few weeks using the PVC pipe/denatured ethanol method (I came up with the same solution independently) and it worked perfectly. The high G eventually broke because of all the times I loosened and then tightened it. The strings still sounded fine.

The only difference is that now I sit the strings in cold water with some washing machine powder and go over them with an old toothbrush.

Originally posted by grooveguru
For me this isn't a matter of being cheap it's a matter of need as my skin has alot of acid in it and I can kill a new set of strings in a 4 hour gig.
:D Give this a try it works

Anouther endorsment from a fellow Very-Acidic-Persperation brother. :D Hell, untill I stumbled on this method here on TB I was really prepared to just give up and play flatwounds, thereby sacrificing my oh-so-wonderful bright, singing, stringy sound.

there is a product called "dr. stringfellow" it works great! and smells better than the oregano! I first heard of boiling strings from Ed Van Halen,he used to do it before he got rich,Ive tried it and could not tell much difference,but the "string fellow" stuff does good ,you can use it often without taking the strings off,just loosen them up,spray some on a rag and clean em up,it's best to start with a new set because once they get real bad dirty it's hard to clean em.

I tried boiling my strings and agree with what most people have said.

If you need bright strings, for like one tune, then sure, but beware it weakens the strings, and THEY BREAK!

What happens is the water gets in to the woudn string, and sits there and rusts the string, then, you play it, put some force on and bamn, it snaps. That's no good eh?

It's worth wiping them down after playing a lot, even if you just rub your shirt sleeve over them, this will prolong string life enourmously.

People who are complaining about string prices try places like ebay (batches of 5 or ten sets of decent strings go for a snip, if you're lucky) and cheap online stores, who do them with very low overheads.

Personnaly I prefer old strings, brightness? Pah, I'm playing bass for christs sake!

no doubt! i get sad when i break a string because i've spent lots of time getting that string to sound good! for some reason DR's have this broken-in sound that is the best sounding bass tone in the whole world.



jason

I used to boil my strings in vinegar because I'd heard it would do the best job of restoring them. How wrong I was. All I succeeded in doing was getting strange from my girlfriend and family and making my strings and bass smell interesting.

If you really think that soaking your strings in alcohol, etc... will make enough of a difference, then be my guest, but I say that prevention is the best form of cure. Wipe your strings down with a cloth whenever possible. If you're rehearsing, give 'em a quick wipe down after each song. If you play a gig, give the strings a quick spray of string glide or something similar and wipe them down before the bass goes back in its case.

I find boiling strings a useless practice,

How thick do you need said PVC pipe

3/4"

What do you guys use to keep the cap from leaking?

well, back in the day when i used roundwounds, i sometimes boiled the strings for about 5 minutes. But now i use flatwounds, Plus i like the sound of dead strings. Anyquestions email me at jrufino1@optonline.net

Well I got some "endcap" type thingies that just cover the end. But it doesn't seal the end so I wrapped some plumber’s tape around the end of the pipe until I could only just force on the cover. It still can leak a bit from capillary action but only a tiny amount. You have to try it, it really restores your strings - unlike boiling.


Matt

Will the silk wrappings in some strings be harmed by the alchohol?

I dont just mean the wrapping at the top, but I mean the inner layer Ive heard some strings have.

Peace
Nick

Use some PVC cement to attach the end cap and it won't leak. 3/4" dia works great. cut to just below the peghead winding. I suggest trying it as you'll have about $10.00 in the whole shot. Much cheaper than a set of strings. And only use Denatured Alcohol not Turps or cleaners.

I've seen several posts from people asking advice on how to keep that "New String Sound" without going broke buying New Strings. I hate dead strings and this is what I do:

I've been doing this (and telling other bassists about it) for 15 years now. Every bassist that has tried it has practically offered to name their first child after me when they've seen/heard the results.

If you like that "New String Sound" try this (this process is a little harder with non-quick release bass bridges but it can still be done):
1. Take the used/dirty strings and (individually) wrap them in a ring like when they were new.
2. Take the strings and put them around the center spindle of a washing machine. They need to be at least halfway down so the water can completely cover them. Strings should be somewhat loose fitting.
3. Run the washer (water/load level set to full) on the regular cycle with the water set to "Hot". No soap (although I've found that a little "Simple Green" solution gets them extra zingy).
4. When the complete wash cycle is done (some strings may have come loose from the spindal) set the strings somewhere to dry completely (I set mine out in the Sun for awhile or in an oven set to 200 for about 30 minutes) so as to reduce corrosion.

Caution: If you have "exposed core" or "tapered" strings this process can cause the winding to come loose. Prevent this by putting a small dab of electrical solder right where the winding ends and the core is exposed (completely around the diameter). Do this when the string is new (not under tension!).

I always buy at least 4 new sets at a time so I can wash several sets at once (always keeping one set on the bass) as to not have to use the machine too often. Even though they still get clean, I buy new sets when the harmonics start to fade on the old ones (from metal fatigue that happens over time on clean or dirty strings).

The last 4 sets lasted me a year and a half (I play full time/6 days a week-4 sets a night).

Why this works: The hot water gets inside the windings and the agitation loosens the gunk. The spin cycle pulls all that gunky water out.

My strings are actually zingier (zingier?) after this process than when they're new, out of the package.

Good Luck and Good Savings.

My appologies to the string companies.

I know this may sound goofy to some but it really works.

Wow, I should try that sometime. But so far the denatured alcohol works great and I don't have to worry about rust. Denatured alcohol doesn't leave any residue, does it?

i did just what you said and put my stingray in pvc pipe up to the neck in alcohol and lets just say it didnt do wonders for the neck or the electronics. guess i should wrap it around the spin cycle or whatever.

:D:D

Originally posted by stingrayguy
i did just what you said and put my stingray in pvc pipe up to the neck in alcohol and lets just say it didnt do wonders for the neck or the electronics. guess i should wrap it around the spin cycle or whatever.

Well, I guess THIS guy won't be flying the space shuttle anytime soon.:rolleyes:

this thread/topic seems to be very popular lately, so i'm going to sticky this one at the top for a bit.

:D :D :D

theres a gozillian threads here on string boiling, no need for one more.

ok - this threads gonna stay open, so if by some chance you have an unanswered question about string boiling - POST IT HERE. if there are any more threads on boiling there will be some chapped behinds by the time me and mamacass are done with you ;)

It's my experience that boiling works approx. 1 time per set before the law of diminished returns sets in. I've never heard of the PVC idea before; I'll give it a try.

I just tried brake parts cleaner this afternoon (I'm too poor to even get denatured alcohol) and it worked wonders. It smelled for a bit (probably longer than alcohol would) but it went away...doesn't bother me anyway, I love fumes...:D

I used to boil strings.. it does work for a bit, but like someone said before.. they go really dead after that. I was told to use methyl hydrate .. I think it's break line cleaner or something. It worked well and the stuff evaporates pretty much within a minute of taking them out of the solution.

Isn't there some sort of wax or something else you could put on your strings to make it more difficult for them to become dirty?

i recomend using a product ive purchased at many different guitar/music shops

'Guitar Research String Cleaner + Lubricant'

works wonders... smells jus like isopropyl alchohol... but not exactly like it...

costs $3 for one 2 oz. bottle, this bottle has lasted me 9 months and.. theres still some left in it enough for a few more months. works dam good ....dont even have to take the strings off and it still works fine..

i use it once a month, no matter if i have new strings on or not and it helps

O.k. Here it is! This amazing technique I have developed incorparates both the alcohol and boiling technique.
-First off I have only tried this with Methyl Hydrate (gas line anti-freeze) and accept no responsibility for explosions.
-Wrap your stings in a coil shape.
-boil water in a pot large enough for the coiled strings.
-Soak strings in the methyl hydrate for an hour prior to transfer
-when the water is boiling quickly place the strings into the boiling water from the methyl hydrate, this should quickly vaporise the methyl hydrate caught between and on the strings, and therby force the excess finger goo and gunk caught within the windings out. Do it a couple times for a good cleaning.
-when done dip or soak in the alcohol as the last step and allow to dry.(this last step should prevent corrosin.)
I do this and it is amazing! The strings are only in the water for a few seconds. Also keep the alchohol away from flame or element.
:eek:

*bump*

mchildree or JMX- how long should I soak my strings? I have an important gig Tuesday, no money and have a quart of denatured alcohol, along with PVC pipe and a cap. Does this work for nickel strings?

I'm new to this side of the board, and just want to say Howdy! and that I'm all in favor of boiling....

I'm not a fan of brand new strings. I really dig lo-riders after they've "settled-in" for a week or two. If I'm playing a lot, then I need to either change or clean them after about 2 to 3 weeks... sometimes 4 wks if I'm disciplined about wiping them down after each time I play.

Now I'm not sure how long you guys are boiling, but I usually don't let mine go much more than about 30 seconds.....infact, i use oven mits to hold the ends and run the strings through the water 5 or 6 times. I've found that if I let them sit any longer then I start to see some diminishing returns..... While I'm not an expert, I would think some "tempering" or annealing is happening to the steel or nickel if you let them sit in the boiling water for too long. I've also found that a bit of detergent (usually a bit of oily hair formula shampoo, since it's for removing oils) works well. It usually get's them back to that just broke in sound, and gives me another couple of weeks out of them.

In this case, more is not better.... I can usually do this a couple of times before I have to change strings. Also, I think some brands clean up better than others.

Originally posted by embellisher
*bump*

mchildree or JMX- how long should I soak my strings? I have an important gig Tuesday, no money and have a quart of denatured alcohol, along with PVC pipe and a cap. Does this work for nickel strings?
1 hour works fine, a little longer probably helps if you're cleaning more than 2 sets at a time.

All the sets I'm using are nickel-plated steel strings, and it works very well for those. It doesn't sound exactly like new strings because it only cleans the strings and doesn't repair any physical damage but it sounds very close.

Seal the cap to the pipe with PVC cement if you have it, that way there will be no leaking.

I have already cemented the cap. I am cleaning a 6 string set, so I guess that I'll go for 90 minutes.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bass Guru
[B]I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys .......Blah Blah



You're a Prick.

The Girls/Guys on this site would probably play circles aroud you.
Who put that Chip on your shoulder?

I've never boiled strings B4, But I think I'll try.
Or maybe make some toxic gasses.

R

Originally posted by Robbi
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bass Guru
[B]I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys .......Blah Blah



You're a Prick.

The Girls/Guys on this site would probably play circles aroud you.
Who put that Chip on your shoulder?

I've never boiled strings B4, But I think I'll try.
Or maybe make some toxic gasses.

R

Actually, I don't boil my strings because of expense (I have a great day gig... almost 6 figures a year)... although avoding it is nice. I do it because I'm not a big fan of brand new strings. The sound just doesn't suit me. As I mentioned earlier, I like the sound of Lo-Riders after they've been on for a week or so. If I boil, I can get them back to that point. I've actually had sets where I could get them back to my favored conditions through 3 times..... but usually I only do it once and then buy a new set after that.

I think those who have not had good luck boiling are either boiling for too long, expecting too much from the process (ie, hoping they'll sound like just out of the package), or are using nickel (I haven't had good luck boiling nickel).

Boiling is for if you want your strings to sound broken-in, and it can damage strings

<a href="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=190085&highlight=pvc+denatured#post190085">Soaking in Alcohol</a> is how you can make your strings sound new without damaging them.

Originally posted by primusdude

Boiling is for if you want your strings to sound broken-in, and it can damage strings

<a href="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=190085&highlight=pvc+denatured#post190085">Soaking in Alcohol</a> is how you can make your strings sound new without damaging them.

Actually, soaking in alcohol doesn't make them sound new..... the windings are already damaged from playing in the first place. You end up with the same thing as if you boiled (for no more the 30 seconds).... a string that sounds like it's "broke in" (as you put it).

I've tried boiling for longer, but I really do think it starts to change the chemistry of the string, and it definitely makes them sound like sh!& Thats why I only dip for a few passes.. or seconds, if you will.

I've tried damn near every trick everyone here is mentioning. For the time, materials, and pain in the ass involved with soaking, baking, etc. etc., required, I'd rather just buy new strings if boiling didn't meet my requirements.

You're definitely right about the windings becoming damaged over time, and obviously alcohol won't solve that, I was oversimplifying. To me, strings cleaned in alcohol sound like they've been played for a few hours, but that's it. To be fair I don't really beat up my strings a whole lot.

Well, I used the denatured alcohol method on my old Cirrus strings and on the really old octave strings on my 12 stringer.

I used both basses on my gig last night. The Cirrus sounded like it had new strings on it, and the Hamer had more zing and shimmery harmonics than it ever did before. I wonder how long it sat at GC with those strings on it before I bought it. I didn't realize how dead they were until after I soaked them. They sound great, now!

Some people (such as me) can't afford to buy new strings every couple weeks, so by boiling them we can have a better sound for what little time the strings have left in a cost effective manner.

I usually leave my strings untill i get a new set. I put the new set on and boil the old strings and keep them as spares.

For a number of year I have used the following sequence that works well for the steel strings:

1) Boil Strings for around a minute
2) Immediately place strings in the Freezer for a few hours
3) After removing strings from Freezer, place in Alcohol to thaw
4) Hang strings to dry from alcohol

When placing strings back on bass, I try to rotate the string so that the most worn portion of the string faces away from the fretboard. If the worn area faces the fretboard the strings only a sound decent a short while.

I can usually get 3 boilings out of the strings with decent results.

The above has worked well on DM SR2000, Ken Smith and Rotosound Steel strings. There have been a number of brands that did not fare well after boiling (including some steel strings). Strings that are made from Nickel or are Nickel/Steel alloy seem to lose tone very quickly.

I'm telling you guys, try the denatured alcohol way instead of boiling. It works much better. I tried boiling a few times several years ago, and all it did was give brightness back for a day or two, and then the strings were deader than ever.

Originally posted by ONYX
Hey Hambone, it's good to know that at least one of us payed attention in chemistry!! LOL.

But you're right. Chlorine gas is pretty bad news. I think I'd rather just plunk down 20 bucks and buy new strings.:)


chlorine gas was used in WW1 and 2 i believe as an alternative to mustard gas....


sorry for the history lesson and sorry if its already been posted

Originally posted by Bass Guru
I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys live in Hickville, USA, and have to be resourceful when you can't make the two hour drive to a real city with a real music store, or you're just ******. If you're just starting out, but a $20 set of Fender bass strings, and in six weeks when then start getting dull, TRASH THEM and put on a new set. If you're serious about bass playing, spend the $40 on the best strings on the market, Elixirs, and when they start getting dull after three months, TRASH THEM. Then, take the time you shared between your kitchen and the internet finding the right concoction to boil your bass in, and spend that time actually learning how to play.

[Edited by Big Wheel on 09-17-2000 at 03:14 PM]


:eek: that's all very well for you guys! but in Aust. you pay about $100-$130 for a good set of 5 strings! no joke! (unless you 'know' people)
it takes a chunk outa your bass budget.
boiling saves a bit of money.

as a friendly disclaimer, don't mix anything containing ammonia with anything containing bleach/chlorine. that will create phosgene, which was used in ww1 to kill lots of people.

Originally posted by JMX
Boiling water destroys the strings!!!

Use a solvent (nitro thinner(?), turpentine or sth like it) - you don't need to heat it and it really does the job without ruining your strings.

[Edited by JMX on 09-19-2000 at 08:38 AM]

Does this Nitro Thinner (what is this?), leave any
residue on the strings that could affect one's skin
or be absorbed through the skin?

Thanks

Vern

Originally posted by Rob W
Methyl Hydrate is a very good option. It's quite clean and easy to use. It mostly evaporates quite quickly after removing them from the liquid but just wipe them off to finish it. It's only about $2 or $3 a litre at the local hardware store and you can clean many sets of strings with one bottle.

What the heck is this stuff?

Vern

Originally posted by bassplayer60


Does this Nitro Thinner (what is this?), leave any
residue on the strings that could affect one's skin
or be absorbed through the skin?

Thanks

Vern
I don't know if it does or not, but I'd just use denatured alcohol... it is poisonous, because it has toxic solvents added to the ethanol to ensure that no one drinks it, but once all the solvents evaporate off your strings (which doesn't take very long) you won't have anything to worry about.

attn: Primusdude and your post re Denatured Alcohol


Where can I get that from? Hardware store?

Vern

I have several basses, so getting strings can get expensive. I have good success at boiling my strings. Also at work, there is an ultrasonic cleaner filled with alcohol, I put my strings in there for awhile then take them home and boil them.

I kinda use the 'Hand me down" method with the strings for my basses. If one bass has a set of strings that have been boiled a few times and are getting too worn, I take a better set off another bass, clean the strings and put them on the other bass, and get a new set.
Depends on which bass is my favorite at the time.

I also sonicate my strings in Ethyl alcohol or Methyl alcohol for about 20 minutes in an ultrasonic cleaner. I do no boil them afterwords as this will dirty the strings more than they were after the sonic bath and the strings are not going to get any cleaner than after a sonic bath in a good type of alcohol chemical. This process saves those expensive gold strings that they don't make anymore and I only have one set left so I'm making these puppys last as long as possible.

Peace

Originally posted by bassplayer60
attn: Primusdude and your post re Denatured Alcohol


Where can I get that from? Hardware store?

Vern
I know every Home Depot/Lowe's type store has it.



Originally posted by By-Tor
I have several basses, so getting strings can get expensive. I have good success at boiling my strings. Also at work, there is an ultrasonic cleaner filled with alcohol, I put my strings in there for awhile then take them home and boil them.

As camoe implied, you'd be better off just using the cleaner. There's no reason to boil them.

Originally posted by Rob W
I just soak my strings in a small pail of methyl hydrate for a few hours. You don't need to do anything but leave them in there for a little while and the strings clean up really well. It's really cheap too (at your local hardware store).

As someone mentioned before, methyl hydrate is quite flammable, but since you don't need to apply heat, you should have no problems as long as you follow good sense precautions. In other words, keep the stuff away from heat or open flame. I'm sure this is a good technique,but it ain't cheaper than boiling your strings with tap water

Originally posted by Bass Guru
I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys live in Hickville, USA, and have to be resourceful when you can't make the two hour drive to a real city with a real music store, or you're just ******. If you're just starting out, but a $20 set of Fender bass strings, and in six weeks when then start getting dull, TRASH THEM and put on a new set. If you're serious about bass playing, spend the $40 on the best strings on the market, Elixirs, and when they start getting dull after three months, TRASH THEM. Then, take the time you shared between your kitchen and the internet finding the right concoction to boil your bass in, and spend that time actually learning how to play.

[Edited by Big Wheel on 09-17-2000 at 03:14 PM] Well,since you are the self proclaimed "Bass Guru,what does a players' skill level have anything to do with him or her boiling a set of strings ?because after you boil them after the 1st time the strings become even deader after about a week or so(depends what brand of strings that they are)and contrary to popular belief,there are quite a few players who like the real dead feel of the strings after even after the boil clean has worn off.Does this make them a less skill player,or does this mean that they are from parts of the world unknown ?No,not at all,hell I been playing for 20 yrs +and I still boil my strings no matter what brand they are,However with that being said I will go purchase a new set of strings if the gig calls for it or if it is just time to do so.Hey Man,different strokes for different folks,especially for bass players who may not have a string endorsement.

Originally posted by hands5
I'm sure this is a good technique,but it ain't cheaper than boiling your strings with tap water
The main thing is that soaking the strings in [solvent of choice] is much, much better for the strings than boiling them.

Please don’t play with chemicals guys. Just play your bass. Heating any of these mixtures or any liquid for that matter gives off vapor. All liquids have a vapor density and a boiling point. When you start to mix chemicals that you may think are harmless, you can very easily end up with a deadly mixture that will have you gasping for air, or knocked out because you have a sensitive reaction to the mixture of chemicals. Most of these chemicals react without any heat at all. Like Toilet Bowl cleaner and bleach. I know we are not mixing Acids and Bases together, but this is a common one that is not good. Bleach and Dish soap create the deadly phosgene gasses, low levels of phosgene but enogh bleach and soap mix is dangerous. Don’t add solvents to these mixtures. Corrosive materials do not mix with Flammable liquids. We do want to keep our fingers. Right? They are also Toxic, for the long-term use, when absorbed through the skin they do the human body no good at all. I'm a trained Haz Mat worker and 1st responder for spills. I know about these chemicals to some degree, so treat yourself some new strings. It’s not worth the health hazards and risk of burning down the house cuz you didn’t realize you had a near by ignition source for your concoction of string cleaner.

I'm not sure who that was directed at, but what I'm referring to is soaking the strings in a container with a solvent like denatured alcohol outdoors, then letting all the solvent evaporate off the strings before using them. I'm pretty sure that is fine? All I know is it works.

Originally posted by Turock
This has never made sense to me. You spend $1,000 for an axe, $2000 or so for a rig (or whatever you spent) and then won't spend $20 for a set of strings? Hmmm,what if you spend the $20 dollars on a pair of strings,put them on and find out that you dont like them?after the time spent,and gas wasted to go to the music store and buy strings you've spent more than $20.00 :confused:

Is there any good way of doing the denatured alcohol method without the pipe technique? I have three basses I use D'Addario XL Nickel rounds on, and my problem is I kill them within a week from sweat/dirt/whatever. On average it costs me $25 to string my 6 string and $22 for my 5 strings, which is just too much to only get a couple weeks a set.

The reason I ask about doing it without the pipe is that I assume the pipe method requires the strings to be the same length (please correct me if I am wrong.)

I have Sperzel tuners on two of my basses, so the strings are cut right after the tuner, making them all different lengths.

I guess maybe I just wasn't clear on the specifics of the pipe method-I'll have to check it again...

Also, it was mentioned to check the FAQ. I looked at the Forum FAQ and did not see anything directly related to string cleaning. Anyone have a link?

Thanks!

Originally posted by bunkaroo

The reason I ask about doing it without the pipe is that I assume the pipe method requires the strings to be the same length (please correct me if I am wrong.)


No... the headstock ends of the strings can stick out of the pipe.

Ahh-that might have been my confusion. I assumed it was the ball ends that were supposed to be left out.

EDIT: I found this exact description from mchildree in another old post:

Get a piece of PVC pipe about 3/4" in diameter, just about the same length as a new string, wrappings and all....cap one end of it, leave the other end open (they make caps...you'll find them in the same area as other PVC fittings). Cut the pipe so that the length so that when you put the straightened strings into the pipe, the top of the pipe just reaches where the wrappings on the strings start. Get some Denatured Alcohol, which is found in quart-size cans in the paint section. With the strings uncoiled and standing in the pipe, fill the pipe to just below the top. The idea is that only the areas touched by your hands are submerged in the alcohol. Stand this up in a corner somewhere out of the way.

I have D'Addario XL's with no silk on them-all metal windings. So, it sounds like I'm Ok to just submerge the whole string, no?

I have new sets on stand by already, so I'll probably just try it, and if the string breaks at rehearsal no big deal.

Ok here is my story...

I have a set of Maxima Gold strings. Very expensive. When I first got them, they were shiny and the tone was super bright. I mean it was something. Now, a year later, I barely notice the strings are made of gold, due to the accumulated dead skin and sweat. I would really love to gain back some of the brightness and its golden tint.

I'm going to try the PVC/Alcohol technique. But, I need some advice first:

1) Should I take off all the strings at once and put them together in the pipe? I know when one changes the strings, he should replace them one by one. Not take all off at once, and put the new ones. I know that can damage the neck, because so much tension is suddenly gone.

2) Should I place all the strings in the pipe together, or should I clean them one by one?

3) How do I cement the cap? What kind of cement do I need?

Sorry for these stupid questions, but I want to get it right. Those cost me a lot of dough, and I can’t afford a new set. I know some may think it is ridiculous to buy expensive strings, but really they are amazing. Plus, they look awesome! It is true what they say: Tone is addactive. Once you try and love a certain setup, you don’t want to change it. Also, I blame John Entwistle for looking and sounding so damn good with those strings.

Anyway, I didn't wait for anyone to reply and went and tried...:D

And the result... AMAZING! I used Methyl Hydrate, in PVC pipes. I bought a 10" long, ¾” wide (that’s all they had), and cut it in 3 pieces. One for the E string, one for the A, and the last one for the D and G. I think I didn't have to use separate pipes for each, but it's ok. Why I did it the way I did is because I was afraid to submerge the silk wrappings in the alcohol. Therefore, the different size pipes I cut were perfect for each string. I secured one edge with a matching cap, and the other with cotton and electric tape. I left them in for 2-3 hours. I took them off, and at first glance, all the dead skin hadn't come off, but it was MUCH better. Trust me. There used to be more skin and sweat than metal! But, the golden tint was back. Not like when they were fresh, but again much better. Anyway, I put them back on my bass, and they were singing like newborn babies!!! Wow, what a great technique. Thanks to whoever recommended it (JMX, Rob W., Chasarms, cassanova, grooveguru, catwig1, primusdude, and others I’m forgetting). The PVC/Alcohol trick should be the only method one should use for cleaning and restoring the tone of old strings. I know that one day I need to buy a new set (as we all know, you can retard death, but sooner or later, we are all going 6’ under), but until that day comes around, I’ll stick by this procedure.

:cool:

I would still like to know if it is ok to remove all the strings off a bass, and leave the neck string-less. I didn't take any chances. I replaced my Maxima Gold with the original strings that came on my bass during the time they were sitting in the PVC pipes. This advice would be helpful.

Simple and Cheap Method

Components:
1) Washrag or small handtowel
2) Aerosol can of Brake Parts Cleaner OR the cheap cans of Parts Cleaner (yellow with a white cap) from Autozone. ($1.50/can)
3) Eye protection (like you're gonna do that)
4) Rubber gloves (the thick, Chem gloves not Platex)

Steps:

1) Roll strings into large coils (like they came in the packages when new)
2) Fold strings inside cloth or small handtowel
3) Put on eye protection (I know you'll just squint)
4) Carefully soak rag with cleaner
NOTE: DO NOT PERFORM THIS STEP WHEN SMOKING OR NEAR AN IGNITION SOURCE (like your hot girlfriend)
5) Allow strings to soak for several minutes (solvent evaporates very quickly)
6) Unwrap strings and wipe with clean cloth
7) Reinstall strings on guitar
8) Convince yourself they sound bright and new

Repeat step #8 as needed

I just boiled my strings a few minutes ago. I use EB slinkies and Ive had them for about a 1/2 year. I used a little vinegar and they sound very very very bright. Considering I'm poor and I play punk music, Im one to say boiling strings rocks. I know it will, in the long run, probably worsten, but by then I'll summon the cash for new strings :D

Originally posted by redneck2wild
When placing strings back on bass, I try to rotate the string so that the most worn portion of the string faces away from the fretboard. If the worn area faces the fretboard the strings only a sound decent a short while. [/B]

I also face the worn part opposite of the fret,
which will also help intonation too and perhaps
be less prone to string buzz from the divets worn
into the roundwound.

I've boiled strings for awhile now and found that
flipping the strings for the non-worn side to
press against the frets has been more effective
for prolonging the "new boiled fresh" sound.

I have experimented with adding 99% isopropyl
alcohol to the boiling method. Seems to work
good except beware of the fumes.

Maybe just soaking them in 99% isopropyl
alcohol may be worthwhile.
I have not tried that yet.

I've used those Maxima gold strings and
would not need to get new strings for a year
with one good boiling per set.

I try to wipe the strings after playing
with a fragrance-free glass /multi surface
cleaner.

Fragrance-free for a couple of reasons
because synthetic fragrances are 95% derived
from petro-chemicals (thus oily molecules)
which we don't want residuals on the string.

Also, these synthetic fragrances are pretty
toxic. Discover at:
http://www.fpinva.org
http://www.nottoopretty.org
http://www.ehnca.org

Anyway, it seems there will be diminished returns
on the boiling method if trying more than once,
but if you are really hurting I would certainly
not condemn. :)

Just use the PVC/Denatured Alcohol method. Works miracles. Just tried it. *ZING*ZING*ZING*

BUMP for the n00bies.

im also worried about damaging the neck of my guitar by taking all the strings off it at once. is this a real problem for the few hours it takes to soak them in alcohol? or is it an overnight thing?

thanks in advance

Originally posted by Twizm
im also worried about damaging the neck of my guitar by taking all the strings off it at once. is this a real problem for the few hours it takes to soak them in alcohol? or is it an overnight thing?

thanks in advance

i have always wondered this

I soak my strings overnight.

I take off all 12 strings on my Korean Hamer. It has been fine the 3 times that I have done it. I would worry about the stability of a 12 string bass way before I would a 4 or 5 string.

Originally posted by Twizm
im also worried about damaging the neck of my guitar by taking all the strings off it at once.
I switch between two sets, so my bass never gets all naked. Except when I clean it. Like Embellisher said, I don't think it'll damage the neck to leave the bass stringless overnight, but maybe the neck will need a little adjustment after putting the strings back on? It surely will be more prone to 'loose the adjustment' than if you change one string at a time. Dunno though...

I have always boiled my strings in a 90% water/10% vinegar solution. It has sometimes pushed the life of my strings to 6 months on my four-string, and almost a year on my five-string!

My worry also would be taking all the tension off the neck when boiling strings..it wont hurt the neck but you might have to re adjust it. I would think that releasing all the tension on the strings might effect the tension of the strings when you put them back on..getting stretched and needing more tension to tune to pitch? sounds like a intonation nightmare to me lol

:confused: I'm takin' a freakin headache!!! Should I boil it? LOL!!!

I prefer baking them :p

Just for the record, in Sweden a decent set of stainless steels costs about 60US$ so since im a student, boiling strings is a necessity.

Originally posted by Bass Guru
I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys live in Hickville, USA, and have to be resourceful when you can't make the two hour drive to a real city with a real music store, or you're just ******. If you're just starting out, but a $20 set of Fender bass strings, and in six weeks when then start getting dull, TRASH THEM and put on a new set. If you're serious about bass playing, spend the $40 on the best strings on the market, Elixirs, and when they start getting dull after three months, TRASH THEM. Then, take the time you shared between your kitchen and the internet finding the right concoction to boil your bass in, and spend that time actually learning how to play.

[Edited by Big Wheel on 09-17-2000 at 03:14 PM]


....You need to chill friend. FWIW to everyone else, here's my two cents worth...Boiling strings in tap water is fine. I I also found that adding some vinegar seems to make the process a bit more efficient. I have done it many times with both phosphor-bronze strings for my acoustic-electric Guild bass, and Stainless/Nickel types for my variety of electrics. I coil them up, and throw them into a pot of boiling water on the stovetop for about 2-3 minutes. Then, let them cool slowly after removing and un-coiling them and allowing them to cool the rest of the way, and installing. The benefits of boiling are that you can restore some of the brightness of new strings for awhile, usually for me it's 2 to 3 days. After that they still sound crisper than the dirty strings for quite some time, but don't have the life of a new set. Of course you can always boil them again. I have recently installed Tomastik-Infeld (3 months+ ago) Jazz Flats on my Carvin Claro-Walnut and need to note for everyone that these TI strings have a silk wrapping around the core, I don't advise boiling these types or upright/double bass strings for the same reason. Another note...TI's are IMHO better with age, more musical and sweeter as they are played over time soooo....anyway, back to the boiling...I don't need to boil strings, but I also don't believe in wasting resources for no good reason. The solvents and alcohol baths others have described are a feasible soloution as well, but I do not personally like the use of harsh and dangerous/flammable chemicals. It really is your own decision as to whether or not to "recycle" your strings. Sometimes I just don't feel like buying new strings, other times I just don't want to...really it depends on how I feel at the time lol. I have never had a neck problem for having removed all the strings at once for 30 or so minutes, and my intonations are fine, though regular maintenance by a trusted tech/luthier is always good advice. Whew...I'd better quit here, you get the point by now.

The solvents work much better than boiling strings, and if you use them responsibly, do no more harm to the environment than using fossil fuel to boil the water for your strings. As I have stated before, water is corrosive, and accelerates the damage to the strings. When I soak strings in denatured alcohol, the brightness stays for several weeks, not 2 or 3 days. And pure alcohol does not damage the strings.

Originally posted by embellisher
The solvents work much better than boiling strings, and if you use them responsibly, do no more harm to the environment than using fossil fuel to boil the water for your strings. As I have stated before, water is corrosive, and accelerates the damage to the strings. When I soak strings in denatured alcohol, the brightness stays for several weeks, not 2 or 3 days. And pure alcohol does not damage the strings.

i just started doing this last week! AMEM!!!

i had no idea how well this system works!

how long do you keep the same denatured alcohol? i have already done it with 4 sets (a quart is only 3 to 4 bucks). also, when time to get rid of the stuff, where do you take it or dispose of it?

Originally posted by NJL
i just started doing this last week! AMEM!!!

i had no idea how well this system works!

how long do you keep the same denatured alcohol? i have already done it with 4 sets (a quart is only 3 to 4 bucks). also, when time to get rid of the stuff, where do you take it or dispose of it?

I have never considered that. I have been using the same alcohol for over a year. Most landfills have a toxic waste dropoff facility. They collect it and send it to the proper place. At least both of the landfills near me do, anyway.

Thanks Embellisher, I'll look into the de-natured alcohol. From chemistry and Metallurgy classes I am aware of the damage water (boiling or otherwise) can cause, but at $20-$60 per set of strings for 6 basses (and my sometimes lack of motivation to get up and go buy new strings) boiling was an acceptable alternative, especially during football season (sunday's are for church and football and my only real freetime day). Thanks to everyone for the tips.

Well I just stuck my strings in a jar of alcohol and some dishsoap. Little bastards are hard to get in there and competly submurge in the liquid. So am I doing this right? how long should I let them soak? I haven't cleaned them in like 7 months and I play almost every day. Heh yeah they are pretty gross lookin.

Well I just stuck my strings in a jar of alcohol and some dishsoap. Little bastards are hard to get in there and competly submurge in the liquid. So am I doing this right? how long should I let them soak? I haven't cleaned them in like 7 months and I play almost every day. Heh yeah they are pretty gross lookin.
Uh, no reason to use dishsoap, that would just leave a soapy residue. I use a PVC pipe of about 35" with an endcap cemented on... I drop the strings in straight, pour the alcohol in, and put some tissue on the top to lessen evaporation. I let it do its work for at least an hour. Then I take the strings out, leave them outside on some newspaper to dry, and pour the alcohol back into the can.

I do this all outdoors, and try to keep the alcohol contact with my skin at a minimum because of all the warnings on the can. Denatured alcohol adds some poisonous solvents to the ethanol to keep you from drinking it. Once they all evaporate I'm pretty sure you have nothing to worry about.

In response to TBass66, just cycle between two or more sets of strings and you won't have to worry about tension.


An observation: Putting on reused strings is a lot more convenient than putting on new strings when you have a top-loading bridge. The tuner ends are already coiled, just drop them in, tighten them a bit, and you're in tune.

I seriously hope you guys are joking about boiling your bass strings. I have been playing for several years and have never heard such a stupid idea. Either you guys live in Hickville, USA, and have to be resourceful when you can't make the two hour drive to a real city with a real music store, or you're just ******. If you're just starting out, but a $20 set of Fender bass strings, and in six weeks when then start getting dull, TRASH THEM and put on a new set. If you're serious about bass playing, spend the $40 on the best strings on the market, Elixirs, and when they start getting dull after three months, TRASH THEM. Then, take the time you shared between your kitchen and the internet finding the right concoction to boil your bass in, and spend that time actually learning how to play.

[Edited by Big Wheel on 09-17-2000 at 03:14 PM]

I'd just like to say that I'm on my second boiling for my GHS roundwounds, they sound great, I am in blissful love with my bass (seen that Randy Jackson / Mike Lull ad? That's me).

Boil 'em baby, boil 'em. . . boil em with pride. I think now I'm going to keep boiling them until they break just to make a statement.

:p


Sean
Hickville, CA
aka San Francisco

PS Gary Willis AND Glenn Letch, who most definitely DO know how to play, both are advocates of the Mysterious Art of String Boiling. Check out Gary Willis' book '101 Bass Tips'. Granted, his recipe isn't quite as. . . lethal. . . as the ones mentioned here. . .

I would just like to say that I resurrected a year-old thread my first day on TB and I'm pretty proud of that.

:ninja:

I'd just like to say that I'm on my second boiling for my GHS roundwounds, they sound great, I am in blissful love with my bass (seen that Randy Jackson / Mike Lull ad? That's me).

Boil 'em baby, boil 'em. . . boil em with pride. I think now I'm going to keep boiling them until they break just to make a statement.

:p


Sean
Hickville, CA
aka San Francisco

PS Gary Willis AND Glenn Letch, who most definitely DO know how to play, both are advocates of the Mysterious Art of String Boiling. Check out Gary Willis' book '101 Bass Tips'.
Granted, his recipe isn't quite as. . . lethal. . . as the ones mentioned here. . .

That's ok. You go right ahead and boil your strings. I tried it once with guitar strings years ago and had no luck at all. Whild boiling them I was thinking to myself "I must be an idiot"
Well I was right. all the effort put into trying to restore a $6.00 set of guitar strings was a silly idea to follow.

Spend the money dont waste your time and get a new set of strings for you bass...

["You eeeeeeeeeediot" --- ren and stimpy]

That's ok. You go right ahead and boil your strings. I tried it once with guitar strings years ago and had no luck at all. Whild boiling them I was thinking to myself "I must be an idiot"
["You eeeeeeeeeediot" --- ren and stimpy]

Bro. G****r strings and bass strings. Not a comparison.

Of course you can't boil g****r strings. And of course you wouldn't want to since they're only $6 a pop.

But bass strings baby . . . heavy duty strips of metal aching to be detached and bathed on a regular basis. High quality ones > $40 a pop.

And if you decide to put new ones on instead, you can always keep the old ones handy to garrote the next guy who messes with you. :ninja:

Boiling strings DOES work. All those yummy body juices, filth and boogers work down into the windings, and your strings react like they're stuffed with kapok. Boiling dissolves some of that crud, floats it out, and your strings sound young again. Soaking them in acetone works, too.

Problem with this whole cleaning thing: about the time your strings sound dull, they're already getting those flat, shiny spots on the windings where they press down and rub on the frets. Flat shiny spots = trashed strings. Time for a new set.

My recommendation? Webstrings.com cheap, good strings. You don't know what brand you're getting when you buy, but BRAND DOESN'T MATTER... because EVERY BRAND OF STRING is made by only one of three string manufacturers. Yes, there are only THREE companies that manufacture strings, kids. Fender doesn't make strings; DR, Elixer, Ernie don't make strings. Your $85 Thomastiks are probably made by the same people who make $13 Carvins. So we're only impressing ourselves by paying that kind of money for strings.

Taking this one step further... those three lonely string manufacturers buy all their piano wire from ONE wire supplier -- a company called Mapes in Tennessee.

Just some food for thought when you plunk down big $$ for trendy colored & coated strings. They all gotta die eventually.

Boiling strings DOES work. All those yummy body juices, filth and boogers work down into the windings, and your strings react like they're stuffed with kapok. Boiling dissolves some of that crud, floats it out, and your strings sound young again. Soaking them in acetone works, too.

Problem with this whole cleaning thing: about the time your strings sound dull, they're already getting those flat, shiny spots on the windings where they press down and rub on the frets. Flat shiny spots = trashed strings. Time for a new set.

My recommendation? Webstrings.com cheap, good strings. You don't know what brand you're getting when you buy, but BRAND DOESN'T MATTER... because EVERY BRAND OF STRING is made by only one of three string manufacturers. Yes, there are only THREE companies that manufacture strings, kids. Fender doesn't make strings; DR, Elixer, Ernie don't make strings. Your $85 Thomastiks are probably made by the same people who make $13 Carvins. So we're only impressing ourselves by paying that kind of money for strings.

Taking this one step further... those three lonely string manufacturers buy all their piano wire from ONE wire supplier -- a company called Mapes in Tennessee.

Just some food for thought when you plunk down big $$ for trendy colored & coated strings. They all gotta die eventually.

I'm inclined to agree. I've tried many different brands of strings, and while they do all have subtle differences, I realized that the main thing I react to in a string is the "zing" that they have when they're new. Boiling strings does help out, but it won't make them sound fresh from the packet. To get that sound, I have to use new strings, changing them about once per week to keep the tone I like. There's not much point in paying a lot of money for the strings if I'm changing them that frequently, so I just order Hartke strings from zzounds.com, which run about $6 per set for 4 string basses. Are they the greatest strings ever? No, I'd award that honor to Dean Markley SR 2000s, which have the biggest, brightest tone I've ever heard. But, since they all die after a week or so, a steel string is a steel string, so you might as well get the best deal you can.

Bought my Warwick Thumb 4 BO second hand last year (via ebay). Bass is dated june 2004, and it came with black label strings on it. Quite dull, my guess is they were the original strings. I boiled them when I got them, intending to use them as a back-up set, but they brightened up so much I didn't need a new set at all.

I finally broke one at practice last week though, but I got 8 months solid use out of old strings. Boiling works.

When finance allows, I follow Lane Baldwin's advice: for each bass you use on the road, keep a fresh set spare and your last set as backups.

Problem with this whole cleaning thing: about the time your strings sound dull, they're already getting those flat, shiny spots on the windings where they press down and rub on the frets.

Not necessarily! I sweat a lot, and have killed sets of strings in one gig under hot humid conditions... even when I clean my hands before and between the sets. Back in the 80's the heat was from excessive heavy metal light shows, but even today I can kill strings quickly at outdoor summertime gigs.

Point being: the strings are still new... no divots... but have simply been gunked up with sweat. This is why cleaning is well worth the effort.

The price of gas is high enough these days... I don't need to be throwing away $30 a gig on strings! It's not every gig, only the hot, humid ones. Even so, why toss a perfectly good set of strings just because they're dirty? But if I see those divots, I agree: time to trash 'em.

BRAND DOESN'T MATTER... because EVERY BRAND OF STRING is made by only one of three string manufacturers. Yes, there are only THREE companies that manufacture strings, kids.

I didn't know that. Who are these three companies?

Use a little (maybe an ounce) white vinegar with the water when boiling strings...
I have found that it works marvelous..
It's the acidity in the vinegar that helps the strings get cleaner..
Also, for standard cleaning use a WD-40 dampened towel. (be careful to NOT touch the body, neck or fingerboard with WD-40)
WD-40 is a Rust stoping/protective oil.


+1

1 pvc pipe
rubbing alcohol
silicone/cork

>Close the pipe on one end with silicone or a piece of cork.
>Make sure the pipe is long enough for the string to fit in.
>Add rubbing alcohol until pipe is full and strings are fully embedded in alcohol.
>Close pipe with cork
>Let soak for a couple of days
>Pull out and dry with cloth

Who was the clod who said I spent 1,000 dollars on an axe and 2,000 on a rig. I spent 100 bucks on my axe, and 150 on my head, and 200 on my cab. That's.... Wow. Less than 500 bucks for all my gear. And I've only ever had 3 sets of strings. Craptacular dead ones that came on my axe, and a set of boomers, and a set of Markley Nicklesteels. I'm getting Harris rotosounds next paycheck. I never wipe my strings after I play (I play too randomly at random times), although I'm going to do it now.

Once again, should I atleast take the strings of the bass first?

You are a frood!

WD40 sounds like a bad idea. If only because Simon Jones, guitar wizard of this principality (SGL guitars) recommends putting it on metalparts but warns it kills strings.

Of course once they are that old maybe it doesn't matter. (It might also be useful to kill the top some don't like on brand new rounds).

Mixing all those things together and putting them in the oven had my heart missing a beat! :eek:

No probs yet! Of course you have to rub them dry! Always carry your towel with you, like a good hitchhiker :D

And if you happen to lose anything your supplys will be replenished by the TBers the next time you log on.

strings. Your $85 Thomastiks are probably made by the same people who make $13 Carvins.

Though you in general have a point, this is just not true for Thomastik Infelds.

Materials: Some already know (but not most) that there are only a few actual manufacturers in the U.S. and of those, they pick from the same batches of raw materials. That being understood, how much difference can there actually be from string to string? Think of it in food terms since we can all relate: If there were only one garden from which everybody picked their tomatoes, tomato sauce would really only vary in the way that one cooked, prepared and presented it and there would not be much difference, especially to the entry-level and intermediate palette. So I don't blame folks from saying, "strings are strings" and such, sometimes they're correct. Thomastik-Infeld strings are made from higher grades of raw materials (such as their nickel) and are built with a winding process patented about 100 years ago. Their raw material sources are exclusive so their strings are truly unique. This is the basis for why T-I's sound and feel so good for so many players.'
http://www.bunnybass.com/e-zine/interviews/kevinreynolds_TIstrings/kevinreynolds.shtml

You are a frood!

a hoopy frood, at that! :ninja:

:hmm: I've to say that boiling strings it's usefull but in short periods of time, so maybe you could reach good sound and cleaning level with it, but the bad state of the string would come back again in a week. So i say its useful when it's hard to buy a new set of strings. Here in Venezuela the myth says that you could boil strings with clothes soup.:bassist:

1 pvc pipe
rubbing alcohol
silicone/cork

>Close the pipe on one end with silicone or a piece of cork.
>Make sure the pipe is long enough for the string to fit in.
>Add rubbing alcohol until pipe is full and strings are fully embedded in alcohol.
>Close pipe with cork
>Let s