Cleaning Rusty EBMM Cobalt Flats

[Joebone]

No it's not.

Unless there's a change in performance. it's just cleanup.

If theres a change for the worse in performance, you should change them out, regardless or what you drive/play.

Were moving in to "Expensive instrument need expensive strings" territory here and thats plain bs.

Agreed. The OP has a solution to a problem - he might refine it based on thread feedback - overall, an exchange of information that seems like an ideal TB outcome. Problem solving that extends service life of commodities - any commodities - is admirable.

 

[Auer]

Not even close. A quick search shows Earnie Ball Cobalt bass strings available for around $35 a set, probably less if you look.

I'm not gonna explain this to you.

 

[Sam Dingle]

bassists will do anything but change their strings

 

[JEDI BASS]

bassists will do anything but change their strings

My favorite strings have an issue with unsightly corrosion that doesn’t affect playability or sound. I found a quick easy remedy and started a bunch of fussing. What can I do but shake my head and laugh?

I do appreciate the safer alternatives that people turned me onto. I’m human and always learning, and far from perfect. So, thank you!

 

[JEDI BASS]

bassists will do anything but change their strings

Or read a thread??

 

[Egg250]

I'm not sure how you like your tone, WD40 leaves behind a gummy residue that will likely deaden your tone. As a rust preventative, I occasionally wipe my strings down with mineral oil. No residue and allows my fingers to easily move over the strings in high humidity.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

I’ve never had this issue with cobalts, but I’m thinking +1 for mineral oil. It will also double as a bit of a fretboard treatment, so it’s a win-win in my book, though I’ve never tried it myself as all my strings are stainless steel.

Ignore all these trolls insisting that you MUST change your strings simply because you have a nice bass.

 

[shrigg]

As an avid lover of Cobalt Flats (they are on my #1, #2 and #3 basses), this thread has my full attention. I’ve not had any rust or corrosion issues yet but I will go home and look closely at all of them.

The mineral oil solution seems like a nice benign preventative that I already have on hand for conditioning fretboards. I’ll likely try that.

Another potential solution a very skilled guitarist friend of mine uses is wiping the strings (and instrument) down with Lemon Pledge after each time playing it. Thoughts on Lemon Pledge?

 

[SpeakerBoxxx]

Some people here are acting like WD-40 is such a bad thing and the OP is carelessly dousing it all over his bass. C'mon naysayers... you guys are just regurgitating crap that you've read on the web about negative issues when using WD-40 improperly, you've gots to chill... OP clearly stated that he sprayed it on a cloth and wiped his strings to remove some rust/oxidation spots (which is a known occurrence with Cobalts) and removed any excess. So basically using a product as directed and for what it is intended. I don't see any problem here and I'm stoked for the OP for finding a solution to a problem that others may experience and sharing his experience.

 

[Turnaround]

Do you wipe down your strings after playing? It's probably the single most important thing you can do to preserve the strings. Skin oils are moderately corrosive and when combined with high humidity level can induce oxidization of metals. Sweat will make it worse, but the skin oils alone can cause rusting. After each use wipe your strings thoroughly with a microfiber cloth. I used to use a small bit of chamois, but the microfiber is actually better.

 

[sean_on_bass]

They’re not that old at all. It’s a common issue with Cobalts.

Correct. This is why i moved away from them. I like the tone but didn't like the weird buildup on the strings.

 

[Killing Floor]

I’ve always had good luck taking them off and putting on new ones. Then I can boil the old ones to make tea if I wish.

 

[Pilgrim]

It would be interesting to try the WD-40 on the strings (perhaps spraying a cloth and wiping each down) to see if they prevent the rust from forming. Since its function is to displace moisture, that might be helpful.

My observation with WD-40 is that even after it is applied, leaving the surface alone for some time can allow rust to form. I have observed that its actions are fairly short-lasting.