Strings and Humidity

[TheSpinDoctor]

Yesterday, the band played an outdoor gig, starting at 7:30 AM. There was considerable humidity. The D'Addario ENRI71-5 strings on my Gibson Thunderbird (Strung as BEAD) were incredibly sticky/slow action. It was necessary to frequently look at the fret board to ensure the correct note was played. What strings have you played in a similar environment that maintained their responsiveness?

 

[michael_t]

D'Addario ENR71-5... Those are half-rounds, aren't they?

I've given up on half-rounds (aka goundwound) because they tend to feel unpleasantly sticky even when dry, even more so in humid weather.

I seldom play outdoors in high humidity, but GHS Pressurewounds (Alloy 52 rollerwound), which I use regularly, never get sticky the way half-rounds or some flats do.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

 

[Yahboy]

It actually normal for ENR bass string, and the lasting diesel-like smell which I hate.

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

D'Addario ENR71-5... Those are half-rounds, aren't they?

I've given up on half-rounds (aka goundwound) because they tend to feel unpleasantly sticky even when dry, even more so in humid weather.

I seldom play outdoors in high humidity, but GHS Pressurewounds (Alloy 52 rollerwound), which I use regularly, never get sticky the way half-rounds or some flats do.

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

D'Addario ENR71-5... Those are half-rounds, aren't they?

I've given up on half-rounds (aka goundwound) because they tend to feel unpleasantly sticky even when dry, even more so in humid weather.

I seldom play outdoors in high humidity, but GHS Pressurewounds (Alloy 52 rollerwound), which I use regularly, never get sticky the way half-rounds or some flats do.

Thanks for the suggestion. The half-rounds are acceptable indoors and easier on my fingertips than round-wounds. Not available in stores around here, so an online purchase it must be.

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

View attachment 4496117

Do the drops lubricate the strings? Do the drops protect the strings from rusting?

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

It actually normal for ENR bass string, and the lasting diesel-like smell which I hate.

This is the first time I have encountered any stickiness, though the grinding seem uneven, especially the E string feels almost like a regular round-wound string. I do not notice any smell but you may be noticing cutting oil used during the grinding process.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Do the drops lubricate the strings? Do the drops protect the strings from rusting?

It prevents condensation on dive goggles. Thought it’d be an interesting suggestion. Not sure it’d work. But, for five bucks, it’s worth a shot.

 

[Goatrope]

I live in SW Florida, and try to limit outdoor gigs as much as possible, and avoid outdoor summer gigs, but I still play maybe a dozen per year. I tried whining about it- it didn’t help.

I never tried any drops or products. I’d just keep wiping things down. More often, it’s the sweat from my arms and hands, that kills my strings. To help, I use a thick wrist band on my plucking wrist. Things still get very wet and sticky. Comes with the territory, as they say.

I really don’t have a solution. Ultimately, I try to plan my string changes for after those outdoor gigs.

As for strings, Dunlop Super Bright Nickel seem to maintain their snap during the gig. The feel is pretty normal, but the back of the neck is quite sticky. After, I feel like I need to change them. Some folks may boil or otherwise recondition. I just replace them.

 

[trothwell]

I've never experienced any noteworthy stickiness with half-round strings, but if I did, I would think GHS Fast Fret might help. I've used it for years, mainly on roundwound strings. Also on the Hammond organ. Good stuff.

 

[two fingers]

Get a Fast Fret. Run it down the strings and wipe it off. I don't leave it as a lubricant. But I do use it as a cleaner.

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

I live in SW Florida, and try to limit outdoor gigs as much as possible, and avoid outdoor summer gigs, but I still play maybe a dozen per year. I tried whining about it- it didn’t help.

I never tried any drops or products. I’d just keep wiping things down. More often, it’s the sweat from my arms and hands, that kills my strings. To help, I use a thick wrist band on my plucking wrist. Things still get very wet and sticky. Comes with the territory, as they say.

I really don’t have a solution. Ultimately, I try to plan my string changes for after those outdoor gigs.

As for strings, Dunlop Super Bright Nickel seem to maintain their snap during the gig. The feel is pretty normal, but the back of the neck is quite sticky. After, I feel like I need to change them. Some folks may boil or otherwise recondition. I just replace them.

Thanks. I am not looking for very bright strings, the SVT-18 cabinet I use tops out at 2 KHz. The temperature was in low 60s, so sweat was not a factor. Still, some summer gigs likely will be outdoors, so the info on sweat is useful.

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

I've never experienced any noteworthy stickiness with half-round strings, but if I did, I would think GHS Fast Fret might help. I've used it for years, mainly on roundwound strings. Also on the Hammond organ. Good stuff.

Thanks. Finger oils are not a problem, so a cleaner would not have helped.

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

Get a Fast Fret. Run it down the strings and wipe it off. I don't leave it as a lubricant. But I do use it as a cleaner.

Ditto the reply to trothwell. A lubricant might have helped, but past experience with such products was not good.

 

[two fingers]

Ditto the reply to trothwell. A lubricant might have helped, but past experience with such products was not good.

Again, I don't leave it on. I just use it as a cleaner.

 

[west al]

Nylons!

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

Thank you. Nylon strings are a positive solution. Not sure if I want that dark a sound.

 

[michael_t]

Nylon strings are a positive solution. Not sure if I want that dark a sound.

Not all tapewound stirngs are created equal; some are even brighter than the half-rounds you've been using. La Bella offers the most variety in tapewound strings in terms of their tonal range.

 

[TheSpinDoctor]

Not all tapewound stirngs are created equal; some are even brighter than the half-rounds you've been using. La Bella offers the most variety in tapewound strings in terms of their tonal range.

Thank you for this suggestion. Is there a particular La Bella product that you suggest? Or is there a website that lists and characterizes the different strings? The TB forums have comments on particular strings but I have not seen an overall comparison.