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Club Sadowsky!!!

#42,661
Ewo said:
The alcohol soak? Yeah. Search for "bass string cleaning tube," and a description oughtta pop.

Essentially I keep two sets in rotation. One goes in the alcohol bath for about a week, and then hangs in the closet; the other is on the bass. I like the soak tube better than a bucket for a couple reasons: the strings don't have to be coiled, and the tube is capped. I ain't no plumber, but it's easy enough to make one, and the cost is modest.
Click to expand...

To the shop I go!!!
Thanks for the info. :thumbsup:
 
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#42,664
I got a question. I've got a metro MV 24 fret 5 string and is ALMOST perfect. I'm trying to get the right B string for it. I know people will say go to the strings section but if I go there they'll say go to the bass section.

I've got the DR Fat Beams on it and the B is a little floppy (.125) Anyone have a set they like on their 5 string? I'm interested in piano like tones (aren't we all)?
 
#42,667
baxter_x said:
I was told this is not a good thing to do as when you remove strings and put it back on the bass, the harmonic at the 12th fret is not right anymore. Do you confirm? Have you ever noticed anything wrong with this?
Click to expand...

All I can tell ya is that I wouldn't do it if it messed up the intonation.

Well, on second thought, IF it did (which it does not) I'd touch up the intonation. That's easy enough.
 
#42,669
Sam Dingle said:
I got a question. I've got a metro MV 24 fret 5 string and is ALMOST perfect. I'm trying to get the right B string for it. I know people will say go to the strings section but if I go there they'll say go to the bass section.

I've got the DR Fat Beams on it and the B is a little floppy (.125) Anyone have a set they like on their 5 string? I'm interested in piano like tones (aren't we all)?
Click to expand...
I prefer .130 for my B string. I can see .125 being loose especially if you tune down at all.
Have you tried any of the Sadowsky strings? I like the black label steels and generally prefer a tapered B, which they have.
 
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#42,670
Regarding wear and tear on strings, here are a few non-fake facts:

1) The string cores are a hardened steel.
2) Initial installation of the string causes permanent deformation of the core at the bridge saddle.
3) Permanent deformation of hardened steel fundamentally changes the mechanical properties of the core, and that occurs at the bridge witness point.

Regarding the point 3, it is likely that further cyclic strain induced during playing further changes the basic structure of the steel core at the bridge witness point.

All of these aspects add up to changes in the string, which are not recoverable by boiling etc. I don't want to get too deeply into the metallurgy; but if you actually need strings to last longer, you would want to avoid the witness point damage by using a collet type of bridge point, or something like that. The other way to lessen the impact is to increase the distance between the tailpiece and the bridge point, while reducing the break angle. Of course, that also would require a substantially different body profile.

When the damage gets to the point that the string loses 12th fret intonation, the string can not be played in tune any more, and there is no way to correct that for the damaged string.

Other than that, carry on.:)
 
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#42,672
I prolly shoulda made it clear:

When I take the strings off to put them in the soak tube, I loosen the tension at the tuning peg just enough to lift the wrap off it, and unhook the string at the top loader bridge. When I reinstall strings after their alcohol bath, I put them back on just the way they were initially installed and wind the tuner up to pitch.

IOW, the witness points are unchanged.

All I can tell ya is that the strings remain usable after two soaks--and I'm fairly picky. I junk them after that.
 
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#42,673
Sam Dingle said:
I got a question. I've got a metro MV 24 fret 5 string and is ALMOST perfect. I'm trying to get the right B string for it. I know people will say go to the strings section but if I go there they'll say go to the bass section.

I've got the DR Fat Beams on it and the B is a little floppy (.125) Anyone have a set they like on their 5 string? I'm interested in piano like tones (aren't we all)?
Click to expand...
I had the same issue on one of my Sadowskys (was using Hi-Beams). I switched to the Blue Labels and the B was less floppy but still not quite as taut as I would have liked.
 
#42,676
Ewo said:
I prolly shoulda made it clear:

When I take the strings off to put them in the soak tube, I loosen the tension at the tuning peg just enough to lift the wrap off it, and unhook the string at the top loader bridge. When I reinstall strings after their alcohol bath, I put them back on just the way they were initially installed and wind the tuner up to pitch.

IOW, the witness points are unchanged.

All I can tell ya is that the strings remain usable after two soaks--and I'm fairly picky. I junk them after that.
Click to expand...

Well, I made my string cleaning tube and ready to put it in service just as soon as it dries out from the leak test using water. :thumbsup:
 
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