How to break in strings faster?

[fhm555]

When I put new strings on my bass, I literally pick my bass up by one string at a time and shake it back and forth.

Yes, you are reading that correctly. I grab my A string, use it to pick up my bass out if my lap, and shake it back and forth.

The only one I can't do that with is the G. But I still yank that string around quite a bit.

Instant break in.

Not joking.

While i don’t lift my bass by the individual strings when installing new strings, i do pull them really hard. I sit in a playing position and with the strings tuned to pitch i grab one string at a time (starting with the E) right over the neck pickup and pull them away from the bass pretty hard. Once i’ve done all four strings i’ll retune, noodle for a few minutes and do it again. After about 4~5 rounds they are pretty much GTG. Oh and almost forgot DO NOT let just them go when you have them stretched out like that, keep holding them and let them go back to their normal position.
While I don’t pull near as hard for this, it is also a simple way to bring your pitch down if you happen to slightly overshoot your mark when tuning.

 

[gard0300]

I usually stretch the bejesus out of them. Tune, play and repeat.

 

[Nickweissmusic]

I don't like the zingy, metallic, over-bright sound of new strings.
I boiled my old strings and they came out just fine. I realise there is something more than dirt changing the sound of strings, something structural which happens early on and breaks them in. Now I have a new bass and it came with strings that sound like fresh out of the pack. I know it will fade, but not fast enough and since I don't enjoy playing them yet, it will take even longer.

I am not interested in spending more money for different strings. Can anything be done to accelerate the early phase of the ageing process, apart from the obvious?

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Couple people touched on this, but pre-stretch the strings. Pull on them, good and hard, and tune it up. Repeat until it stays in tune even after being pulled. It’s pretty darn tough to break a string by pulling it, so you can give it a good pull. I believe DR strings recommend you don’t do that, but they’re kind of a different animal, for typical Daddarios, GHS, etc, I just yank em until they stay in tune. That knocks out a bit of the piano like brightness, But nothing will substitute for playing them, other than Fast Fret or some similar greasy string lube. Most basses also have a tone knob, which is a great way to diminish unwanted string noise

 

[T-boneParish]

Bacon. Raw. Placed between strings and frets. Play for 30 mins. Done.

 

[Gully Foyle]

Bacon. Raw. Placed between strings and frets. Play for 30 mins. Done.

Play Flight of The Bumblebee and then you can make a nice BLT after

 

[Kukulkan61]

If you don’t like the bright zinginess of those strings you should switch to pressure wounds or flats...

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Fry up some bacon, eat the bacon. Let the bacon grease cool to room temperature. Add Coca-Cola after the bacon grease has solidified. Stir vigorously. Take a paper towel, dap the grease, run up and down the string. Voila.

 

[waynobass]

Maybe you could ask for an old set from one of your Talkbass comrades, or from a local music store, next time they do a string change.

 

[Dean N]

I mix a small cup of acetone with the same amount of gasoline and rub it all over the strings and fretboard and then heat it directly over the gas burners on my kitchen stove.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

I hear cat urine works nicely.

 

[Gully Foyle]

I mix a small cup of acetone with the same amount of gasoline and rub it all over the strings and fretboard and then heat it directly over the gas burners on my kitchen stove.

Dude, don't give up the super secret mojo formula, then everyone will know!

 

[juancaminos]

When I put new strings on my bass, I literally pick my bass up by one string at a time and shake it back and forth.

Yes, you are reading that correctly. I grab my A string, use it to pick up my bass out if my lap, and shake it back and forth.

The only one I can't do that with is the G. But I still yank that string around quite a bit.

Instant break in.

Not joking.

This is exactly what I do and yes it works. But it doesn't make bright strings dead. If you don't like bright strings don't buy bright strings.

 

[wesonbass]

Roll them up, boil for 5 minutes, transfer to ice water. Dry them with a polishing cloth. They'll sound like old dead strings. Losing .their elasticity makes them dead. Sounds like that's the sound that you want. I love new strings and change rounds every month or two tho. I would personally just play the heck out of um. If they stay tuned, their broken in. Usually takes only a few hours of hard playing. That's only my experience. Different folks like different sounds.

 

[jasper383]

Take some hand cream or Vaseline and rub a little on the strings. Takes the top end right off a set of new strings .

 

[whero]

This message is approved...
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It rubs the lotion on its strings or it plays Mustang Sally again.

I may be totally misguided (it wouldn't be the first time, or the 101st) , but I've never been a fan of boiling strings. With multiple layers of winding (maybe one on a G string and four on a low B) over a core wire, you can dry off the outside of the string after boiling but how do you ensure there is no moisture trapped in the inner layers? This could lead to corrosion and therefore core or winding wire failure. The only thing you can try is baking the string in a warm-moderate oven, and hope you get it evaporated from every layer. But then, after boiling and baking those strings, the metal will be expanding and contracting and therefore more susceptible to metal fatigue.

My recommendations are, in sequence:
1. If you don't like "zingy, metallic, over-bright" strings, buy less-bright strings.
2. If you already have the strings and want to break them in, play them.
3. If you don't have time to play them, you can try:
(a) stretching - I always give mine a really good stretch when I first put them on.
(b) getting them a little dirty - maybe play it for an hour with dirty hands, or take the sweat from your brow...

 

[RedJag]

Buy used

 

[Element Zero]

I have a friend who has corrosive finger oils capable of making brand new zingy strings sound six months old literally overnight. You could send them to him for treatment. Barring that I would suggest the stretch ‘em/just play ‘em method.

One of my best friends is the same way. He’s a healthy guy too, but I swear his sweat/hand oils is straight battery acid.

 

[DavC]

play , play , play

wash hands with butter

play , play , play

to bright ,..? is there a functioning Tone knob .?

 

[Bass'd on a true story]

This. No joke.

Finish this off while you are playing.
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Eat a bucket of fried chicken and play, don't wash your hands.

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Damn you both. I was so excited that I would finally get to be the first guy on a thread to make a chicken grease reference.

... But seriously, just don't wash your hands before playing. Boom. Dead. This is a flatwounds only method though, it would definitely over-deaden rounds.

 

[dxb]

Dr. Nick has a few suggestions...