Double Bass String Oil DIY

[Povl Carstensen]

Here is a thought: If you only oil certain parts of the string, these areas will weigh more than others and it will affect the strings "evenness of pitch" for lack of a better term.

 

[Jeff Kissell]

Clean and oil the whole length. After the oils soaks in you can go back over the area between the end of the fingerboard and the bridge with a little alcohol to remove the surface oil. Oil is definitely not good for bow hair.
-J

 

[Povl Carstensen]

What are peoples experiences with changes in sound when oiling the strings? Ofcourse it depends on how much you use, but I imagine that oiling could make the sound less crisp, less airy, but perhaps more solid (meaty?) at least due to the added mass..?

 

[Jay Corwin]

I think some people are reading too far into this topic. The tonal changes probably aren't noticeable, certainly not in the mix of the band. Maybe if you are soaking them in oil, or letting them dry to the point atrophy....but that is defeating the purpose of lightly oiling them to keep 'em clean and in good working order in the first place.

 

[robobass]

What are peoples experiences with changes in sound when oiling the strings? Ofcourse it depends on how much you use, but I imagine that oiling could make the sound less crisp, less airy, but perhaps more solid (meaty?) at least due to the added mass..?

I played Eudoxa for many years, and found that after oiling I got a more crisp and solid attack, and a meatier tone.
I never oil below the end of the fingerboard. Maybe that does mess up intonation, but the brain adjusts!