Will this work? It's hard to get denatured alcohol where I am, but I could find 99% isopropyl. Will this have any negative effect on the strings? I'm soaking them for 12-24 hours. Any help is appreciated.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Cleaning strings with isopropyl alcohol?
- Thread starter Dropkickyourgrandmother
- Start date
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
I thought string re-users boiled their strings in alcohol or is that just water? The flash point on 99% isopropyl is fairly low, just over 400 F if I recall correctly. The stuff will not enjoy a bunch of heat and boils quite easily, it can definitely end badly burning that on the stove top if you are not careful. If you are just soaking them it should be fine but I honestly never attempt these crazy strings stunts so take my advice with a grain of salt.
Please don't boil your strings in alcohol.....and if you are and you see a spider on top of the stove...don't try to burn it with a BIC lighter.....
A bit late but, I was soaking and not boiling them. I didn't want to catch fire. Thanks for the advice, everyone!
Alcohol makes old strings sound fantastic and it really improves your playing, as long as you drink enough of it.
I use 96% isopropyl all the time since I haven't been able to find 99% in my area. When I put on a fresh set the used set goes in a old whipped cream container and I let the strings soak and relax for 12-24 hours.
I've been using this method on my Roto 66 SS's and found there is no difference in the brightness lifespan between a new set vs. an alcoholic (LOL) set.
I've been using this method on my Roto 66 SS's and found there is no difference in the brightness lifespan between a new set vs. an alcoholic (LOL) set.
I prefer boiling old strings, but I can't think of any reason why the alcohol idea wouldn't work... (I hear Lemmy soaks his strings in whiskey once a blue moon)
I don't know.... but I suspect that soaking in anything would only be good for all metal strings. I'm not sure I would soak TI Flats due to the silk wrap under the flat ribbon and I'm not sure soaking coated strings would do anything good to them. I clean my Sunbeams with Iso wipes without taking them off the bass but that is just general cleaning.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
Denatured alcohol is the way to go. Isopropyl alcohol has more water in it, and can lead to more oxidation and corrosion than denatured. Most hardware stores in the USA carry it, as well as the big box home improvement stores. I'm not so sure about availability in Canada, though.
Don't boil it -- the flash point is too low, and you might start a fire. Instead, soak your strings in it for 24-48 hours, then wipe them down.
Some people will respond by suggesting you just buy new strings, but IMO the tone of "worn in, but not worn out" strings is pretty awesome, and a good alcohol bath can keep them going a while. I had a set of Roto 66's that I soaked 6 times before I completely wore them out.
I also wouldn't soak TI strings, as mentioned above. The silk underwrap might not do well with that.
Don't boil it -- the flash point is too low, and you might start a fire. Instead, soak your strings in it for 24-48 hours, then wipe them down.
Some people will respond by suggesting you just buy new strings, but IMO the tone of "worn in, but not worn out" strings is pretty awesome, and a good alcohol bath can keep them going a while. I had a set of Roto 66's that I soaked 6 times before I completely wore them out.
I also wouldn't soak TI strings, as mentioned above. The silk underwrap might not do well with that.
Soak in denatured alcohol. It can be found in just about any drugstore. Isopropyl alcohol, commonly called rubbing alcohol, doesn't work nearly as well.
The best thing I've found to bring back some zing to (round wound) strings is to soak them in acetone. An hour or two is plenty. They will dry in about 1 minute after being removed. I buy it in a gallon can and just stick the whole set down in the can ball-end first.
Acetone is good for a lot of other things. It is the active ingredient in fingernail polish remover and bug & tar remover. It primarily degreases anything metal. Be careful with it; it will melt some plastics & vinyl. It apparently dissolves all skin oil, dead skin, dust, dirt, and whatever else that works its way down into the windings.
As long as strings aren't showing physical wear / displacement of the outer winding from their contact with the frets, the acetone re-brightens extremely well. I discovered this while trying to get the remnants of the outer coating off a set of Elixers. Acetone won't dissolve that stuff like I thought it would, but it even made the strings (with the worn out gore tex still on them) significantly brighter.
Acetone is good for a lot of other things. It is the active ingredient in fingernail polish remover and bug & tar remover. It primarily degreases anything metal. Be careful with it; it will melt some plastics & vinyl. It apparently dissolves all skin oil, dead skin, dust, dirt, and whatever else that works its way down into the windings.
As long as strings aren't showing physical wear / displacement of the outer winding from their contact with the frets, the acetone re-brightens extremely well. I discovered this while trying to get the remnants of the outer coating off a set of Elixers. Acetone won't dissolve that stuff like I thought it would, but it even made the strings (with the worn out gore tex still on them) significantly brighter.
99% isopropyl is fine. I've even used less than 99% isopropyl and that works just as well for cleaning (the resulting brightness rejuvenation was just as good). Just make sure to limit the soak time and dry them quickly, to prevent or at least limit oxidation and/or rusting.
I use the alcohol napkins all the time...you can buy a 100 pack from wall mart for 2 bucks!!...Works great!!!
I've boiled many a set of round wound strings but never with more than say 20% alchohol and it worked fine. IMHO anyone boiling a set of strings using only alchohol is looking to be on the short list for a Darwin Award. Seriously, who would do that?
These days I use flats and I just wipe them down occasionally with isopropyl. The other "cleaning method" I use is to run some 0000 steel wool over the strings before I put them on my bass for the first time. Worked great on Chromes & La Bellas as far as getting rid of the stickiness they had when I first tried them. YMMV.
These days I use flats and I just wipe them down occasionally with isopropyl. The other "cleaning method" I use is to run some 0000 steel wool over the strings before I put them on my bass for the first time. Worked great on Chromes & La Bellas as far as getting rid of the stickiness they had when I first tried them. YMMV.
