That last part is the part I wanted to avoid. I e be able to use Ultracleaners without any water. Something else, fluid wise? The special solvents sold together with some of them? Contains water? Residue? contains something else detrimental to bass strings, or metal? The thing one want's to get rid of is whatever residue of something else that wasn't there before, i e when strings where new. You just want the bare bones metal back into action.
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Ultrasonic Cleaner
- Thread starter Baker69
- Start date
That last part is the part I wanted to avoid. I e be able to use Ultracleaners without any water. Something else, fluid wise? The special solvents sold together with some of them? Contains water? Residue? contains something else detrimental to bass strings, or metal? The thing one want's to get rid of is whatever residue of something else that wasn't there before, i e when strings where new. You just want the bare bones metal back into action.
Any type of industrial solvent will leave a residue that will be absorbed into your blood stream and be a potential source of cancer.
Since you're only removng natural oils. dead skin and ome oxidation, a bit dish soap would be fine and just using deionized water and even tap water will do th job.
Since tap water works amazingly well on oxidized jewelry stones and metal chaines,, it should be fine for strings.
Since you're only removng natural oils. dead skin and ome oxidation, a bit dish soap would be fine and just using deionized water and even tap water will do th job.
Since tap water works amazingly well on oxidized jewelry stones and metal chaines,, it should be fine for strings.
I've been cleaning nickel rounds in a soak tube (denatured alcohol for the solvent) for the past year and a half. I'll routinely get three uses out of a set of strings (new, cleaned once, cleaned a second time). After that they just don't seem to come back so well: not as much clarity in upper mids, the harmonics won't ring as well.
Not sure if it's the progressive deformation of the wrap where it contacts the fret that eventually kills the string, but I can tell ya that IME those wear spots don't immediately make the string junk. I'll see them start to develop after the first use, and I get two more passes before I toss the strings in my scrap metal box.
I am sure that with anything but water, I'll try ultracleaning it outside. It's winter now, windy, and cold. Suits that part of work perfectly. If something should blow up or burn, it happens in the snow. 
Anything with just water, I'll ultrasonic inside. Anything BUT water: outside. That's why I wanted to try dangerous things... or mix them up.
Anything with just water, I'll ultrasonic inside. Anything BUT water: outside. That's why I wanted to try dangerous things... or mix them up.
and if you're really cheap . . . GC has strings for $8 . . . hell, just keep playing them until they break - a lot less than a cleaner, even if you purchase four sets over 25 years - $32!!!
I just tried using denatured alcohol for the first time using this method:
http://www.studybass.com/gear/bass-strings/how-to-clean-bass-strings/
I put the strings in a bucket but may build string cleaning tube if this works out. I don't change strings that often - realized I bought sets on 3 of my basses a year ago - but like the idea of bringing old ones back to life. $4 for can of denatured alcohol and already had bucket so worth the trouble. I took the out and wiped them down with a paper towel and then left them to dry on my deck.
http://www.studybass.com/gear/bass-strings/how-to-clean-bass-strings/
I put the strings in a bucket but may build string cleaning tube if this works out. I don't change strings that often - realized I bought sets on 3 of my basses a year ago - but like the idea of bringing old ones back to life. $4 for can of denatured alcohol and already had bucket so worth the trouble. I took the out and wiped them down with a paper towel and then left them to dry on my deck.
Water alone is just fine in my experience, although I have used a small amount of washing up liquid on occasions.
I don't understand all this concern about drying the strings in alcohol etc, I just give the string a shake then pull it through a paper kitchen towel, its bone dry in seconds. Never had any signs of rusting, water does evaporate even if you didn't dry them off at all.
I don't understand all this concern about drying the strings in alcohol etc, I just give the string a shake then pull it through a paper kitchen towel, its bone dry in seconds. Never had any signs of rusting, water does evaporate even if you didn't dry them off at all.
For my strings I made a tube out of PVC. I took a piece of 1" PVC and glued a cap on one end and a female threaded connector on the other end. I also bought a screw in plug for the threaded connector. I use Denatured Alcohol to clean the strings. I place the strings in the tube (the tube should be at least the length of the strings) then fill with the alcohol. The smaller the tube width wise stops the stings from settling into the tube so you can't get them out. It allow you to close the cover and reuse the Alcohol for the next time you clean strings. I hang the tube and let the strings sit in the alcohol. They can stay in the alcohol forever or until you have time to remove them and wipe them off. The strings are nice and lean when they come out of the tube and the alcohol left evaporates and the strings don't have any moisture left behind that can cause rusting of the steel core which will kill a string in short order sound wise. I bag the strings right after the alcohol drys if they are a spare set so they stay moisture free. I suppose cleaning with an Ultrasonic Cleaner then rinsing in the Denatured Alcohol might be a great ultimate cleaning program?
You may think the string is dry but moisture is hard to see between the core and the outer wraps. A bass string has multiple outer wraps wound really really tight against the core. I am thinking it's impossible to shake all the moisture out of the wraps so some stays behind likely unseen to the eye???
I've been using the alcohol soak trick for years. It works great! I get three uses out of a set of strings: new, cleaned once, and cleaned a second time.
huhuu, i asked here in my freshly opened thread:
whats the minimum "basket" size you´d recommend to take ?
150x85mm seems to small, right ?
but 150x130mm should do ?
String cleaning: Ultrasonic cleaner: which basket/inner tank size ?
and: in my house the tap water has alots of limestone,
so i´d need to get destilled water for the cleaning, no ?
whats the minimum "basket" size you´d recommend to take ?
150x85mm seems to small, right ?
but 150x130mm should do ?
String cleaning: Ultrasonic cleaner: which basket/inner tank size ?
and: in my house the tap water has alots of limestone,
so i´d need to get destilled water for the cleaning, no ?
I previously used a pvc tube quite successfully. Have used my wife’s ultrasonic cleaner several times in the past few years, and it does a fantastic job. And very quickly (minutes). The cleaner is large enough for clock parts, so the tray bottom is wide enough to hold 1 or 5 sets of coiled strings. I coil them, then zip tie them so they stay loosely coiled. I use DE in the cleaner, and I set the whole thing up about 15 feet outside the garage. The cleaner has a heater which isnt necessary, and I don't use that function with DE. Advantage of DE is no water residue after cleaning. Just take out the coiled strings, shake them off, uncoil them and hang them to dry, which only takes a few minutes. Jewelers know the value of good ultrasonic cleaners in removing gunk in the most complete, but safest and gentlest way possible.
Unless you have filled gemstones (this is evidently common with rubies...) You may wind up with some disappointing jewelry and a fine layer of bright red sand in the tray...
This is a side issue, unrelated to bass strings, but since I referenced safety and jewelry, and you referred to it, any decent jeweler with a standard gemological microscope can easily determine when a precious stone has been altered in this way.
Hi Nicolas75,
There isn’t an adjustable temperature setting (on my machine anyway), as it only has a timer setting, the water isn’t heated by the ultrasonic machine.
You fill the dish with water to a temperature of your own choice and you can (if you wish) add a very small amount of detergent.
I hope this of assistance to you.
There isn’t an adjustable temperature setting (on my machine anyway), as it only has a timer setting, the water isn’t heated by the ultrasonic machine.
You fill the dish with water to a temperature of your own choice and you can (if you wish) add a very small amount of detergent.
I hope this of assistance to you.
Great thanks!
I tend to put hot water in there (but not boiling water). By nature hot water cleans things better than cold water anyway by the difference in its viscosity.
