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The Official MTD USA Thread

#2,701
Well, I've boiled my strings in Isopropyl alcohol. A quick boil with the 70% stuff and I get one more gig out of them.
Is that the denatured al method you're speaking of or is there another, more effective way to clean the strings?
Sounds like you're letting them soak in the stuff for a while. How long? Please describe your method in detail as I'd like to try it. I bet my new MTD 535 would kill with DRs on it!!
thanks
 
#2,702
funkythumb said:
Well, I've boiled my strings in Isopropyl alcohol. A quick boil with the 70% stuff and I get one more gig out of them.
Is that the denatured al method you're speaking of or is there another, more effective way to clean the strings?
Sounds like you're letting them soak in the stuff for a while. How long? Please describe your method in detail as I'd like to try it. I bet my new MTD 535 would kill with DRs on it!!
thanks
Click to expand...

Use Denatured Alcohol (important) that you can get at any of the big home improvement stores. Some guy's make a PVC tube and hang the strings in it but all I do is wind up the strings and soak them in a large Tupperware container with lid. I normally just leave them in for a week and change them out every week. You could probably get by with just soaking them for a day or so. I just purchased a new set of Hi-Beams and they sound just like the six month old ones that come straight from the alcohol.

NOTE: DO NOT boil alcohol. The stuff is extremely flammable and it's unnecessary anyway. Just soak the strings. Also, DENATURED alcohol is much more pure than ISOPROPYL alcohol which contains water.
 
#2,703
funkythumb said:
Well, I've boiled my strings in Isopropyl alcohol. A quick boil with the 70% stuff and I get one more gig out of them.
Is that the denatured al method you're speaking of or is there another, more effective way to clean the strings?
Sounds like you're letting them soak in the stuff for a while. How long? Please describe your method in detail as I'd like to try it. I bet my new MTD 535 would kill with DRs on it!!
thanks
Click to expand...

that is SO dangerous it is unbelievable. Just soak them in it - don't boil the stuff. Also, it burns with a virtually invisible flame, so you're just asking for trouble.

Also, re: denatured alcohol; having used it for about a year, I find absolutely no difference between it and methyl hydrate, except it costs 5x the price. I'm still using the denatured alcohol because I still have some, but methyl hydrate works just as well for soaking, IMHO.

DON'T BOIL THE STUFF - that's just nuts, man!

You're very lucky not to have had an explosion/fire.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#2,704
Below is a site that explains how to do the PVC pipe thing, but as mentioned it really doesn't matter. A tupperware container works just as well as far as cleaning, I just use the pipe so I don't have to worry about uncoiling strings that are dripping alcohol. Just let the strings soak for at least 24 hours, and no longer than a week. I've gotten the best results from allowing them to hang dry (it only takes like 10 minutes because the alcohol evaporates quickly) but you can wipe them down with a clean cloth as well.

As I mentioned, I will rotate 3 sets like this so I am always ready - one on the bass, one cleaned set in my gig bag ready to be put on when my strings go dead, and one set in the pipe being cleaned. This works WAAAAAAAAAYYY better than boiling strings - the strings will truly sound and feel just like a brand new set, and they will last just as long. It's also easier to do, you don't have to watch the strings "cooking" on the stove or anything like that.

http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/bass_string_cleaning_tube.html
 
#2,705
thank you guys. I'll give it a shot. Maybe I can finally stop using the Elixirs.
I haven't boiled strings since Elixirs first came out. So it's been around 10 years???
I used to boil them all the time without any trouble; except for one time.
I normally used to use 70% Isopropyl (rubbing al) in a pot and never had an issue for years.
Then, by accident, I purchased 90% Isopropyl, which, of course, is much more flammable. That was the mistake!!!
I did this like 15 years ago while living at my mom's house.
The alcohol caught on fire and I had a flaming pot whose flame was licking the bottoms of the wood cabinets near the stove.
I stupidly picked up the pot by the handle and ran (never run with fire) to the back door. All the while, the flames were "bent" over and covering my arm. Luckily I wasn't hurt.
Anyway, I opened the back kitchen door and threw the flaming pot out and into the driveway. Just as I was doing this, this guy comes driving up our driveway. He's basically a stranger and must of been shocked as he was driving and had a flaming pot come flying out in front of him. :-)
Thankfully, no one was hurt!!!
Several lessons to be learned here.:-)
1. Don't boil strings in 90% al.
2. Keep a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen.
 
#2,706
I think I'll try methyl hydrate myself first like Bassflute said and see how that works and try the denatured alcohol later if I need to. I don't REALLY need to do this, but since I don't want to waste strings I can restore, I might as well give it a shot :). I usually go 3 months before needing to change strings so I guess I'm lucky? [And I don't have sweaty hands either, so that's probably why, and I have a light touch to my right hand when playing and I hardly slap]
 
#2,707
funkythumb said:
thank you guys. I'll give it a shot. Maybe I can finally stop using the Elixirs.
I haven't boiled strings since Elixirs first came out. So it's been around 10 years???
I used to boil them all the time without any trouble; except for one time.
I normally used to use 70% Isopropyl (rubbing al) in a pot and never had an issue for years.
Then, by accident, I purchased 90% Isopropyl, which, of course, is much more flammable. That was the mistake!!!
I did this like 15 years ago while living at my mom's house.
The alcohol caught on fire and I had a flaming pot whose flame was licking the bottoms of the wood cabinets near the stove.
I stupidly picked up the pot by the handle and ran (never run with fire) to the back door. All the while, the flames were "bent" over and covering my arm. Luckily I wasn't hurt.
Anyway, I opened the back kitchen door and threw the flaming pot out and into the driveway. Just as I was doing this, this guy comes driving up our driveway. He's basically a stranger and must of been shocked as he was driving and had a flaming pot come flying out in front of him. :-)
Thankfully, no one was hurt!!!
Several lessons to be learned here.:-)
1. Don't boil strings in 90% al.
2. Keep a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen.
Click to expand...

Whoa! The real lesson is do not boil ANY alcohol at all! The denatured alcohol will work perfectly without boiling at all.
 
#2,708
xkimsungminx said:
I think I'll try methyl hydrate myself first like Bassflute said and see how that works and try the denatured alcohol later if I need to. I don't REALLY need to do this, but since I don't want to waste strings I can restore, I might as well give it a shot :). I usually go 3 months before needing to change strings so I guess I'm lucky? [And I don't have sweaty hands either, so that's probably why, and I have a light touch to my right hand when playing and I hardly slap]
Click to expand...

I haven't used the methyl hydrate before, but the denatured alcohol is only like $5.00 for a big can, and it will last over a year in the pipe/tupperware so it isn't that much of a cost factor.

But if I could go 3 months between string changes like you, I wouldn't even worry about cleaning!
 
#2,709
vision said:
I haven't used the methyl hydrate before, but the denatured alcohol is only like $5.00 for a big can, and it will last over a year in the pipe/tupperware so it isn't that much of a cost factor.

But if I could go 3 months between string changes like you, I wouldn't even worry about cleaning!
Click to expand...

Ooh I'll just use the denatured alcohol then. When he said it was 5x's more in cost than the methyl alcohol, I thought denatured alcohol was really expensive.

Hahah I know, I don't really need cleaning but hey, I might as well try it out since it's only $5, and I'll always have used strings after every change :). This is a college students way of cutting costs haha.
 
#2,710
Good advice all around.
Technically, people boil alcohol all the time, just not PURE alcohol. :-)
But yes, boiling strings with alcohol only in a kitchen is not the best idea.
You can do it safely if you use low percentage Isopropyl but it's not a safe idea. Best to stay away and use the soak method.
I'm excited about trying it!!!
 
#2,711
xkimsungminx said:
Ooh I'll just use the denatured alcohol then. When he said it was 5x's more in cost than the methyl alcohol, I thought denatured alcohol was really expensive.

Hahah I know, I don't really need cleaning but hey, I might as well try it out since it's only $5, and I'll always have used strings after every change :). This is a college students way of cutting costs haha.
Click to expand...

Denatured Alcohol is now a restricted substance or some such thing here (because it's used for making crack or meth or both) so it is hard to get, you have to provide ID, sign a waiver, and it is about $17.00 a litre. Methyl Hydrate is about $3.00 a litre, and you can buy it just about anywhere (Home Depot, paint stores, etc.).

After doing all that and finally getting some, I can tell no difference between the two. They both bring your strings back to about 90% of new.

BTW - we (bass players) used to boil strings, not in alcohol, but in water, to get some of the dirt out before we tried solvents on them. I can remember boiling strings way back in the 70's to brighten them up. Then we discovered soaking them in alcohol, and that made the rounds amongst players (long before the internet was around). Somehow you got the two mixed up. If you boil alcohol, besides the flame danger, there's also the fact that it would pretty much completely evaporate.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
#2,713
Just got her in today! :cool:

MTD535/21, #1626.
Poplar body, myrtle burl top, with wenge neck/fretboard.
And... the green/yellow/green Rodman finish!

It's nice out today, so I'll get some real-life shots of it today hopefully.

Dang, I forgot how nice these were, and having it setup properly and no dead spots (that I've found) make it very choice!

The letter from Mike is a cool touch, also!

Just, wow. Even acoustic, this thing just jumps out and grabs you. It looks like my loyalty to all things Modulus is being challenged!

Full report soon...
 
#2,716
Best...bass... EVAR!!! :eek::eek:

Now I know what Vic means about getting one that's done up "right".

Holy crap.

Too bad I just got my Modulus too... I mean I know I'll be playing both, as the MTD isn't exactly my vision of "The Fit" for my metal group, but just words can't describe.. I didn't know it was possible to be able to punch and articulate like THIS.
Slapping on the B string makes me tingly in my tummy. :)

Seriously, I'm already planning my next MTD... It's just that insanely good.
 
#2,720
evilgus said:
Has anyone ever seen or ordered an MTD with a purple or pink burst colour scheme? Am contemplating a custom order and wondering what would look completely amazing and unique...

EG
Click to expand...

I thought I had seen that somewhere before. Maybe I even saved a picture of it... I'll check and look through my files.
 

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