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Surgical gloves to save strings?

#41
I have Elixirs on my acoustic bass. Purely taste-wise, they're not quite brilliant enough for an acoustic IMO (it came with them strung on) but there's nothing wrong with them.

Bass strings are expensive. Using latex gloves will probably achieve nothing.

Etienne M'Bappe is... well... quirky.
 
#43
JazzCrazy said:
I tend to buy single strings, attempting to distribute the tension evenly--though right now I'm using 100 80 60 40
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I'm not sure if they're right for you but you can buy single string Cobalt Flats off of Ernie Balls's website. I've been using them because they are very versatile - you can get the either roundwould growl or the flatwound thump, simply by the way you attack the strings. In addition they are very long lasting, unlike rounds that to my ears sound lifeless after a few months.
 
#45
SteveC said:
I agree. All this talk of boiling and all the other "tricks" to get a little more time from stings is to me a little ridiculous. Strings are an expendable part of being a musician. Yeah, strings are expensive but it's part of playing. They wear out. The tires on your vehicle wear out. What do you do. Replace them. It's the price you pay for being a musician. Drink a few less beers or coffee's. Unless you play a ton strings last quite a while really, unless you have to have that new string zing. Again, if that's your choice then be ready to pay.

Rant over.
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+1

I used to be active on motorcycle forums and these guys would drop twenty five or thirty grand on a new motorcycle and then ask if the oil change at 500 miles is really necessary. Really, you drop all that money on a bike and you're worried about 50 bucks to protect the investment???
 
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#46
I don't understand how you all remove strings and then reuse them? My strings are always crimped and worn in specific ways that taking them off the bass seems to A. severely weaken them at points, and B. not allow them to go on again unless somehow perfectly aligned with their previous winding/position. How does one do it?
 
#48
Have a thoracic surgeon do a sympathectomy and burn the nerves that make your hands sweat. The sweat usually goes somewhere else like your nether regions or your forehead. But it would be a more practical use of surgical gloves to correct the problem. Your hands will be bone dry there after.
 
#50
if you do go with the gloves just make sure you finish off the whole look like Dr. Fink from Prince and The Revolution ;)

tumblr_liw9q3hDRL1qcgozeo1_400.gif
 
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#51
lfmn16 said:
+1

I used to be active on motorcycle forums and these guys would drop twenty five or thirty grand on a new motorcycle and then ask if the oil change at 500 miles is really necessary. Really, you drop all that money on a bike and you're worried about 50 bucks to protect the investment???
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I had a bike years ago, took it to the dealership for its first service and they decided it wasn' necessary but charged me for it anyways. Found out about it when I did my old the following season and dipped a magnet in the old oil. Steel shavings aren't a good sign.
 
#53
The first bass I had back in 74, and I still have it. In my entire life I have only ever bought one set of strings - and that was because I fancied some fluorescent coloured ones for one particular gig. I therefore added an extra to the list.

1. Quit playing bass.
2. Work harder to make more money.
3. Use flats.
4. Change them, when you break them
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#55
GBBSbassist said:
I personally think string life relates directly to how clean your hands are and how much your hands sweat. My hands don't sweat and I keep them clean, and my bass strings last ages. The bass player in one of my bands uses one of my basses and he destroys string life in a single session...
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This is SO much of the thing here. My little brother and I got completely different hand-sweat genetics. Mine are perpetually dry, His are constantly sweaty. Otherwise, we’re both big advocates of hand washing, and his hands look like clones of mine. However, while I typically end up changing strings out of boredom, wanting to try a different brand, etc, way before they’re close to wearing out, my brother’s strings get crunchy and sound terrible after a day of playing. It is the darnedest thing. Guess I won the genetic dice roll on that one, at least (he’s 5” taller than me and the one with a full head of hair, though! LOL)!
 
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#56
I like Dean Markley Cryogenic Blue Steel ML Strings. They seriously last me for ever, but I also clean my strings after every gig with Kyser Dr Stringfellow. After a year on my basses I can still hear all the harmonics and overtones that they are able to produce.
 

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