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

[two fingers]

I use some for tie downs on the rack on my truck. A good low B will hold a 36'ladder in place nicely. Seriously I have several in my gear bag that get used as tie downs wherever I need them.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Toss em

 

[Ewo]

I put 'em in a scrap metal box, in my carport. When the box is full (of old strings, junked plumbing parts, worn out saucepans, whatever), I take it to a scrapyard.

 

[jazzyvee]

This spring I plan to string them together through the ferruled ends or cut the ends off and use a small electrical block connectors then fix them up in the garden so I can get climbing plants like runner beans to wind round them as they grow.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

I used to used them to clean my tobacco pipes. I used to smoke tobacco out of hand blown glass pipes and when they get gummed up with the tobacco resin, bass string ends would work really well for cleaning them out.
I haven't smoked tobacco for about two and a half years now so I just throw them away. My girlfriend smokes occasionally and we still have three pipes so I might save a couple every now and than.

 

[GregT]

I only use Thomastik flats. Unfortunately, I have never broken one; they last forever.....and a day.

I do have a brand new set of Chromes that I had on a 5 string Fender USA Jazz for about two days. Couldn't stand them so they just sit in a drawer. Same with two sets of Fender strings that came on the two USA Precisions I bought in the last year. I just hang onto them in case someone can use them. Never thought of using them for anything else.

I also play guitar so I saved the ball ends for years and made a necklace that I gave to a girlfriend in the past.

I did use a string off my upright bass when I made a washtub bass. Then I read that people use parachute cord, which worked a lot better.

 

[factorplayer]

I posted about this a while back asking about recycling strings. I figured since they are metal that would be a viable option but turns out nobody does it. So even though I hate to I just throw them out.

 

[Bodeanly]

I use old strings for everything: hanging paintings, unclogging drains, extending the pull string on the light in the basement closet, etc. Other than that, I have zero guilt throwing them away if I have enough extra used sets stuffed in the pockets of gig bags.

 

[Jeff K]

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

That's actually a good idea. Do you put a "hook" on the end to grab onto the hair and gunk?

 

[crucislancer]

I have a small box with sets of strings that have been cleaned with denatured alcohol, plus a few of the oddball sets that I bought to try out but took off at some point. I think there's around 8 sets in there at the moment. Once they get to the point that they wear out, I toss them. I like the idea of using an E string as a drain snake, I need to give that a try.

 

[Joybass]

I keep a collection of pieces of different gauges. When I need a nut file I select a piece of the proper gauge, apply sandpaper to it, and file the nut slot with it. If i don't need a string for this I throw it in the garbage, after bowing my head silently asking the environment gods for forgiveness.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

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.

They have metal day in Japan? Cool!

 

[cdlynch]

I've thrown them into my recycling bin for ages, and thought recently that it's a bad idea since they're nickel plated steel with brass (?) ends, so now I think that any combo items can't be recycled easily, and are probably trashed in sorting, so I probably just made someone's day more annoying and increased the cost of recycling, making me a horrible person.

Also, if you really need a prison tat, you can remove one or two layers of overwrap to get to thinner wire that'll work better.

 

[overit]

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I used to used them to clean my tobacco pipes. I used to smoke tobacco out of hand blown glass pipes and when they get gummed up with the tobacco resin, bass string ends would work really well for cleaning them out.
I haven't smoked tobacco for about two and a half years now so I just throw them away. My girlfriend smokes occasionally and we still have three pipes so I might save a couple every now and than.

Me thinks he says "tobacco" too much.

 

[DwaynieAD]

let it go, throw them away

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I keep a collection of pieces of different gauges. When I need a nut file I select a piece of the proper gauge, apply sandpaper to it, and file the nut slot with it. If i don't need a string for this I throw it in the garbage, after bowing my head silently asking the environment gods for forgiveness.

That is pure genius!

This proves intelligence in bass players.
We make tools.

 

[Joybass]

That is pure genius!

This proves intelligence in bass players.
We make tools.

Isn't it a miracle, being a bass player and all.

 

[lavmonga]

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.

What is the best string for Metal Day?

 

[JustForSport]

Fixed a cheese-cutter with a core once- it's still in service.