Putting oil on strings?

[Barry79]

Nose grease, as attractive as it sounds, isn't really my thing. GHS =Mineral oil eh? Thanks, I was wondering. I've always used super slinkys but will try Elixir (nanoweb). I've only heard great things about them. Thanks guys!

 

[RoboChrist]

WD-40. I started using it to bring dead strings back to life, but a big side benefit is making them super easy to play on, especially for steel strings.

 

[rtslinger]

Yeah fingerease is what my lead guitarist uses. I however never used anything and I must be doing something wrong because my fingertips aren't callused and hard? and I have been playing bass for 43+ years? both flatwound and roundwound strings for every show

 

[4001]

Yeah fingerease is what my lead guitarist uses. I however never used anything and I must be doing something wrong because my fingertips aren't callused and hard? and I have been playing bass for 43+ years? both flatwound and roundwound strings for every show

Light touch??

 

[Phalex]

I use Fast Fret, WD-40, and or Hoppes #9 for cleaning/lubricating/water repelling purposes.

Cooking oil will get rancid and stink in fairly short order. It may also dry out a bit and get sticky.

 

[bassbully]

Fingerease works great on sticky flats, fast fret is good too. I use it more in the summer when its humid.

 

[wigglee]

old age and arthritis takes its toll, especially when playing double bass, so reducing friction is a big plus

 

[5StringFool]

Yeah fingerease is what my lead guitarist uses. I however never used anything and I must be doing something wrong because my fingertips aren't callused and hard? and I have been playing bass for 43+ years? both flatwound and roundwound strings for every show

I've only been playing for 7 years or so but have no calluses as well. If I'm playing guitar a bunch they'll build up, but never from bass alone... and during humid weather I'll use Fingerease.

 

[shtik]

Buy Elixir strings. The best for sliding.

That's one of the major reasons I am using Elixir strings exclusively. It's not that I can't slide on other strings, but with Elixirs it feels much more natural..

 

[JGoldberg]

I can shift positions all day on my rounds and there is almost no friction on my fingers. However, whenever I pick up a student's instrument I find that my fingers stick to the strings and it is very difficult to play. The reason? I wash my hands with soap before playing and they don't. If you keep clean hands and clean strings there will never be a problem.

 

[bumperbass]

I tried WD-40 when the music store was out of Fast Fret. My skin started to come off my fingertips.

 

[BassinCT]

Reading the posts on this thread is making me queasy.
+1 to Planet Waves product or Fast Fret.

 

[JimmyM]

Nose grease all the way. I wish I could bottle it and sell it.

Thank God you can't!

They actually clean the string, which may not be so desirable with flats, but those Bass Brites are pretty cool for lubrication. I like to use a waxy furniture spray for flats, though. Actually I don't use anything anymore, but Pledge always helped me get the ball rolling with flats.

 

[Means2nEnd]

I’m sure somewhere this video had to come up on TB. But this is the perfect time to post this if you haven’t seen it enjoy. Get that nasty funk!!



Just for the record I like zero products on my string but blood sweat and tears and maybe a bra if it gets thrown up on stage. Seriously I like new zingy round wound steel strings. I wipe my basses down with and old tee shirt every time I touch them. Change them often to keep that kind of tone. They are a little sticky for about an hour or so of playing but after that they are perfect.

 

[sratas]

started paying an epoch ago, joined TB several years ago, never saw a thread like this before...hope I will forget it

funny thing: life works as a balance between two opposites, you know, good and evil, black and white, and those who soak strings in alcohol and those who use nose or forehead grease...

 

[davisjom]

I don't really know how it will feel with flats. But I tried some "Graph Tech Chops PrePlay" with an Ibanez sr256. And it made the strings really easy to slide on even though they were rounds. It does the exact opposite of what you were thinking of doing, instead of adding oil/lubricant. It helps to stop the natural oils on your body from gunking up the strings.
I think it's worth buying. Just my two cents.
Mind you, I've never bothered using any style of string lubricant since I've never had an issue with sliding.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PrePlay/

 

[JimmyM]

Mind you, I've never bothered using any style of string lubricant since I've never had an issue with sliding.

Me neither with rounds, but I have had problems with flats sticking when they're new. Some of them are quite sticky.

 

[lowfreq33]

I tried WD-40 when the music store was out of Fast Fret. My skin started to come off my fingertips.

Makes sense. WD-40 is a solvent, not a lubricant.

 

[samurai1993]

Every one of these answers is wrong.



The only right answer, is weeks, even MONTHS, of eating fried chicken before and during practices, rehearsals, and shows, and NEVER washing your hands until after the gig.

Chicken grease, it is the secret weapon of all bass funk, mojo, and slick playing.

Yep.

If it's Jaco good, is good enough for us

 

[soulman969]

No but they can be even tastier when tossed with extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan or Romano.