Gamut strings Maintainance?

NielsDale · #1 06-06-2010, 01:31 PM

Hello-
I have been playing my gamut strings for a month now

and they are amazing- they sound better and better ;but how to take care of them?
Can i use ordinary olive oil or what to do?

Thanks -
Niels Dale

Mark Perna · #2 06-06-2010, 01:40 PM

Here is my special maintenance regimen: I do absolutely NOTHING. I don't even wipe them down. The D is a year old. The G is only about 7 months. A is over a year old and the E is a 10 month old Garbo so nevermind about that one. I have had NO problems with the strings and so far they've lasted longer than any set of Spiros I've ever used.

My D and G are varnished, if that makes a difference.

mark

Marcus Johnson · #3 06-06-2010, 01:45 PM

Same here. So far, I've seen only ONE little tiny hair that needed trimming, and this is a set that's been played hard by me on a nightly basis, and by Mark before that. Mine are varnished too. I'll wipe off any rosin gunk that's accumulated, but that's it. Headache-free guts.

NielsDale · #4 06-06-2010, 03:29 PM

Thank alot !
Nielsdahl

Marcus Johnson · #5 06-06-2010, 05:05 PM

You know... we really need a DB version of this guy >

William Hoffman · #6 06-07-2010, 12:46 AM

i agree the Gamuts really are low maintenance.

you might want to keep an eye out for little hairs on the unwound buts. not that there are many, but once in a while i find a hair splitting off. i use 800 weight sandpaper to brush lightly running against the direction of the hair until it is smooth.

also, maybe once a year i notice the guts are getting dry (they look dry, feel dry, and they get lighter in color) and i rub on a drop of Pirastro string oil. other oils will work too.

but i don't know what would result if i did nothing like Mark. i've heard guts can unravel if a hair is not trimmed or removed. and i do not really know the benefit of the oil, except they feel smoother after the oil.

Mark Perna · #7 06-07-2010, 02:46 AM

I have clipped a couple of hairs using nail clippers. I've not seen any on the Pistoys I'm using now. I did see a couple when I was using Lyons. Very rare though. I don't oil the strings. I'm not sure oil would do anything on a varnished string anyway other than make it slippery.

mark

salcott · #8 06-08-2010, 01:05 PM

My advice after a bad experience with oil is to leave them alone. Trim or sand the whiskers as needed to keep them from unraveling and play on.

davidAaronCarte · #9 06-08-2010, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

You know... we really need a DB version of this guy >

Double bassist, no?

Marcus Johnson · #10 06-08-2010, 06:08 PM

Hah! Guess that will have to suffice....

MollyKay · #11 06-08-2010, 07:23 PM

I have three years playing time on my full set of Gamut medium lights with nary a whimper…they are great strings. My 1940 Epiphone just booms with these strings. The worn out sandpaper to keep the hairs away works better then the nail clippers for me. I have not used oil on the strings but do wipe them down.

Last Thursday night at an open jam I felt like I barely had to touch the G string and I was stupid loud. The bass and the strings make me a much better player then I really am…I have no plans to change this combination.

Nuno A. · #12 06-09-2010, 03:30 AM

I also use thin sandpaper for the hairs and after i put on a rag a bit of Baby Oil and apply on the strings. i do this maybe every 4 months or so, i prefer baby oil to olive oil, olive oil will eventually get rancid and baby oil smell better.
just my $0.02 of course

Nuno

Nuno A. · #13 06-09-2010, 06:35 AM

I posted this on the other gut string thread but i thought it would be of some interest here too, so ill re-post it here too, if its not allowed, please erase the post.

I would like to write something that i think (i dont know, didnt read all pages right now

) that no one posted is that gut strings will stretch and will get thinner with time, so the tension will get lower. Im noticing this with the G Gut string that we now have, the gauge of the string is 2,25 mm, after 3 months of being on the bass, the string has a bit less than 2,10 mm and feels a little lighter now. its pretty stable now for a couple of weeks.

Nuno

salcott · #14 06-09-2010, 08:29 AM

Molly's got the right idea, I think. When we pay this much for a set of strings, we worry more about taking care of them, which leads to over-maintenance.

Nathan Parker · #15 06-09-2010, 09:16 AM

How do you guys feel about really fine steel wool on your strings, like the 0000 variety? I did it once and enjoyed the results, but don't wanna overdo it if people have had bad experiences.

Also, what grain sandpaper are we talkin' here? 1000+ or lower than that?

Gearhead43 · #16 06-09-2010, 10:51 AM

I use 600 grit - and only if they absolutely need it, which with the varnished Gamuts is very rare, if ever, needed. With cheaper unvarnished guts it's needed more often and I do oil those.

I find that the sanding takes off the hairs much more effectively when the gut is dry - then I oil afterwards.

Nuno A. · #17 06-10-2010, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

I use 600 grit - and only if they absolutely need it, which with the varnished Gamuts is very rare, if ever, needed. With cheaper unvarnished guts it's needed more often and I do oil those.

I find that the sanding takes off the hairs much more effectively when the gut is dry - then I oil afterwards.

ditto