Surgical gloves to save strings?

[Peter Mathews]

Anyone here ever try surgical gloves to extend string life? I do suppose they'd have to be changed frequenyly because of friction & shredding

. Those black silk goves Mbappe wears look awfully loose---& don't they also shred & leave silk fibers?

I wear a musicians silk glove on my fretting hand. I also use flats so usually get up to six months use out of each glove (using on average an hour per day). They fit very snug and also help with fretting speed allowing me to slide between notes easily. You can buy them on Amazon.

 

[Two-Spirit]

People really change their strings EVERY WEEK????

I don't even change my guitar strings that much, I buy DR dragonskin, I have a bunch in a drawer I'm getting six months out of a set. There isn't enough difference in tone to waste the money, but I'm not loaded like some people. I think changing your strings often is for people who think $5 is 5 cents.

 

[Standalone]

I don't even change my guitar strings that much, I buy DR dragonskin, I have a bunch in a drawer I'm getting six months out of a set. There isn't enough difference in tone to waste the money, but I'm not loaded like some people. I think changing your strings often is for people who think $5 is 5 cents.

I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I put new strings on my basses. Once they're old enough to not play in tune is when they need to go.

 

[quickfix]

Rubber gloves? Hmmm...
Round wound strings are cheap. Buy a new set every couple of weeks wiping them down occasionally thus minimizing the mank buildup.
Flat wound can be expensive. Leave on for a few years with the occasional wipe down after playing works fine.
Washing and drying your hands is basic hygiene. I'm assuming after load in and setup you'll go for a slant, washing your hands before and after, and then play some music.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

I'm assuming after load in and setup you'll go for a slant, washing your hands before and after, and then play some music.

What does "go for a slant" mean?

 

[quickfix]

What does "go for a slant" mean?

Sorry about that. It's pretty old RCAF/RAF slang for urinating. The word "slant" was a reference to the angle of the stream.

 

[Member8675309]

Sorry about that. It's pretty old RCAF/RAF slang for urinating. The word "slant" was a reference to the angle of the stream.

New slang added to my vocabulary.

 

[Thuddy Waters]

Sorry about that. It's pretty old RCAF/RAF slang for urinating. The word "slant" was a reference to the angle of the stream.

That's pretty cool slang! Now every time I go for a slant I'll think of Jack Nicholson.

 

[quickfix]

That's pretty cool slang! Now every time I go for a slant I'll think of Jack Nicholson.

It's old slang from my father's era. He was RCAF and would be 102 if he was still alive. My brother and I took it into the next generation of airmen...and my son right behind me.

 

[McBubbler]

go for a slant,

Amazing! Just when you think life has shown you all there is to offer, and something like this comes along.

 

[JazzCrazy]

A little clarification needed! I move old DR Hibema/Dragonskins/Fatbeams over to my fretless bass, the one with Carvin JVA pickups, & contextually the metallic sound of those flat strings doesn't fade. You don't need to much of a metallic klang on a fretless.

I think I was wrongheaded using Hibeams because scooped isnt't optimal for fretless. I just ordered a set of DR Black Beauties for that bass, because they are warmer, & the black strings will make it easier to see the maple veneer fretline markers in dim lighting. (Disco lights suck, but they're the trend now).

The point is that the fretless doesn't need too much metallic growl. The Marcus Miller bass is different. There you need strong metallic transients. For the first week those transients ate downright brittle, but only for a short time just right--amd again, the larger strings loose their ping faster than the small ones.
(The G string's ping lasts quite long)

 

[JazzCrazy]

I wear a musicians silk glove on my fretting hand. I also use flats so usually get up to six months use out of each glove (using on average an hour per day). They fit very snug and also help with fretting speed allowing me to slide between notes easily. You can buy them on Amazon.

Thsnx I'll look into that!

 

[zontar]

GLoves might work for some--but they take away my dexterity & control...

 

[JazzCrazy]

This guy has done you a great service:

[/QUOTE

Not a rant. Reality. If you can't afford to spend $30 four times a year for strings, maybe you need to find another line of work.

If I could get by changing those strings 4 times per year I wouldn't have posted in the first place. As I've pointed out numerously, the strings tend to be unbearably bright & brittle for about a week, then sound great for another week, but a week later rapidly fall off the cliff. So we're talking maybe15 times per year

As for being in the wrong line of work, most of us are hobbyists who are lucky to come home with $60 for local gigs. You throw in gas, car wear & tear, (on top of string cost) you're lucky to break even.

The strings on my fretless haven't been changed in a year (except for the w string) & still sound decent. It's contextual, depending what specific sound you're shooting for!

 

[JazzCrazy]

I just watched that video. I can't say that I love or hate the Cobalts, but I can definitely say that regardless of the strings, I'm not a fan of the way that bass sounds.

'73-74 I played a Rickenbacker 4001 along with an SVT & it was shocking the wonderful overtones I got using flats & a pick. Those old Rickie's were amoung the growliest bases of Al time. Of course with those lightly wound ceramic pickups, whadaya expect? (Wonder if that's a 4003?)

 

[JazzCrazy]

This guy has done you a great service:

Frankly this guy makes the Hibeams sound like flats. On a Ricky one would expect more growl & brightness, so maybe it us a heavier wound 4003.

On an ash bodied, maple necked jazz bass, the Hibeams sound ferocious

 

[HamOnTheCob]

'73-74 I played a Rickenbacker 4001 along with an SVT & it was shocking the wonderful overtones I got using flats & a pick. Those old Rickie's were amoung the growliest bases of Al time. Of course with those lightly wound ceramic pickups, whadaya expect? (Wonder if that's a 4003?)

I think I just don't like Rickenbackers.

 

[HamOnTheCob]

Frankly this guy makes the Hibeams sound like flats. On a Ricky one would expect more growl & brightness, so maybe it us a heavier wound 4003.

On an ash bodied, maple necked jazz bass, the Hibeams sound ferocious

I had the same take-away from the video - the strings mostly sounded similar, but not in a good way. I chalked it up to not being a fan of the bass, but maybe it's the strings too?

 

[Luciferiad]

I use them all the time for work (not surgery). The tips wouldn't last a minute playing bass.

Truth. I have extensive experience with latex, vinyl, and nitrile. Even heavy nitrile will tear in fairly short order. And your hands will sweat something terrible.

EDIT: for the sake of transparency, I thought this thread was a goof. But since it is not, I must admit this seems like a strange question to me and one I'd have never thought to hear. But hey, I'll toss in my legitimate opinion and experience with various disposable gloves from my long career as a grease monkey.

 

[Yahboy]

Condom string ～ Elixir Nanoweb