i have heard mixed views on this but i have a few questions. how often would i need to apply it? how long does it last? will it reduce left hand finger noises dragging on the strings? are there any others that are better? thanks
I know a guitarist who uses it before and after everytime he plays. It's a boring answer but see what feel you like. I found that if I did it a couple times a week after I played that I liked how the strings felt. I've never noticed less left hand noise but I wasn't really listening for it. I did like how it made my strings feel but since I switched to flats I haven't used it at all.
I wouldn't really classify Fast Fret as a string cleaner. It's more of a string lubricant. I also wouldn't say that it helps reduce fretting noise, but it does make fretting hand movement much smoother and I especially like the feel that I get with my plucking hand. I'd say I'm pretty addicted to it actually. I usually lube up the strings before and in between sets when I play gigs, and when I'm practicing I lube it up as necessary (usually about once an hour). I keep about 3 or 4 containers of it dispersed throughout my gear bags just in case I happen to forget it at a show or practice!
i love it. does it affect tone? il say this, it makes your strings sound better for longer. and no its not really a string cleaner, it probably does clean them a bit but its really lube. it just makes it eaiser to get around on the neck
I think fast-fret deadens the sound a little bit...If you want "clean " strings , try a little ZIPPO lighter fluid on the corner if a wash cloth... wrap it around the string ad run it up and down a couple of times... DON'T LET IT GET ON THE BASS .
I use it from time to time. It's really good for reducing friction (you know, thouse days when it feels as if your pluckingfingers stick to the strings) and making the bass feel smooth. I don't really use it every day, since that would make the bass to slippery. I say try it, it doesn't cost much and lasts forever. I bought a can in April last year, and I haven't used half of it yet...
Fast Fret doesn't seem to kill strings any quicker but it is a foreign substance that affects the vibration of the string. I don't use it myself, but I don't think it hurts to use it if you like super slippery strings. I tended to overshoot the frets when doing position changes when I tried it.
Again, Fast Fret isn't a cleaner. I use Fret Doctor. It's designed for oiling / preserving the the wood of an unfinished (rosewood, ebony, etc) fretboard, but actually it works very well as a string cleaner. http://www.beafifer.com/boredoctor.htm
Fast Fret is most definitely a cleaner and a lubricant. I use it with great success. For me its more of a cleaner. For lubrication I like to use Fingerease spray.
I really like Bass Brites. They are specifically designed to clean bass strings and come in a box with 30 little towels. You wipe down each string and then wipe off with a dry cloth. You can see the dirt on the little towels and each one last for roughly one cleaning. I have basses where I want the strings to become dull (like my EB Cobalt Flats) and others like my jazz where I want to keep them brighter sounding. Works great.
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