denaturated alcohol

[abriemzh]

i have read some posts that suggest to soak your dead string with denaturated alcohol. i wonder what is the denaturated alcohol really used for, is it the same with paint solvent (thinner) ??? i lived in indonesia (south east asia) and i dont know what you named it here. i really want to try that method. thanks!!!!

[dlloyd]

Originally Posted by abriemzh

i have read some posts that suggest to soak your dead string with denaturated alcohol. i wonder what is the denaturated alcohol really used for, is it the same with paint solvent (thinner) ??? i lived in indonesia (south east asia) and i dont know what you named it here. i really want to try that method. thanks!!!!

It's ethanol that has had other solvents added to it to make it undrinkable. That makes it cheaper, in the US at least, for tax reasons.

[NV43345]

I use Isopryl Alchohol. I do not boil my strings in it.After a gig
I wet the corner of a cloth or hand towel I swipe from Hotels.
After wetting the corner,not sopping wet,but good & damp,
I wrap the corner of the towel around one string at a time
and pull it snug around the string and go up and down the length of the string a few times,you can see all the crud that
comes off,it turns the corner of the towel a dark color.This
gets off as sweat & crud off the strings,and I find my strings
keep there "Zingyness" alot longer that way.The isopryl is
also called Rubbing Alchohol and is available cheap at all drug
stores.I try and do this before packing up the Bass,I also
wipe down the body of the Bass with a polishing cloth.That
way next time I take it out of the Hardcase or Gigbag it is ready to go.I have neen doing this since the mid 80's.

[NJL]

denatured alcohol works wonders for me; it doesn't contain any water (keep water away from your strings unless you're going to spend time and energy money from your oven).

i like it because i like to dump strings and forget them for a couple of days....BTW, you can just use a tupperware type thingy that you can get for a couple of bucks at the dollar store.

[Andy Nelson]

will rubbing alcohol hurt your fretboard/bass wood?

[NJL]

i'm actually looking at a similar subject on the DB side of the boards...one luthier recommends using denatured alcohol to clean an ebony fretboard...i'm still not sure about this....

in re rubbing alcohol, personally i wouldn't use on my strings or my bass.

i just bought some more denatured alcohol at Lowes a few minutes ago...it was only 3 bucks plus change.

[NV43345]

Originally Posted by SpaRat1k

will rubbing alcohol hurt your fretboard/bass wood?

Not if just a little gets on,but do not soak it or wipe it on,it dries the wood to much.What I use to clean the Fretboard
is Aerosol Windex,not the blue lquid type,but the window
cleaner type in the aerosol can,spray that on and clean
with a toothbrush and wipe off with paper towels.Then apply
a thin coat of Boiled Linseed oil,let sit for about 5 minutes or so,and buff it off with a clean towel or paper towel,this will leave a nice shiny coat on the fretboard.I use that for Rosewood,Pao Ferro and Ebony. On Maple boards or Rosewood
boards with Clear Coat (Ric) I use martin guitar polish.
I have been doing this for 20 years and it works great.I have
22 Basses and one Guitar so I try and do most of the upkeep myself to keep costs down.

[NJL]

Originally Posted by NV43345

Then apply
a thin coat of Boiled Linseed oil,let sit for about 5 minutes or so,and buff it off with a clean towel or paper towel,this will leave a nice shiny coat on the fretboard.

does this leave a oily residue? i have been thinking of trying this on my EUB with an ebony board.

[abriemzh]

how about soaking stainless steel strings???
before i went soaking, i have tried to boil dead strings, but boiling stainless doesnt affect much to the tone.
has anyone tried soaking SS string before??

[carl-anton]

Originally Posted by abriemzh

how about soaking stainless steel strings???
before i went soaking, i have tried to boil dead strings, but boiling stainless doesnt affect much to the tone.
has anyone tried soaking SS string before??

Works fine.

[NV43345]

Originally Posted by NJL

does this leave a oily residue? i have been thinking of trying this on my EUB with an ebony board.

You dont leave it wet,you buff it off til it just leaves a sheen
on the board.

[johnvice]

Originally Posted by NV43345

I wet the corner of a cloth or hand towel I swipe from Hotels.
After wetting the corner, not sopping wet, but good & damp,
I wrap the corner of the towel around one string at a time
and pull it snug around the string and go up and down the length of the string a few times

I find towels to be too coarse. Try a finer cloth and you'll get more crud off.

I use 99% pure alcohol for this. Pharmacies typically don't put this on display as they fear alcoholics may buy it to drink.

Manufactures add gasoline or ethanol to render it undrinkable. I prefer ethanol as it tastes better ...

*LOL* seriously, the gasoline leaves a residue but the ethanol doesn't.

I have a body chemistry that produces a lot of perspiration. For this reason before I play I;
1. wash my hands
2. rinse my hands with rubbing alcohol (70% proof)
3. dry them of with small towels I borrowed from a hotel.

[NV43345]

Originally Posted by johnvice

3. dry them of with small towels I borrowed from a hotel.

[embellisher]

Originally Posted by abriemzh

how about soaking stainless steel strings???
before i went soaking, i have tried to boil dead strings, but boiling stainless doesnt affect much to the tone.
has anyone tried soaking SS string before??

I have been doing this with stainless steel strings for 2 1/2 years. Works great!

[NJL]

Originally Posted by embellisher

I have been doing this with stainless steel strings for 2 1/2 years. Works great!

and embellisher is the one who has saved me some bread (his posts taught me how)!!