Will steel wool clean string!?!?!

azfryguy · #1 12-23-2010, 12:18 AM

I just this very second had an idea to take the old strings off my bass and clean them with #0000 steel wool. Does anyone have and experience doing this? My theory is if steel wool with clean and polish metal ans string are made of metal soo why not?

David1234 · #2 12-23-2010, 12:21 AM

I've no experience doing it but I'd advise against it anyway.

1. You might get little shards of steel stuck in the string, which can cut your fingers.
2. You might get bits of steel stuck to the pickups and lost inside the bass.
3. Steel dust in the pots? Unlikely but a disaster.

Just try boiling them! Or replacing them!

spaz21387 · #3 12-23-2010, 12:21 AM

just be careful to not do this anywhere near your bass. the steel wool will end up coming apart and leaving chunks stuck to your pickups. Also clean the strings and make sure theres not any steel wool stuck to the strings because it will end up stuck to the magnets on your pickups.

darkstorm · #4 12-23-2010, 12:22 AM

Terrible idea. That will mainly just result in haveing a lot of steel wood shavings caught in the windings which then become little splinters in your fingers.

rodl2005 · #5 12-23-2010, 12:28 AM

I use the Alcohol/methylated Spirits in a sealed container method. I get 3,4 or more "new" sets out of each set this way.

As long as ya take the string OFF the bass It'd be OK I s'pose, but I'd STILL MUCH prefer & recommend the Alcohol method.

Leave a set in denatured alcohol overnight, hang up to dry for a day - & viola (is that a word/instrument) a VERY close to new set of strings!

Foamy · #6 12-23-2010, 12:40 AM

Just
don't
do
it
:-)

Shoewreck · #7 12-23-2010, 12:42 AM

You don't need to polish your strings, you need to remove the dirt stuck between and under windings. Steel wool won't do that.

Momizix · #8 12-23-2010, 05:03 AM

Just take Denatured Alcohol and soak em for a while.

FunkMetalBass · #9 12-23-2010, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoewreck

You don't need to polish your strings, you need to remove the dirt stuck between and under windings. Steel wool won't do that.

This. Visually bright strings will not improve tone because a majority of the gunk (including the polishing compound you're adding) is still in between the wraps.

Tim Skaggs · #10 12-23-2010, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

This. Visually bright strings will not improve tone because a majority of the gunk (including the polishing compound you're adding) is still in between the wraps.

All the other posts about getting the wool dust on your pups and other messy outcomes are correct, but even if you take all precautions, the quote above is the final answer. You might improve the strings' looks, but not their sound.

groooooove · #11 12-23-2010, 09:48 AM

.0000 can clean your fingerboard.. not strings though..

Sam Hain · #12 12-23-2010, 10:13 AM

If they are really nasty try and ultrasonic jewelry cleaner.

azfryguy · #13 12-23-2010, 11:36 AM

I probably should have added when I need new strings I take out a small loan and just buy them. However it was 11 last night and i did not think any place was open, either way I did not try it. Haha I have made the mistake of not masking my pickups when I use steel wool to clean my frets, haha a huge mess to say the least! While were on this subject I can imagine SW would just scratch up the wood on your fingerboard. Has anyone tried it?

FunkMetalBass · #14 12-23-2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azfryguy

I probably should have added when I need new strings I take out a small loan and just buy them. However it was 11 last night and i did not think any place was open, either way I did not try it. Haha I have made the mistake of not masking my pickups when I use steel wool to clean my frets, haha a huge mess to say the least! While were on this subject I can imagine SW would just scratch up the wood on your fingerboard. Has anyone tried it?

Every time I change strings, I rub the fretboard and frets with steel wool. I blow the shavings off and use a clean rag + mineral oil to clean and oil the fretboard wood.

Your fretboard wood will be fine. It's probably not finished to anything higher than 600-grit sandpaper and it's uncommon for anything other than maple to be sealed. I've never seen any scratching on any of my rosewood or maple boards.

RustyAxe · #15 12-23-2010, 11:46 AM

Back in the day we'd boil our strings ... yep. Take 'em off, drop 'em into a pot of boiling water, and let 'em steep for a while. All the gunk comes off. The water (bass broth) has magical properties, and will make you play like Jamerson ... really ...

azfryguy · #16 12-23-2010, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

Every time I change strings, I rub the fretboard and frets with steel wool. I blow the shavings off and use a clean rag + mineral oil to clean and oil the fretboard wood.

Your fretboard wood will be fine. It's probably not finished to anything higher than 600-grit sandpaper and it's uncommon for anything other than maple to be sealed. I've never seen any scratching on any of my rosewood or maple boards.

really so all of this time i have been taping off my wood when i clean the frets has been wasted?!?!?!?!?

Also I have the dunlop 65 kit not mineral oil but will it work just as good

BTW i have an Ibanez 2001 SR 605

ehque · #17 12-23-2010, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Hain

If they are really nasty try and ultrasonic jewelry cleaner.

This is what i would do if i didn't just throw dead strings away.

bassbenj · #18 12-26-2010, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azfryguy

I just this very second had an idea to take the old strings off my bass and clean them with #0000 steel wool. Does anyone have and experience doing this? My theory is if steel wool with clean and polish metal ans string are made of metal soo why not?

Right idea. Wrong application. The right application is to rub down ground wound NEW strings before putting them on the bass. These strings tend to have a "sticky" feeling that is removed by the rub down. But be SURE to not do this on the bass! Steel "fuzz" on your pickups is a NIGHTMARE to remove!

Round wound strings on the other hand tend to develop gunk in the crevices. The old school cleaning method was to boil them! I don't like that myself since the water inside the strings can cause more problems than the cleaning solves. I prefer to use a strong solvent. Brake cleaner or carb cleaner at an auto parts store works well. Note again that this MUST be done with the strings off and AWAY from the bass. This stuff eats finishes. I just put the strings in a large can, spray them with cleaner swish it around and let them soak for a while. Repeat and dry over a warm register or with a hair dryer.

Better still is to not let gunk build up! Wash your hands before playing and when done wipe down strings with 91% isopropyl alcohol. (get it at CVS Pharmacy) It's pretty mild on finishes but DO test your finish in a hidden spot first. I did strip the silver logos off of some pickups wiping down the strings like this.

Precautions and cleaning can save some money but it's no miracle. Each time you clean the strings to revive them the time until they go dead again gets shorter and shorter. After a couple of revivals it's just not worth doing it any more.

Omnipharious · #19 12-26-2010, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

Back in the day we'd boil our strings ... yep. Take 'em off, drop 'em into a pot of boiling water, and let 'em steep for a while. All the gunk comes off. The water (bass broth) has magical properties, and will make you play like Jamerson ... really ...

Well, "RustyAxe" that's a bad idea. Water and metal never mix. It might make your strings sound better for a day or two, but it can rust them, and make them even worse if you boil them.

Floyd Eye · #20 12-26-2010, 07:09 AM

Man, just buy some new strings, are you kidding me?

You know, if you clean your strings with something like, say Fast Fret, after every time you play, they will last a very long time.

Steel wool is definitely going to do some damage to any roundwound string and flats are supposed to be dead anyway so.......