Used Strings Gross Me Out

[Bassist440]

You can't live in a sterile environment ... it's natural to be exposed to a variety of bacteria ... it's still gross but it is good for your [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[arbiterusa]

OP, I only play with my "big finger", if you know what I mean and I think you do. Tony Levin gave me the idea with those sticks he puts on his fingers. At any rate, I've got a lot of "beat" strings lying around, if you want 'em, shoot me a PM.

 

[Bigbri]

You won't like me then. My strings are three years old. They sound great.

If you see our rehearsal room, you'll understand that cleanliness of the strings is the least of my concerns....

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Thats a sign of hard work.

 

[Bigbri]

You can't live in a sterile environment ... it's natural to be exposed to a variety of bacteria ... it's still gross but it is good for your [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

They say the healthiest kids are ones that grew up on the dirtiest farms.

 

[Bigbri]

Ha. I have a set of flatwounds that's more than 10 years old, is on its third bass, and the silk at the ends is going bald. DB strings are maybe 5 years old now, except the D which broke at a gig so it's 3 years. I've played on DB strings that were more than 20 years old and had been played by lots of other people, too.

But if you really want to be grossed out, I could tell you about some of the things I've eaten.

Thats nothing, my 74 pbass has the same set of rotosounds on it since 1988. Almost 28 yrs? They don't look bad at all. You don't need a mute and they never, and I mean never, go out of tune. Wash your hands before you play. Even once a day helps A guitar player i knew always had this moldy looking black crap hanging under his strings. I think he kept it like that on purpose because he hated people touching his stuff. He wouldn't let me play his guitar that was plugged into my chorus.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Meh... that's why they make alcohol.

 

[Bigbri]

Meh... that's why they make alcohol.

ya, to chill out guitar gods, and to clean your strings:>

 

[petrus61]

I also think other people's used strings are gross, but I'll continue to post mine in the classifieds and I'm guessing people will continue to buy them, so meh. Would I ever buy used strings? Nope.

 

[AdamK]

Last summer Cello-playing friend of mine got permission to take the school's bass guitar (I use it when I'm there) home and practice with it and the first day back I take the bass out and the strings are absolutely disgusting. Black grime all over on every string...

 

[soxhats]

Better not watch this (Skip to the 1:20 mark.)

 

[Bigbri]

Why not just boil them and/or soak them in denatured alcohol? Then you strings are clean AND good as new!

Boiling definitely works but they don't last very long afterwords.

 

[MegaSwing]

To each his zone. Part of the joy of choosing strings is observing how they age. Someone else's used strings? ...Naaah.

 

[Bigbri]

I also think other people's used strings are gross, but I'll continue to post mine in the classifieds and I'm guessing people will continue to buy them, so meh. Would I ever buy used strings? Nope.

Some people who can afford it change their strings everyday. So I can see buying a set of "day-olds" but thats about it.

 

[GregT]

Okay, so here is a scenario. I just sold my Fender Jazz V after trying several brands of strings. I sold it with the DR Fatbeams and I kept the TI Flats and put them on my new Precision. That leaves the Chromes that I had on it for a couple days. They just weren't my thing being so high tension. They are still brand new, but only really fit a Fender Jazz V. What would the logical thing be to do with them? I will probably, eventually list them in the classifieds. Or should I just throw them away because I touched them? (I am very, very aware that I need to renew my supporting membership because it just ran out about a week ago! They are definitely not for sale at this point!! Absolutely serious! I understand the rules.) There is no way I will ever use them again. I have a small collection of strings I will keep for "whatever", but not the Chromes. Until now, I didn't even know they were tainted. I feel so dirty now.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

People use other people's old strings?

 

[Bigbri]

Okay, so here is a scenario. I just sold my Fender Jazz V after trying several brands of strings. I sold it with the DR Fatbeams and I kept the TI Flats and put them on my new Precision. That leaves the Chromes that I had on it for a couple days. They just weren't my thing being so high tension. They are still brand new, but only really fit a Fender Jazz V. What would the logical thing be to do with them? I will probably, eventually list them in the classifieds. Or should I just throw them away because I touched them? (I am very, very aware that I need to renew my supporting membership because it just ran out about a week ago! They are definitely not for sale at this point!! Absolutely serious! I understand the rules.) There is no way I will ever use them again. I have a small collection of strings I will keep for "whatever", but not the Chromes. Until now, I didn't even know they were tainted. I feel so dirty now.

I was going to use the bottom 4 strings of the 5 string set as B,E,A,D on my four string spector, but never got around to it.

 

[sprag]

if you've ever shaken someones hand there is an extremely high chance it has had at least one d#*k in it before you touched it

 

[MegaSwing]

if you've ever shaken someones hand there is an extremely high chance it has had at least one d#*k in it before you touched it

I just chest bump.

 

[Justinian]

The funk is in the funk. Dead, dirty strings for me!

 

[rogerbmiller]

You won't like me then. My strings are three years old. They sound great.

If you see our rehearsal room, you'll understand that cleanliness of the strings is the least of my concerns....

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Wait...is that Jimmy Hoffa in the kick drum?