college student looking for cheap way to clean strings???

[thesaddpenguin]

I was wondering if I could clean my strings somehow? Any recommendations for anything would be appreciated. There is some rosin on them, and just some gunk. I was considering taking the strings off and boiling them. I've done it to electric strings, to clean them primarily, not really for an extended string life. I'm a college student, and I don't have any money to spare, so anything I can do that doesn't involve me having to take out a loan would be sweet. Any takers?

[Jonny B]

I use Fast Fret on my electrics. I don't play DB so I couldn't say for sure that it's going to work for you. You can get Fast Fret at your local music store for about six to seven bucks.

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by thesaddpenguin

I was wondering if I could clean my strings somehow? Any recommendations for anything would be appreciated. There is some rosin on them, and just some gunk. I was considering taking the strings off and boiling them. I've done it to electric strings, to clean them primarily, not really for an extended string life. I'm a college student, and I don't have any money to spare, so anything I can do that doesn't involve me having to take out a loan would be sweet. Any takers?

I keep several packaged alcohol wipes (for cleaning eyeglasses) in my gig bag so I can wipe my strings down without carrying a bottle of alcohol to gigs - very handy, especially when playing outdoors.

When I'm at home, I just wipe down the strings with cottonballs dampened with alcohol - being careful not to allow alcohol to drip onto my bass and soften the finish.

[Reuben]

I used to use WD-40, but my favorite is Brute after-shave. It smells better and works just as well. As it has been said, don't get any on the finish!

[CPike]

I have found that naptha (lighter fluid) works well and the risk to damaging the finish is much less than with alcohol.

[world.jeremy]

The best way to clean your strings is to use rubbing alcohol. Use a rag, open the bottle, and put the rag over top, tip it upside down to just get a little bit on there, and clean away. Just put it in a stand, or get it upright, and clean away. Undo one string at a time, and you can clean all strings quite easily.

[drurb]

...and forget the boiling.

[John Wentzien]

ZIPPO lighter fluid.

[Michael Case]

What ever happened to a simple rag? I use an old washcloth to wipe my strings down, that takes the rosin and any finger gunk off the strings. When the strings REALLY need it (once a month), a little rubbing alcohol and a paper towel works great.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Michael Case

What ever happened to a simple rag? I use an old washcloth to wipe my strings down, that takes the rosin and any finger gunk off the strings. When the strings REALLY need it (once a month), a little rubbing alcohol and a paper towel works great.

I agree. I wipe my strings down with a soft cloth after playing. I may wipe them down several times during a gig. By doing this religiously, I have avoided the need for alcohol or other solvents.

[toman]

I keep a small piece of Scotch-Brite pad (the green one) in my bow case and use that on my strings between gigs/rehersals/practice sessions. I'll also use a little rubbing alcohol on a rag now and then, particularly if I've been using more rosin than normal for whatever reason. When I do this, I clean the whole string length, not just the "bow zone". I'm not very good about washing my hands before playing, and I often snack while practicing, so I figure I might as well get all that Cheetos gunk, peanut butter and hot sauce off as well as the rosin! As long as I'm at it, I use the same rag/alcohole to get the rosin off my bridge; I hate when that gets all built up and funky.

[littlekatie]

Spot of gin on a soft cloth, for gods sake don't get it on the varnish and no drinking the gin until you've cleaned your strings and put the bass well away

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by littlekatie

Spot of gin on a soft cloth, for gods sake don't get it on the varnish and no drinking the gin until you've cleaned your strings and put the bass well away

That's a first for me! Most of the bass/alcohol interfaces in my career have been unintended.

[FunkyFlashFive]

rag everyday + alcohol pads on occasion work well for me.

[nastyn8c]

You have to make sure whatever you use contains no water. This is why denatured alcohol is so nice. In fact, I see you are from Tampa, and I happen to have some laying around (my profile says Miami, but I'm home in New Tampa for the summer). PM me if you're interested in taking it. I've used it on only one set of strings, and I'd hate to waste it.

[CamMcIntyre]

I use the green scotch pad to get most of it off and then follow with the alcohol on an old t-shirt.

A side comment-when i was playing primarily BG i spent far more on strings than i do on DB even now when i'm playing easy 4+hrs daily [i change my DB strings about once a year]. When i played BG i was going through about a set a month or so. I never thought that Spirocores would seem cheap to Ernie Ball Slinkys.

[Kaden]

i use a very soft piece of steel wool to take all of the rosin off my strings and just wipe them down with a dish rag and it works like a dream.

[smbear]

Bassists and alcohol - hmm -- am I hearing a theme here? But seriously, folks . . . I usually wipe down my strings with an old gym sock (washed, of course -- good way to get more life out of those old gym sox too). Every once in a while, I'll use a sock with some alcohol and run it down the entire length of the string. (I'll have to try that gin variation ) Wiping after playing is a good practice and will lengthen the life of your strings; I keep an old sock in my gig bag.

[Eli_Upright12]

Make sure you go to a hardware store and get DENATURED alcohol not just any spirit or alcohol based solvent and as always keep it away from the varnish it will dissolve it thoroughly.

[Pete G]

You can get rosin off strings completely (and not abrade the strings) with a copper scouring pad -- sold at many large grocery stores for less than a buck.

I used to use metal scouring pads or steel wool, but they will abrade the metal on the strings, and you don't want that.