Aging your strings

[Honch]

Is this a joke? Prank? April fools day have passed.

There are numerous alloys and flats out there already that makes ample use of vintage sounds. If you just have to buy stainless steel roundwounds which are cryogencially treated I bet you have a problem. But play them old instead. You can buy flats, and PURE NICKEL half rounds. Or just turn the tone knob down a bit.

 

[IJBurns]

Good to know! I aged my pickups and pots yesterday and, AMAZING!!
All I did was pull the pup out of the cavity, cut some deep indentions into the windings(glued some foil pieces in some places) , coated in wd-40 and dipped the whole thing in rust shavings. Seriously sounds like a '63 P. For the pots it's even easier. Just dip them all in WD-40 then, while wet, dip them in dry soil. Install back on to the bass, give them good turn or two, then let dry. When I woke up all the pots were super crackly and my bass was getting that vintage "HUM". Ohhh sooo sweet.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

dead sounding strings is really easy - loosely put a sponge under your string just in front of the bridge.

 

[mcarp555]

The last time I changed strings on my P-bass was around 1981 (roundwounds).

 

[Chrisk-K]

If you like dead strings, why do you buy new strings???

 

[Joe Nerve]

There're times I read things, and I honestly have no idea if my leg is being pulled...?

You buy new strings, because (I'm assuming) the old ones are dead. So the first thing that you do, is apply a product to deaden the strings? Why not just keep the old ones on?

Boil them. Cleans them up, and they go dead pretty quickly on their own - usually 3-5 days - but now you have clean, dead strings.

LOL. My thoughts too.

Why buy new strings, if you like dead strings?

As fer that last part though... I boiled my strings once. I only broke a string in my life, once. It was when I boiled them.

 

[BigDrew]

Welp another new bass player mocked and turned away from Talkbass. Great job everyone. Just because you don't like an idea doesn't mean you should attack someone. There are a lot of Internet tough guys on this forum...I'm curious about how many would be this tough in person.

OP- thanks for sharing.

 

[LUCE]

I have a gorgeous set of real world Reliced TI flats available -- $500.

 

[faceless_master]

Is it summer already?

 

[Ric5]

I've seen many questions and comments about getting strings to sound older for a vintage sound.I lay my bass on a towel with strings up. Slip plastic wrap under the strings and tape it in place to protect the body. Use a tape that is easy to remove. Using shellac,dab a little on one string at a time and run up and down the string quickly to cover the string using your finger covered with a rubber glove.use just enough to wet each string. It will dry within minutes Have some denatured alcohol on a lint free cloth and wipe all the strings till you can't see or feel any shellac at all. This will all dry within minutes also. There you have it. No oil and remember ... nothing containing salt like chicken grease or potato chip oils.Salt will eat away at the metals over time whereas the shellac protects from dirt and salts from getting to the core of the strings.Don't have shellac? try a floor wax... acrilic is best.

I assume that the purpose of aging strings is to deaden them. If that is the case then all you need is a hot day with humidity ... play your bass for about 2 hours ... the oil and sweat from your fingers will "age" the strings very quickly ... they will sound like they aged 6 months

 

[HeavyJazz]

Soak them overnight in a glass of warm Budweiser and a sweaty sock. Works every time.

 

[AltGrendel]

I read an article way back in Guitar Player where Stephen Stills says he soaks his bass strings in BBQ Sauce.

Didn't mention a brand though.

 

[Lowendtech]

I have a gorgeous set of real world Reliced TI flats available -- $500.

Oohhh.drool I'll take them.
Please ship them to me under tension on a 45 year old P bass for their protection.

I almost never change my strings. Unless I want to try a different set of flats.

 

[DonBorelli]

This can't be for real.

Just play them. They'll sound right before long.

No reason to belittle methods like that.
A lot of great players have resorted to tricks like that in order to get the tone in their head fast...Like right now because you have to lay down a track tomorrow... and not two months from now.

 

[lz4005]

I read an article way back in Guitar Player where Stephen Stills says he soaks his bass strings in BBQ Sauce.

Didn't mention a brand though.

That was sarcasm.

 

[Steadfast]

I know where you can find some soiled g strings.

 

[michael_t]

Welp another new bass player mocked and turned away from Talkbass. Great job everyone.

This thread was started on the same day the OP joined the forum. If he had done any research on the topic, he would have known this is exactly how the thread would turn out.

@BadBud, welcome to TalkBass!

 

[AltGrendel]

That was sarcasm.

Yes, yes it was. Good of you to recognize it.

 

[lz4005]

Yes, yes it was. Good of you to recognize it.

It seems obvious, but so many TB people think things like that are literal.

People still bring up Jaco and chicken grease all the time.

 

[Steadfast]

Jaco is chicken grease