Recent content by BillMorrison

I used to use olive oil, but I learned that it's slightly acidic and over time can degrade the string. Almond oil is a good alternative.

With that kind of heat and humidity, I'm sure strings wouldn't last nearly as long, although I think that a bit of light oiling would extend the life somewhat, as long as you start with the oiling routine when the strings are fairly new. Once they've developed some "frizzies" from the humidity...

Occasionally I sand bad spots on the string, but I use a much finer grit--I get sheets of Micro-mesh, which start at around 1500 grit--I've used 1500 and 2400. But I'm not trying to revive an entire string in those cases -- just going after small trouble spots. But thanks to the ultrafine grit...

I divide gut string noises into creaks, rattles, and buzzes. They're all annoying, but distinct in their causes. Creaking can come from a freshly oiled board. Wipe as much oil off as possible, play on it for a while, and it should go away. Might take a few days, though. I've dealt with...