boiling strings

Well, I used to boil strings, but soon found out that though gained some of that ziing, they actually sounded tamer and weaker after a short while. I wouldn't boil a set of strings more than once or twice. Now I just buy a new set every second month. I've heard of a product called String Life, which should make your strings last longer, but haven't tried it, though...

 

DON'T USE boiling water.
Use alcohol (at room temperature) instead.

This belongs in Strings and have been covered extensively there (search works again).

 

Your in the wrong forum ,and as far as boiling strings:i have never needed to do it because i like a dead sounding bass(i use flat wounds and nylon coated)BUT i have read both positive and negitive responses about this practice,and there was'nt any definitly for sure,positively for certain,absolutly correct answer for this debate.
You my friend will have to be your own judge,and make this choice all by yourself

 

Strings. Read the FAQ too please.

 

only time i ever busted a string was after i boiled them. never did it again. grew accustomed to the sound of well worn strings instead .

 

I'll fourth on the Strings forum idea.

Whether you boil or not, don't use one of the ionic detergent kinda things (Dawn or one of the variants). It leaves a white gunk on the strings which attracts black/brown gunk. Not good, not good at all.

The alcohol is a good idea too, though I'll question the detrimental affects of 100 C temp, cause with the metals we are talking, thats not real high. I dunno though.

Would the gunk in the strings be dissolvable in acid? Cause I used to work at a pool shop and we sold a low strength phosphoric acid, which was used to clean salt cell units. It corroded the calcium deposits but not the platinum electrodes. reckon it would work on strings or no? Cause its pretty cheap for a whole whack of the stuff and its reusable.

Josh D

 

hey
i boil my strings fairly often, stainless strings can take 2-3 times whilst nickel you cna probably only boil once. i seem to have good results, i use boilign water with a few capfulls of white vinegar, it works well strings last a month or so with some zing after boiling for say 10-15 mins.
if you want cheaper strings i use webstrings.com, they now ahve stainless steel onces, and they are cheap and pretty good
cheers matt

 

Simplest method to rejuvenate old strings is to soak them in isopropyl alcohol - gets rid or organic compounds as well as grit, plus is simpler than boiling and does a better job IMHO. You can get this stuff cheap at a bulk pharmacy, and it is reusable.


And get ready for a mod to move this to the Strings Forum...

 

Little bit of olive oil and bay leaves and you're good to go.....

 

olive oil?
isnt the idea to remove oils, what are we makign here bass string soup>?

 

check out this thread. I use the denatured alcohol method and it works fantastic.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=91489