Boiled my strings – what a difference!

[Killing Floor]

Only counts if you made tea

 

[bassboysam]

soak your strings overnight in denatured alcohol instead. Water will just lead to more rust.

 

[TLBass]

The 90's were so long ago... it's hard to remember. I think it was 2 weeks of crisp strings before they were dead again. Depends on how much you play... if you're playing just about every day... it will be less than 2 weeks. If only 2-3 times a week... maybe longer. Also depends on the quality of strings. Back in the day... Dean Markleys had a longer life than most other brands, even after 2-3 boiling sessions.

I boiled them for 2 minutes, using tongs to submerse them and take them out... and then quickly dried them off with a dish towel.

Doesn't sound too bad, and I presume meticulously scrubbing your hands with soap before playing (although it might make your skin too dry so I don't know how healthy that is) extends it, as doing with fresh strings does.

 

[TLBass]

soak your strings overnight in denatured alcohol instead. Water will just lead to more rust.

Boiling water (or preboiled water not exposed to new air) do not cause rust as it lacks dissolved oxygen.

And as I mentioned earlier, quickly drying the strings afterwards should reduce or completely prevent any microscopic layer of rust that might have formed had the strings been left to dry entirely on their own.

 

[bassboysam]

Boiling water (or preboiled water not exposed to new air) do not cause rust as it lacks dissolved oxygen.

And as I mentioned earlier, quickly drying the strings afterwards should reduce or completely prevent any microscopic layer of rust that might have formed had the strings been left to dry entirely on their own.

either way, i've had much better results with alchol than boiling water

 

[TLBass]

either way, i've had much better results with alchol than boiling water

It could be that some alcohol-dissolvable organic matter won't dislodge from the strings within a short boiling, but I think soaping them out got everything (this of course was under running water, so it has oxygen, but they were dried within a few minutes).

How are you soaking in the alcohol (I assume isopropyl) and do you save it for the next time?

 

[bassboysam]

It could be that some alcohol-dissolvable organic matter won't dislodge from the strings within a short boiling, but I think soaping them out got everything (this of course was under running water, so it has oxygen, but they were dried within a few minutes).

How are you soaking in the alcohol (I assume isopropyl) and do you save it for the next time?

if you don't mind the silks getting a little furry, just throw them into a container and immerse the strings overnight.

When Ibam done I put the alcohol back into the container and reuse. a bottle can last for years.

 

[TLBass]

I used to be super skeptical about boiling strings too, but I gave it a shot on my old set of Ernie Balls, and it made a world of difference. I think the key is getting all that gunk and residue off, and boiling seems to do the trick. One tip I’ve found helpful is adding a bit of baking soda to the boiling water. It seems to help break down the oils and grime even more effectively. I also try to make sure the strings are completely dry before putting them back on – I usually wipe them down with a microfiber cloth and let them air dry for a bit.

It seems baking soda might be able to saponify the fats after decomposing into sodium carbonate by the boiling heat, which would make them more soluble in water, but I wonder how much is actually needed to make a great difference. Since sodium bicarbonate/sodium carbonate is an electrolyte it could technically promote more rusting, but then again the boiling water should be oxygen free so it probably doesn't matter.

 

[GIBrat51]

Well...
There are 4 reasons I've never boiled bass strings;
1. I've never been in such dire financial straits that I've had to resort to trying to extend their life. But, I do understand - and sympathize - with those who are, or have been. In fact, more than once I've bought strings for friends - or given them strings from my stash - when they found themselves in that situation.
2. Since I learned to play bass in 1968 - on a '68 Rick 4001 with it's factory flats - I have hardly ever played a bass with rounds. In fact, only one of the 28 basses I currently own wears rounds; 2 wear tapes; and all the rest wear flats. Boiling flats - and especially tapes - is a real good way to kill them stone dead. So, I don't boil strings.
3. My hands hardly ever sweat; my body chemistry is very neutral. When I did use rounds on a new-to-me bass ( while deciding what strings it would eventually wear forever), some of those strings lasted me for 3 or 4 years. So, even if my basses did wear rounds for real? They would have lasted me plenty long enough to save up for a new set - if I had to. And...
4. I absolutely refuse to stand over a stove, cooking something that I can't eat...

 

[TLBass]

Well...
There are 4 reasons I've never boiled bass strings;
1. I've never been in such dire financial straits that I've had to resort to trying to extend their life. But, I do understand - and sympathize - with those who are, or have been. In fact, more than once I've bought strings for friends - or given them strings from my stash - when they found themselves in that situation.
2. Since I learned to play bass in 1968 - on a '68 Rick 4001 with it's factory flats - I have hardly ever played a bass with rounds. In fact, only one of the 28 basses I currently own wears rounds; 2 wear tapes; and all the rest wear flats. Boiling flats - and especially tapes - is a real good way to kill them stone dead. So, I don't boil strings.
3. My hands hardly ever sweat; my body chemistry is very neutral. When I did use rounds on a new-to-me bass ( while deciding what strings it would eventually wear forever), some of those strings lasted me for 3 or 4 years. So, even if my basses did wear rounds for real? They would have lasted me plenty long enough to save up for a new set - if I had to. And...
4. I absolutely refuse to stand over a stove, cooking something that I can't eat...

Well, another possible term for "eat" is "consume" and music can also be consumed, so one might say in other words you eat your music.

 

[DJ Bebop]

“We used to boil all our strings so all the crap would come off them. We couldn’t afford to buy new strings”: Geezer Butler explains how Black Sabbath managed to make ends meet as emerging heavy metal pioneers

 

[Jogobass]

All of these are good points. I will reiterate that my set is even somewhat rusty and this proves that isn't an end-all and be-all of a set's untimely death.

And I actually just now saw some video linked around here where someone claimed de-tuning and slapping (or more correctly popping) gunky strings vigorously brightens them up. Probably won't get nearly as much of the residue if it sits deep, but perhaps this is a good quick fix in many cases.

When I clean my strings and fretless fingerboard with GHS Fast Fret, I loosen the strings one by one to access the fingerboard with the applicator. I swear just loosening and tightening them does the trick. If I just clean them without loosening them it doesn't sound as bright.

It makes sense to me because Imagine those windings, stretched when the string is under tension. and then you loosen them, causing the windings to press against each other and loosening the gunk. Then I give them a good rub with the applicator and they are ready for another couple of weeks. Not as bright as boiling them. But my current set of roundwounds is still good after 1.5 years.