Fingertips turning black

[Robscott]

My Fender Steve Harris P-bass came with Fender round wounds on it. The strings play and sound fine, but they turn my fingertips black. Never had strings that did that before. I'm thinking they may have nickel in them. Anyone else have this happen? Know the cause?

Yeah I was playin at Everest Base Camp, had the same thing happen

 

[dbsfgyd1]

My Fender Steve Harris P-bass came with Fender round wounds on it. The strings play and sound fine, but they turn my fingertips black. Never had strings that did that before. I'm thinking they may have nickel in them. Anyone else have this happen? Know the cause?

Yes. It a combination of either or, dust, machine oil ( or from the fried chicken at last night’s gig), oil from your fingers ( if you get smear marks on your cell phone screen, that may be a clue) and oxidation. Got it all the time with Roto Sounds. Make sure you are wiping down your strings before you put it away.

 

[Briton]

I think sweat has got something to do with it as I don't get black finger tips in a cold environment.

 

[whero]

It's a nickel thing, not an SS thing.

Weird. I've been playing nothing but GHS Balanced Nickels for the last nine months or so and haven't had black fingers yet.

 

[Hawaii Islander]

It means you’re practicing almost enough; get back to us once you see blood.

That was last week. It's dry here in Arizona. Fingertips crack and bleed.

 

[Hawaii Islander]

I've only had this problem with strings that have sat unplayed for a while. I sometimes get this from an instrument that has just had the frets polished out.

This is a new base with factory strings. Strings probably sat on the bass for quite some time.

 

[Hawaii Islander]

I've played flats before never had a problem with black residue. Maybe you should wipe them down with string cleaner. I use dunlop wonder wipes you can get them for 2 bucks at musicians friend.

I have flats and round wound strings on my other basses. None of them turn my fingertips black. (Yes, I wash my hands )

 

[DJ Bebop]

I get more 'color' on my plucking fingers than the fretting hand.

 

[ObsessiveArcher]

My luthier was explaining to me that everyone has slightly different acidity levels from our natural oil and sweat. It ranges from virtually no effect to nearly rusting the strings after a few hours of play.

 

[Loudart]

Who makes "aluminum wound strings"?

heck yeah I want to try the Alum wounds. Could be responsive, might sound like a beer can

 

[electracoyote]

This is a new base with factory strings. Strings probably sat on the bass for quite some time.

If other strings aren't turning your fingers black, I'm guessing it's something about the factory strings, maybe dust or an incomplete finishing/cleaning process. Factory strings probably don't get the same attention as strings we would purchase new and install ourselves.

 

[DJ Bebop]

These are the strings that come installed on that bass from the factory, nickel plated steel.
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There should be these in the case.
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[byacey]

My luthier was explaining to me that everyone has slightly different acidity levels from our natural oil and sweat. It ranges from virtually no effect to nearly rusting the strings after a few hours of play.

This is more likely the culprit behind "black finger syndrome" than any other explanation.

 

[byacey]

heck yeah I want to try the Alum wounds. Could be responsive, might sound like a beer can

Aluminum windings are more commonly found on cello, violin, viola and perhaps upright bass. If used with a magnetic pickup, only the steel string core would induce a voltage in the pickup, making for a rather thin sound.

 

[Hawaii Islander]

These are the strings that come installed on that bass from the factory, nickel plated steel.
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There should be these in the case.
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There were no Steve Harris strings in the gig bag.

 

[DJ Bebop]

There were no Steve Harris strings in the gig bag.

Was this a new bass?

 

[BurnOut]

My buddy used to own a music store, he'd get some real cool mother of pearl done up guitars from Vietnam. I'd get to play em when they arrived, help set em up. Whatever strings came on em would make my finger very black. I'm betting they were made out of plain old steel, worst I've ever seen.

 

[pht2356]

You don't live on molokai near kalaupapa but any chance

 

[pht2356]

Just noticed that although you are Hawaii islander you live in Arizona. Good. Please disregard previous post. I don't believe that any leprosy cases have ever occurred in Arizona

 

[Deleted member 271037]

I have experienced this with new double bass strings but very rarely with electric bass strings. But then I tend to sweat more when I play double bass so perhaps that's it...???