So I'm pretty sure it is safe, but I wanted to get a second opinion from you awesome people. Is it okay to take all the strings off of my bass while I'm soaking them for two days?
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Safe to leave all strings off?
- Thread starter Garrett151
- Start date
free_Bassd said:
I soak my rounds in denatured alcohol every once and a while. Brings a little life back to them.
really? might have to try that out, when I started playing bass I didn't think strings would be so expensive :/ I'm like, the only bassist I know, I'm glad I'm finally on this forum to learn the cool tricks of the trade! I'm sure someone useful will chime in soon lol
I would recommend getting at least one other set of strings so when you remove a set you have another set ready to go. A neck will "relax" a bit when it's unloaded for a period of time. This can make it a little bit of a pain when you restring because it can take a little while for the neck to settle-in.
just loosen the truss 1/2 turn (max)
just before you restring tighten the truss back up that 1/2 turn
...and you probably don't even need to do that - most well made necks can handle a couple days or even much more
(*just do 1/4 turn if you want)
just before you restring tighten the truss back up that 1/2 turn
...and you probably don't even need to do that - most well made necks can handle a couple days or even much more
(*just do 1/4 turn if you want)
lowphatbass said:
Okay thanks for the advice. I have a bunch if sets laying around so I may try just put one on in the meantime
free_Bassd said:
Yeah I recommend it. Denatured alcohol is dirt cheap. And there's instructions on some other forum on making a string cleaning tube out of PVC pipe. Try looking it up on google.
I guess I've never tried. they were always dead, so I thought. tomorrow... I will be stocked with denatured alcohol. now I just have to play for like two months, straight, to wear them out so I can try out this trick
I can't see how two days would hurt. While I wouldn't recommend it, I left the neck off one bass for about 10 years before I put it back together.
free_Bassd said:
Not optimal but if you are careful not to mess with the strings when you take them off, then it is usually no problem putting them back on.
are you sick of paying for strings? do you like free money? well subscribe to this thread and save hundreds on strings! I just did it! (cheesy smile and double guns atcha)
Strings are not that expensive, at least not all of them. Lots of good options for rounds which are quite cheap. As long as you are not extreme as Squire which use a new sett of strings every gig, then changing strings every 1-3 months are not bad. You could always use flats if you are "lazy"..... 
I don't think I could use flats. I freaked out the first time I touched one! honestly my strings are still on from the pro set up I got when I had my bass put together about two months ago. he didn't even tell me what they are, except that the B string is a .130
He seriously should have handed you the label from the string package so it would be easy to get the exact same set next time!
See if you can find the receipt--it may say what they were.
What I do is save the old strings in the new one's packaging, then mark the change date and old set's specs with a Sharpie on the lowest string's envelope.
This way you can see at a glance what's on the bass now by the label, and easily find what was on there before, so when there's a change in brand, type or gauge there's no confusion.
I've been doing setups for myself and friends for a LONG time and just assumed that other bridge and neck-tweakers would do something similar.
