Rotosound flats smell funny/stink?

[ampegfuzz]

Quick back story: been playing for a long time and have used these RS77LD before. Haven’t had them on a bass for a long time.

Recently decided to get back into flats and always loved how the Roto flats sounded on my 74 P bass. Took it to a shop and had a clean and setup done and had these (new) strings installed. My hands dont get gross but I’ve noticed a strange smell on my finger/strings with short time on playing on them. I haven’t gigged it out or played very heavily as of yet. I cleaned them with alcohol and a towel this AM and will see if the smell come back after a while. Has anyone else noticed this with these strings as of late? I don’t recall this being an issue when I used these some time ago.

 

[onda'bass]

I have had this experience with flats, but they were quite old so maybe thats why. Like you a wipe down with alcohol cured it.

 

[michael_t]

My hands dont get gross but I’ve noticed a strange smell on my finger/strings with short time on playing on them.

"Strange smell" as in the smell you get when handling pennies? The monel alloy used for the Roto 77 consists of nickel and copper. Maybe you're sensing the smell of copper?

 

[blr2]

Let's get this thing straight. Metals do not smell. Pure metals cannot and do not produce any volatile compounds that can trigger an olfactive response.
That said, organometallic compounds can. In other words, something in your body chemistry can react with the metals contained in the string surface to produce an organometallic compounds that smell.

 

[Killing Floor]

I’m making shrimp with peanut sauce and my fingers smell.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Let's get this thing straight. Metals do not smell. Pure metals cannot and do not produce any volatile compounds that can trigger an olfactive response.
That said, organometallic compounds can. In other words, something in your body chemistry can react with the metals contained in the string surface to produce an organometallic compounds that smell.

^ Thanks.
Plus, there might also be machine residue; or, some protective oil deliberately added to the string in order to preserve it from humidity while unused in the package.

 

[Yahboy]

Signature tone with signature smell ~ Roto Smell.

 

[ampegfuzz]

^ Thanks.
Plus, there might also be machine residue; or, some protective oil deliberately added to the string in order to preserve it from humidity while unused in the package.

This is kinda what I’m getting at. I know the actual metal can’t have a smell. I didnt know if now my hands were having a reaction or they might be putting something on them to preserve them on the shelf. For what it’s worth after I cleaned them the smell did come back. so I think my hands are reacting to the strings. I can deal or switch brands.

 

[IPA]

did the shop use any sort of weird oil or cleaning product on the fretboard or frets during cleaning? polishing compound sometimes smells odd to me.

 

[5StringBlues]

Ja

I’m making shrimp with peanut sauce and my fingers smell.

 

[ampegfuzz]

did the shop use any sort of weird oil or cleaning product on the fretboard or frets during cleaning? polishing compound sometimes smells odd to me.

Neck is Maple sealed with poly

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

British strings. Do they smell like fish & chips with malt vinegar and brown sauce?

Now I want fish 'n chips!

It is probably just the fresh packaging or some type of lubricant from the processing / manufacturing techniques.

Try some ernie ball string wipes or alcohol, yea.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

Fish and chips at the Roto factory

 

[DaveParker39]

I was just about to post something about this very topic.

The last four or five packs of Rotosound RS66's I have bought have smelled "worn" after 20 minutes of playing them. I will play them once and it will leave my fingers smelling like corrosion. I'm not a guy who leaves bass strings on forever anyway, but I find it kinda lousy to have to have them smell used so quickly. This was not always my experience but it has been lately.

I tried Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes and they didn't really help.

It's really annoying. I never really considered switching but I am debating trying DR Low Riders or something and seeing if they are any fresher.