hi people. anyone know how best to preserve string-life? my hands sweat a LOT when i play and my strings go dead way too quickly. i put brand-new spirocores on less than two months ago, and they are already shot and even appear to be rusting. i definitely can't afford to be buying new strings every two months. i do wipe them down most of the time after practicing, and sometimes use rubbing alcohol to clean them (though i don't know if that is a bad idea). is there some better way to clean them, or should i be using different strings, or should i wear gloves or dip the strings in water sealant or something?? i'm kinda freaking out about this. any advice will be greatly appreciated, thanks!
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Double Bass sweaty hands, dead strings (Double Bass topic)
- Thread starter eucalyptus
- Start date
Sounds like you need a synthetic string - the brightest you can find. So far I've only got experience with steel or gut strings (which won't help you) - but from reading the forums some possibilities might be Innovation UB Blacks, the new Evah Pirazzi Weichs, etc.
Wiping down the surface of your strings after playing is always a good idea, but IMO any serious sweating is going to soak the string right through to the core. Lucky for me I have pretty inert perspiration. (Or maybe I'm just too relaxed at gigs?)
Wiping down the surface of your strings after playing is always a good idea, but IMO any serious sweating is going to soak the string right through to the core. Lucky for me I have pretty inert perspiration. (Or maybe I'm just too relaxed at gigs?)
Did you try other brands than Spiros?
Maybe you'd get less problems with gut?
Eudoxas are wrapped with silver. I'm wondering if this would help.
Plain gut has no metal, but the low strings get real thick and muddy...
Maybe you'd get less problems with gut?
Eudoxas are wrapped with silver. I'm wondering if this would help.
Plain gut has no metal, but the low strings get real thick and muddy...
Go to a bowling alley, tear out the little fan that you use to dry off your hand before bowling, and install it on your neck.. or something. Seriously though, see if you have any luck w/ synthetic core strings.
thanks for the suggestions, folks. i did in fact intend to try synthetic-core strings, but after purchasing them my teacher sort of admonished me, saying that switching strings is not the answer and that i need to just be more vigilant about wiping down w/alcohol after each practice. i then exchanged the EP weichs i'd bought for the same strings i've already got. as for botox.... umm, dunno about going that route! maybe i'll just cut back on the coffee first..
Sounds like you may have the "acid hands". I do and its terrible, but luckily elixir bass strings work great...but those are electric bass strings. I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter how much you wipe down your strings AFTER you play as the damage is done while playing, atleast in my experience on BG. Wash your hands often and keep a cloth around to wipe your hands with.
