Denatured Alchohol- too long?

groooooove · #1 06-28-2011, 02:38 PM

ive boiled strings a lot.. but its such a hassle and makes the strings feel extra shot after you boil them. just recently gave denatured alchohol a shot, gave it a test run with the strings that were on my fender. they definately are cleaned and fresh-er shounding, i think i like it more than boiling.

i just put new strings on my main bass, and put the old strings in the container of denatured alchohol. i wont need new strings for probably 2 months, would it be bad to just let them soak for that whole time??

the test run i let the strings soak for a bit more than 12 hours. has anyone ever soaked them for too long? what amount of time should i go for?

**zenrad** · #2 06-28-2011, 02:43 PM

You might try Naptha if you're looking to clean the oils off of the strings. It's a great degreaser and it's available at Home Depot right near the denatured alcohol.

lamarjones · #3 06-28-2011, 02:46 PM

denatured alcohol user here, no it won't hurt it. Not sure about months but I've had some sit for close to a month and it rocked when I took them out.

IMO this is the best method of re-utilizing strings. I've had 3 sets of DR hi beams I've been using for like 2-3 years, none have broke and they sound snappy every time I pull some out. Actually I've got a BUTTLOAD of sets now that have all been soaked and dont know what to do with them since I've really been using these three sets.

I'm getting hooked up with DR now, but honestly I prefer the strings that come out of my alcohol can to new ones. They just feel right. And sound about the same.

groooooove · #4 06-28-2011, 04:24 PM

good to know..

will probably have them soak for about a month

**zenrad** · #5 06-28-2011, 04:47 PM

So why is alcohol better than a degreaser like Naptha?

lamarjones · #6 06-28-2011, 04:54 PM

Not sure why you'd want to use naptha but it's a safer cleaner for certain finishes. Against steel its kinda irrelevant, never heard of using naptha for the soaking but I guess it would work. Not gonna try it tho cause da works great.

**zenrad** · #7 06-28-2011, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamarjones

Not sure why you'd want to use naptha but it's a safer cleaner for certain finishes. Against steel its kinda irrelevant, never heard of using naptha for the soaking but I guess it would work. Not gonna try it tho cause da works great.

I soak fret wire in Naptha and then wipe it down to degrease it before cutting it. I use it as part of the cleaning process for wood before finishing. I also use it for cleaning a new set of 'chromes before using them to get the coating off. It removes grease better than DA in my experience.

lamarjones · #8 06-28-2011, 07:32 PM

Then I couldn't tell you why I've heard about soaking in Da way more than naptha. Sounds like the same results.

Gear_Junky · #9 06-28-2011, 07:41 PM

i hope you all are NOT boiling them in alcohol or naphtha! If that stuff flares up in your house... well, you know. I'm guessing you are soaking them cold, but just making sure

WJGreer · #10 06-28-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamarjones

denatured alcohol user here, no it won't hurt it. Not sure about months but I've had some sit for close to a month and it rocked when I took them out.

IMO this is the best method of re-utilizing strings. I've had 3 sets of DR hi beams I've been using for like 2-3 years, none have broke and they sound snappy every time I pull some out. Actually I've got a BUTTLOAD of sets now that have all been soaked and dont know what to do with them since I've really been using these three sets.

+1 on all that, including having tons of strings sitting around that I don't know what to do with. Literally, my strings last longer than my patience to stick with one brand...

stanknuckle · #11 06-29-2011, 01:11 AM

Denatured alcohol will preserve the strings too. As long as the container is air-tight so that condensation does not happen. Some of my strings rusted in denatured alcohol due to condensation build up.

ichadwick · #12 06-29-2011, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stanknuckle

Some of my strings rusted in denatured alcohol due to condensation build up.

Moisture will condense and fall to the bottom, so make sure your strings are not resting on the bottom of the container. Gently shake the container now and then to get any moisture that might be clinging to the strings to fall off.

Some of that moisture, however, will come from sweat trapped with oils and debris in the small crevices. I would think if you soak them in the alcohol for a short while, and agitate the container while doing so, then remove the strings and let them dry out in the air, any moisture trapped in the strings should evaporate. Then you can put them back in fresh alcohol.

Yes, an airtight container will help.

staindbass · #13 06-29-2011, 07:42 AM

i think a few hours would work fine in alcohol. is it 100% alcohol? some may contain water. read the ingredients . "inert" may equal water. the alcohol will leave a residue. put some on a piece of glass (like a pictureframe) and let it evaporate. you will see a pale whitish residue. i would boil them in water for 10 minutes. important point when boiling: the water must be at a rolling boil when you take the strings out. if you turn off the heat and the water is still when you take them out, oil floats and it will settle on top of the water. when you take them out you pull them through the layer of oil you are trying to get rid of and it coats the strings again.

LoveThatBass · #14 06-29-2011, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staindbass

i think a few hours would work fine in alcohol. is it 100% alcohol? some may contain water. read the ingredients . "inert" may equal water. the alcohol will leave a residue. put some on a piece of glass (like a pictureframe) and let it evaporate. you will see a pale whitish residue. i would boil them in water for 10 minutes. important point when boiling: the water must be at a rolling boil when you take the strings out. if you turn off the heat and the water is still when you take them out, oil floats and it will settle on top of the water. when you take them out you pull them through the layer of oil you are trying to get rid of and it coats the strings again.

Denatured Alcohol doesn't leave a film like Isotrophyl does. That is the reason tech's used it to clean VHS recorder heads in the past.

skidrawk · #15 06-29-2011, 08:05 AM

I don't soak mine at all. I just put on a fresh set and throw the old ones away. Hope this helps.

**zenrad** · #16 06-29-2011, 08:07 AM

Not to beat a dead horse but it kills me that people go through all kinds of steps to degrease stings with something other than a degreaser. No wonder there are so many musician jokes.

OhulahanBass · #17 09-12-2011, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenrad

Not to beat a dead horse but it kills me that people go through all kinds of steps to degrease stings with something other than a degreaser. No wonder there are so many musician jokes.

I am trying this for the first time, seems that both are solvents that will degrease, except one is more widely accepted than the other for cleaning strings, perhaps because it is commonly known not to have H2O.

I prefer DR NEONs so I'll try Naptha next if the Denatured Alcohol doesn't work well with NEONs. I really hope there is a way to rejuvenate the NEONs, otherwise it is back to sunbeams for me.

Arthur U. Poon · #18 09-15-2011, 02:42 PM

Does anyone have a picture of the air tight container they use to soak their strings in? I'm interested in trying DA soaking out, Thanks

OhulahanBass · #19 09-15-2011, 04:03 PM

I used a tupperware, be sure not to ever put food in afterwards since denatured alcohol has poison.

Pleased to announce DA works on NEONs!!!

Noticeably turned alcohol neon but left most of it on the strings and gave back the sizzle. would say they sound like new but newer.

lowendgenerator · #20 09-15-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhulahanBass

I used a tupperware, be sure not to ever put food in afterwards since denatured alcohol has poison.

Pleased to announce DA works on NEONs!!!

Noticeably turned alcohol neon but left most of it on the strings and gave back the sizzle. would say they sound like new but newer.

There's word on TB that soaking NEONS in DA will start to deteriorate the coating. That neon hue the DA takes? That's your coating melting off.

While we're on the subject, I just changed my alcohol out after 4, FOUR years. Man, that stuff got FOUL. It was almost brown, and there was almost a teaspoon of black metallic sludge at the bottom. It was still cleaning the strings fine, but they started coming out smelling like pickles.

Ill post up pics of my string tube from my mobile. It's just a simple PVC pipe with a threaded end and a capped end. Made in 2007, never leaked a drop.

EDIT:

Almost forgot why I posted here. I try not to leave my strings in there for long periods of time, I've had issues in the past with SS Lo Riders developing rust spots. Could have been that nasty brown pickle juice, but who knows.