I don't know how popular of a trick this among the bass-playing community (hopefully more so than I think it is), but I have found that boiling strings in water for a few minutes once the strings lose their brightness helps prolong their life by several weeks. This has yet to damage any steel or nickel-plated strings, but I am currently employing a set of Optima 24K gold-plated strings, and I wanted to hear from someone who has done this with no adverse effects (or someone with a broader grasp of metallurgy than I) before I put the pot on the stove. Will I do any damage to the coating on the strings, or am I just being overly cautious?
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Boiling Gold Strings?
- Thread starter PartyFindsYOU
- Start date
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed], or I get mine on E bay from a seller called Gary Gear for $80 ish. Well worth the money. Here is a pic of them on my 4 string Raven West
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Nickel is 28 on the periodic table
Gold is 79
Nickel melts at 2,651 farenheit
Gold melts at 1,948 farenheit
Gold can be applied much thinner than nickel though (gold plated jewelry is usually just gold leaf which is very very thin), so a super thin coat will probably be on the strings as well. We are talking microns thin.
I would look up how to clean gold plated jewelry / gold filled jewelry.
(I would just soak in warm water if anything, but you may cause more issues with the steel core than anything else, weaken that then you are stuck with 24K coated bracelet material.
Gold is 79
Nickel melts at 2,651 farenheit
Gold melts at 1,948 farenheit
Gold can be applied much thinner than nickel though (gold plated jewelry is usually just gold leaf which is very very thin), so a super thin coat will probably be on the strings as well. We are talking microns thin.
I would look up how to clean gold plated jewelry / gold filled jewelry.
(I would just soak in warm water if anything, but you may cause more issues with the steel core than anything else, weaken that then you are stuck with 24K coated bracelet material.
My knowledge with these strings is they don't tarnish. The sweat don't stick to them therefor they last a lot longer. I had a set on my old Epi Embassy for 2 years and they were just as good when I sold it as the day I put them on. I also find that for the first couple of months the strings are on they only sound so so. But after they are broken in they are amazing
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Boiling strings? That has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Do you also change the air in your tires?
212 Degrees F is not hot enough to make any significant molecular structural change in steel. What boiling might do it dislodge any dirt, oil or grime in the windings that may be dampening the sound. Strings go dead because they lose their elasticity, and can't produce the energy to propagate vibrations as when they're new. Core wire oxidizes, becomes twisted and uneven in diameter AND wrap wire begins to loosen and slip slightly, and frets wear into the wrap wire... all as a result of the normal stresses of playing. When you remove your strings, thereby releasing the load tension, and then RESTRING them, thereby restoring the load tension, it RELOCATES where the wraps contact the core which temporarily restores the string's ability to vibrate a little better. That's the PRIMARY reason why they become resurrected for a few weeks when you re-load them. Of course, anything that cleans them well is also a good thing so soak them in Bison Drool, WD-40, Hai Karate, boil them and serve them with a jar of Ragu... whatever you like, you have my support!
LOL! Now if you really want marinara strings, try the GHS Infinity Steel MST Reds.
Ive had Optima Maxima 24K Golds on one of my Jazzes for about five years now and I love em but would never boil them for the reasons stated above. I did wipe them down with denatured alcohol about two years ago, which cleaned them up a bit and restored some sonic brightness. However, this particular set is getting near the end of its useful life, so Ive got a new set standing by which will go on soon. Theyre definitely pricey strings, but to Strat Haters point, well worth it, IMHO.
The GHS are tasty, but a little too Al Dente for my palette. Anyway, the gold plating on the Optimas removes yet another variable, the one of OXIDATION, which contributes to tone loss as well. Gold is a Noble Metal, which doesn't oxidize and 24K, even a thin plating, has a lot of Gold in it. I think players who prefer bright strings avoid the Optimas because they can be too mellow on some basses since the Gold is pretty soft. I use them whenever I can on any bass that complements their tone. IMO they are worth the money.LOL! Now if you really want marinara strings, try the GHS Infinity Steel MST Reds.
Ive had Optima Maxima 24K Golds on one of my Jazzes for about five years now and I love em but would never boil them for the reasons stated above. I did wipe them down with denatured alcohol about two years ago, which cleaned them up a bit and restored some sonic brightness. However, this particular set is getting near the end of its useful life, so Ive got a new set standing by which will go on soon. Theyre definitely pricey strings, but to Strat Haters point, well worth it, IMHO.
Hey, I'm always up for science blindings and pasta-based humor. The guy who imparted that knowledge to me has been in the biz for quite some time, so it comes as no surprise to me that newer, better methods have come around. I went ahead and restrung the strings, and they do sound brighter. Thanks for the advice.
My pleasure. To answer your question (which I neglected to do in my never-ending quest for a chuckle or two), you will NOT damage your strings if you boil them. Any method of cleaning strings either on or off the bass is a good practice. But removing and re-stringing does extend the life somewhat.
I boiled strings several times and gave up on it; just didn't seem to do much apart from the short-term recovery of brightness from restringing.
OTOH, the alcohol soak works, period. I'll get three passes out of a set of strings (new, soaked once, soaked again), routinely. Brings them back almost to like new. I junk them after the third use because the windings have gotten beaten up from contact with the frets.
OTOH, the alcohol soak works, period. I'll get three passes out of a set of strings (new, soaked once, soaked again), routinely. Brings them back almost to like new. I junk them after the third use because the windings have gotten beaten up from contact with the frets.
As far as I can see, the only benefit boiling has over an alcohol soak is speed. I can see why you'd give them a boil if you forgot to buy new strings and you're just about to head in for a recording session, but other than that, I can't see any benefits.
If you're set on boiling them though, I wouldn't be worried about the gold coming off.
If you're set on boiling them though, I wouldn't be worried about the gold coming off.
That's right... boiling will not destroy a Gold or a Nickel plating. Let's just make sure we don't recommend these practices to our buddies who use Coated strings. Personally, I don't use coateds such as Elixr or EXP but I imagine that boiling or soaking could compromise the coating. Of course, there's always the Flamethrower method (remove strings from bass first) or the ECT Method of connecting each string to the car battery. Red is Positive, Black is Negative!
