How To Make Strings Last...No Boiling, Alcohol Etc.

[Slats]

Strings get dead quickly when they get gunk off your fingertips imbedded in the string windings. There is all kinds of stuff there even if you have washed your hands with soap and water.

If you have washed your hands with soap and water you have probably added more gunk than the guy/gal next to you who didn't wash their hands at all....'cept for the one who just had fried chicken. Anyway soap and water is the culprit here.

Soap contains fats and conditioners and fragrances etc.

Use dishwashing detergent mixed 50/50 with water to wash your hands before playing your instrument!

Dishwashing detergent is formulated to cut through those additives and cut the grease from the hands of the guy that just ate the fried chicken and picked up your bass!

Boiling and using isopropyl alcohol helps in that they are solvents that cut through the gunk that not washing at all....or using soap and water to wash your hands does not remove.

A friend of mine in 1968 pointed this out and, 'til this day, all my "soap" dispensers in my house now have a 50/50 mixture of dishwashing detergent and water. Thanks Greg!

[double-muff]

water = rust

?

[Slats]

Ummm Fe + H2O = Rust

Just clowning double-muff, seriously I'm not sure what you're saying or possibly asking. Please rephrase if there is a response wanted.

[Modern Growl]

Here's what you do.... or better stated, here's what I do.
When I practice, (and I sweat)... I have my practice area with a fan on me, specifally my fretting hand. The air keeps it cool and dry.

I also have a terry cloth that I'll use to dry my hands and strings while practicing.

This extends the life greatly.

The (i know your not looking for this) but Denatured Alcohol works, set will last you at a minimum of one more round. After that it they start to sound wierd... but you DO get one more good use out of them

[fretlessguy]

The simple act of wiping your strings off after playing, which would include underneath them on the bottom and the fretboard as well helps a great deal.

[Craig_S]

Bah! Gunk 'em up! They sound better.

[Slats]

I've been corrected...it's dish detergent like Palmolive dish detergent mixed 50/50 with water....not dishwasher detergent (to be used in a dishwasher) that we need to use to keep our strings clean.

Give it a try and please let me know your results!

[SteveC]

I just suck it up and buy a new set when needed.

[Craig_S]

play 'em dead and add the highs back in with a sonic maximizer.

[Slats]

SteveC, you are a man who does not mind ponying up for the cost of new strings when needed. Congrats dude! For the rest of us not in SteveC's income bracket try the 'Slats' original formula.

[WJGreer]

I bet your approach works. But, personally, I avoid anything that will soften my hands before a set. I avoid washing them at all without enough time for them to totally dry off before I start playing. It can be a little embarrassing in the restroom between sets, but I don't want my hands to feel at all sticky, nor do I want to risk what little callous material I have developed.

I happen to be a big denatured alcohol guy, though. I have two sets of strings for each bass, and rotate them off the bass and into denatured alcohol. I change them out once a year, or less.