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Boiling Strings?
- Thread starter Brendan
- Start date
I use one of the plastic clamp string cleaners with the microfiber cloth lining and soak with alcohol from a mister bottle. I don't wait for them to dead out... I do it fairly regular to keep the gunk beaten back...
I boiled my strings quite often as a young guy, when I was a bit short on cash. IMO it helps some; it doesn't rejuvenate the strings to "Like New" condition, and for me, they would go back to sounding dead rather quickly, but it seemed to help.
I've always wanted to try soaking my used strings in denatured alcohol.
I've always wanted to try soaking my used strings in denatured alcohol.
I did it a few times in the early days to return my round wounds to a like-new sound for a recording.
Boil in a pan on stove for 10-20 minutes in a mixture of water, and some white vinegar. Let cool. Soak in plain cold water. Dry on towel overnight.
Will restore that new lustre for a couple days.
Will weaken strings if repeated many times on same set.
Boil in a pan on stove for 10-20 minutes in a mixture of water, and some white vinegar. Let cool. Soak in plain cold water. Dry on towel overnight.
Will restore that new lustre for a couple days.
Will weaken strings if repeated many times on same set.
I usually boil my strings for 10-15 minutes, and try not to go over 20 at the most. Big pot, strings individually loosely coiled and covered with baking soda. Gets all the gunk build up off and restores the brightness in roundwounds. Usually don't do it more than twice to a set.
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Used to boil strings many years ago. Soaking in alcohol works way better. Way better.
Don't get the stuff at the grocery or drug store - it's usually at least 30% water (because it's intended for first aid/medical use as a disinfectant). Get it at the hardware store, it'll be in the paint section with the solvents.
You'll want to soak in a tightly sealable container like a jar or something, 'cause pure alcohol evaporates really fast. Close the jar up tight after; you can reuse the alcohol a bunch of times.
The best rig is to get a section of 3/4" pvc pipe and two caps. Cut the pipe to 4' or so. Glue a cap on one end so it doesn't leak, insert strings, fill with alcohol. Push (don't glue) the other cap on the top of the pipe, tight. Let soak overnight. Remove freshened/clean strings, return the alcohol to it's container for reuse.
Don't get the stuff at the grocery or drug store - it's usually at least 30% water (because it's intended for first aid/medical use as a disinfectant). Get it at the hardware store, it'll be in the paint section with the solvents.
You'll want to soak in a tightly sealable container like a jar or something, 'cause pure alcohol evaporates really fast. Close the jar up tight after; you can reuse the alcohol a bunch of times.
The best rig is to get a section of 3/4" pvc pipe and two caps. Cut the pipe to 4' or so. Glue a cap on one end so it doesn't leak, insert strings, fill with alcohol. Push (don't glue) the other cap on the top of the pipe, tight. Let soak overnight. Remove freshened/clean strings, return the alcohol to it's container for reuse.
BTW - vinegar is a mild acid. It will clean the gunk off your strings, but it's also eating a tiny bit of your strings at the same time.
I don't know how much vinegar affects nickel and stainless steel, but I can tell you that it's a bad idea to leave a bit of vinegar in an aluminum pan in your garage for a few days. The vinegar "escaped" the pan, so to speak....... onto the concrete floor, of course, which now has a nice little reminder....... a pit, about 2 inches in diameter, an inch or so deep.
Alcohol is a solvent, won't damage metal at all.
I don't know how much vinegar affects nickel and stainless steel, but I can tell you that it's a bad idea to leave a bit of vinegar in an aluminum pan in your garage for a few days. The vinegar "escaped" the pan, so to speak....... onto the concrete floor, of course, which now has a nice little reminder....... a pit, about 2 inches in diameter, an inch or so deep.
Alcohol is a solvent, won't damage metal at all.
I used to boil dead round wounds with a touch of dish soap, and it works temporarily ... now I just get new strings.
They sure smell good too.
Add to the list:
=1"]Search Results for Query: boiling strings | TalkBass.com
They sure smell good too.
Add to the list:
=1"]Search Results for Query: boiling strings | TalkBass.com
Boiling strings is an old wives' tale, no one should be doing this in 2017. A set of backup strings cost like 20 bucks...
Whenever someone make a new thread about something that already has a thread, everyone scolds the OP about it.
Whenever someone adds to the discussion in an old thread, someone laments the fact that an old thread was revived.
Can't win for losin'
Whenever someone make a new thread about something that already has a thread, everyone scolds the OP about it.
Whenever someone adds to the discussion in an old thread, someone laments the fact that an old thread was revived.
Can't win for losin'
This thread was the first thing to come up in my google search, so...
I Am going to try the alcohol trick.
What to use???
Does Methylated spirits count or something stronger???
So I leave in a jar of alcohol for overnight, or for 24 or 48 hours??
Once done, how long do I leave to dry? Thanks
I heard someone mention WD40 also??
I Am going to try the alcohol trick.
What to use???
Does Methylated spirits count or something stronger???
So I leave in a jar of alcohol for overnight, or for 24 or 48 hours??
Once done, how long do I leave to dry? Thanks
I heard someone mention WD40 also??
Holy Zombie Thread!...........
Back before zombies, I used to boil strings to get a few extra gigs out of them. I played rounds back then, Dads or Ernie Ball, and it sorta worked. Now that I'm playing flats, they get soaked in de-natured alcohol for about a week. It cleans out the gunk and brings back some top end which I like. I can get 4-6 months between soakings depending on the number of gigs. I have one set of Chromes that are about 4 years old and they still sound good.
B.
Back before zombies, I used to boil strings to get a few extra gigs out of them. I played rounds back then, Dads or Ernie Ball, and it sorta worked. Now that I'm playing flats, they get soaked in de-natured alcohol for about a week. It cleans out the gunk and brings back some top end which I like. I can get 4-6 months between soakings depending on the number of gigs. I have one set of Chromes that are about 4 years old and they still sound good.
B.
I LOVE zombie threads!!! IMO, why pose the same question over and over again?? Just reply to the first thread on the subject. Anyway...
Quite sure you can find "denatured alcohol" down under somewhere (building supply or hardware store). Get an elongated plastic storage container of some kind and pour the alcohol into it about an inch deep (2-3 cm). Take your strings (assuming you already removed them from your bass), bunch them up, and gradually pass them through the denatured alcohol (I move them around to ensure the alcohol penetrates them thoroughly).
Upon removal, I dry them with a towel and then let them air dry. After a few minutes (this gives me time to clean/polish my bass, the frets, etc. - whatever else I need to do) I install them back on the bass. Let air dry some more; the tension will pull the windings apart slightly and allow them to dry better. Viola, clean strings!
I use Kalium balanced strings and they last me an extremely long time. I like to clean them to remove any oils that may have built up from play - why replace perfectly good strings every three months?? They need maintenance, just like anything else; it's not a 'cheap' thing at all, but if I don't have to shell out $$$ for a new set, why do it?
Side notes: I have some PVC pipe that made into a string cleaner but don't feel that they need to be soaked for long - the quick bath in the alcohol works fine, and done often enough will keep them in good shape. It also uses less alcohol than my pipe thingy.
Disclaimer: this is just my opinion, and YMMV, but give it a whirl and best of luck. And thanks for bringing back an old thread!
Raz
I haven't done this in a long time, but I used to use a 75%/25% mix of water and vinegar. I would boil them about a half hour.
I did notice a previous post that recommended remove the strings from the bass before boiling them. Yeah, I wish I'd know that then.
I did notice a previous post that recommended remove the strings from the bass before boiling them. Yeah, I wish I'd know that then.
What smells better, boiling the strings on or off the bass??
