Prison tattoo's? What to do with broken/ unused strings?

[aaronious]

Here's an odd question. What do YOU do with broken strings? Unused strings?

My local Pawn One recently phased out the music corner Before they did that, they blew everything out! I got a few basses and pedals and tried every string I ever wanted.

Now I have a bunch of strings. Most of which I'll put up for sale here in TB.

But what about the broken ones? I broke one wound for a Fender, cut it down and it works perfectly on a 2+2.
What about the rest.
It breaks my poor heart to see all these strings just getting thrown away.

OK I really don't care that much, I just thought I'd be fun to hear what y'all do with all your broken strings? Toss em, arts and crafts? Sutures? Prison tattoo guns? You know, stuff like that.

 

[aaronious]

No one? You all just toss them huh?

 

[twinjet]

No one? You all just toss them huh?

I make nooses and donate them to not-for-profit prisons.

 

[aaronious]

I make nooses and donate them to not-for-profit prisons.

Lol. Who in turn give them to the prisoners for tattoo guns.

 

[petrus61]

I work with a guy who told me this story. I had a pack of strings delivered to my job and he felt compelled to tell me (and show me) what they do with guitar strings in minimum security prisons.

I'd probably feel safer jumping into a biohazard container in my birthday suit that use some booger eaters Daddarios in a tat gun.

 

[twinjet]

Lol. Who in turn give them to the prisoners for tattoo guns.

I will always try to keep a string if I can find a use for it.

In October I picked up a POS P bass clone made by Johnson. I put Fender strings, which made it sound good. Eventually I decided that bass had to go, so I grabbed my Fenders and put some old Ken Smith strings that were probably 8-10 years old (I threw away the original strings without thinking).

That P now has two E strings, a D and a G. All right.

 

[twinjet]

I work with a guy who told me this story. I had a pack of strings delivered to my job and he felt compelled to tell me (and show me) what they do with guitar strings in minimum security prisons.

Recycle, right?

 

[Kukulkan61]

Lol. Who in turn give them to the prisoners for tattoo guns.

Prison tattoo artists use the treble strings off guitars, I would sure hate to be tattooed with a bass string..OUCH!!!

 

[aaronious]

Prison tattoo artists use the treble strings off guitars, I would sure hate to be tattooed with a bass string..OUCH!!!

What if was just the g string? lol

 

[Kukulkan61]

What if was just the g string? lol

Eeeeee even the bass G would would put a hurting on you..lol

 

[aaronious]

Eeeeee even the bass G would would put a hurting on you..lol

I don't even want to imagine. You'd miss your next three gigs due to blood loss.

 

[JakobT]

I have an old E-string which I use to clear the drain in the bathroom sink.

 

[twinjet]

I don't even want to imagine. You'd miss your next three gigs due to blood loss.

Assuming you're getting your tattoo in lock-up, you might miss a lot more than three gigs.

 

[7dollarbologna]

I have mine in a box, when I get enough I'll make an art project... maybe a giant boot an old woman with a surplus of children could move into.

 

[Photobassist]

In the U.S. I'd probably just throw em in the trash and be on my way. Here in Japan however, everything must be separated for recycling. Strings find their appropriate bin, and get taken to the garbage area on metal day.

 

[lowsideonacurve]

I have an old E-string which I use to clear the drain in the bathroom sink.

I did that until I bought a drain snake.

 

[lowsideonacurve]

A local artist makes jewelry with guitar strings, you may find one near you that would turn them into something.

 

[JakobT]

I did that until I bought a drain snake.

I can't use my drain snake because of a sharp bend in the pipe, so an E-string is perfect

 

[Wolfenstein666]

I take them off, and throw them in a bag for a rainy day. It never hurts to have a back up pair or two, just in case a string snaps or something dumb happens. You never know. In the case that something does happen, I'll pull them out and boil them for a few minutes. I know it's sort of a cheap a($ thing to do, but that's just the kind of person I am.

Boiling helps for a few weeks, it'll breath a little extra life into them. It's not comparable to a new string, but it works for a while.

 

[aaronious]

I have an old E-string which I use to clear the drain in the bathroom sink.

Perfect answer! That's what I was looking for.