String brightness and string life

[Kevinmach]

Since I love very bright sounding tones (like the kind I get from my Rotosound Swing Bass Strings), it seems the brightness goes away all too soon and I am left with strings-that for all intents and purposes are still good- but lack the same crisp tone they had a week ago. I would really rather NOT drop $25 every two weeks on a new set.

I have read that soaking them in denatured alcohol (as opposed to boiling them in water) will make them spring back to life. Has anyone tried this?

I assume then you'd have to leave some extra string dangling so you could easily rewind them?

I have also read that putting some rubbing alcohol on your fingers before playing is good way to prevent the oil from your skin from getting into the string and prolong the bright tone (I have yet to try that).

I am also open to any suggestions on really bright strings brands you've tried and loved, as well as those that seem capable of sustaining the tone longer than others.

 

[IvanBassist]

I got a set of DR sunbeams for christmas and i loooooove them.
I like them better than rotosound and EB slinky strings

here's a sample :


amp is set flat, treble and bass maxed on bass. (passive)

 

[Fred19137]

IMPORTANT FOR THE THREADER!!!!!!!
Well I have rotosound strings that are about a year and a half old and they still sound superb. How do i do this, you ask? I after each extended period of playing rub my strings with doctor ducks axe wax. Then I take a towel and rub it out. It takes about fives minutes at most and really works. I am always so surprised how much !@#$%^&*() always seems to come off. I seriously recomend this. Doctor ducks axe wax is the best!

 

[Kevinmach]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am going to give both suggestions a try- the DR Sunbeams and the wax.

So you just rub the wax on the string while it's on the guitar?

Anyone else try this denatured alcohol thing?

 

[Handreas]

I use denatured alcohol to clean my strings.
I always have one complete set of strings laying in a PVC tube filled with denatured alcohol. So when my strings are loosing their bite, I just swap the ones in the tube and the ones on my bass. Works like a charm

Everything you need is an airtight container, so that the alcohol doesn't evaporate.
There used to be a nifty guide to making one here:
http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/bass_string_cleaning_tube.html

You could try the way back machine at http://www.archive.org to see the page. You won't get the pics, but you can at least read the guide. Any good hardware store should be able to help you find the necessary supplies for making one.

 

[MuzikMan]

Thanks for the replies guys. I am going to give both suggestions a try- the DR Sunbeams and the wax.

So you just rub the wax on the string while it's on the guitar?

Anyone else try this denatured alcohol thing?

If you do go the DR route I would suggest either the High Beams or Low Beams over the Sunbeams if your goal is brightness. FWIW I have used the Highbeams, Low Beams, Nickel Low Beams, and Sunbeams...........all great strings.

 

[Baird6869]

I just wipe the strings down with some kind of instrument cleaner and a rag after using. Works for me.

 

[lijazz]

If you do go the DR route I would suggest either the High Beams or Low Beams over the Sunbeams if your goal is brightness. FWIW I have used the Highbeams, Low Beams, Nickel Low Beams, and Sunbeams...........all great strings.

Ditto on the DRs...if you want brightness, the High Beams will please you...best strings I ever tried.