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Posted

I've just started using Elixir Nanowebs and where I've cleaned 'ordinary' strings successfully with surgical spirits, how do you clean these guys ? Would the spirit take off the coating or is there another simple remedy for wiping them ? By the way, may I be the first to wish all low-enders a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year !

Posted

[quote name='LITTLEWING' post='1009876' date='Nov 2 2010, 06:22 PM']By the way, may I be the first to wish all low-enders a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year ![/quote]


erm... thank you but... it's the 2nd of November!!!!!! :)

coated strings can also get dirty. They won't rust, but get dirty.
Ethanol / Isopropanol (aka rubbing alcohol) / methylated spirits all will dissolve "finger cheese" and help clean strings without damaging the coating. You just need to wipe the strings gently after a long session/gig and they'll keep pretty clean.

In addition... I like to wash my hands *before* I pee (afterwards too) and before I play. That also helps somewhat.

Posted

[quote name='mcnach' post='1009893' date='Nov 2 2010, 06:34 PM']erm... thank you but... it's the 2nd of November!!!!!! :)

coated strings can also get dirty. They won't rust, but get dirty.
Ethanol / Isopropanol (aka rubbing alcohol) / methylated spirits all will dissolve "finger cheese" and help clean strings without damaging the coating. You just need to wipe the strings gently after a long session/gig and they'll keep pretty clean.

In addition... I like to wash my hands *before* I pee (afterwards too) and before I play. That also helps somewhat.[/quote]

Yeah, I heard that too about clean hands. Stops you putting the skin's oil and grease onto the strings. I'll carry on with surgical spirits then. It's still Isopropanol but a different blend. My low 'B' has gone dull, so here I go. Cheers.

Posted

You shouldn't need to clean Elixirs. The whole point is the coating doesn't allow finger gick to get into the winds of the string. Unlike the other coated strings, Elixirs are coated after the string has been wound, so a quick rub with a dry cloth should be enough. If it isn't, time for a new string.

Posted

All i do to mine is give them a wipe with a soft cloth after Ive finished playing them, thats about all that you should need to do to them .

Another trick that i found out by accident was........ i always keep old strings for that "you never no situation" that never happens ware you break one well i broke one, to cut a story short i put a complete set of old coated strings back on while i ordered a new set an was shocked that the time that they had spent in the packet, on the shelf had kind of rejuvenated them in some way ? ?? i was shocked that they sounded bright again, i thought that it was going to ware off pretty quickly but nope , month later an still usable
Think what I'm going to do it try rotating them, before put a brand new set on put the old set back on an see how it goes !

Posted

[quote name='danny-79' post='1010036' date='Nov 2 2010, 08:50 PM']All i do to mine is give them a wipe with a soft cloth after Ive finished playing them, thats about all that you should need to do to them .

Another trick that i found out by accident was........ i always keep old strings for that "you never no situation" that never happens ware you break one well i broke one, to cut a story short i put a complete set of old coated strings back on while i ordered a new set an was shocked that the time that they had spent in the packet, on the shelf had kind of rejuvenated them in some way ? ?? i was shocked that they sounded bright again, i thought that it was going to ware off pretty quickly but nope , month later an still usable
Think what I'm going to do it try rotating them, before put a brand new set on put the old set back on an see how it goes ![/quote]


Ooh, nice tip. I've got lots of old sets :)

Posted

[quote name='danhkr' post='1010579' date='Nov 3 2010, 11:40 AM']Took the coating off some Elixirs once with FastFret. [b]Best bet probably just a quick wipe with a decent cloth after playing[/b].[/quote]
+1

  • 14 years later...
Posted

Have always used Daddario ECB 81 flats on my P and Jazz bass and cleaned them with meths after a session. Please note if you use these strings you will get hooked because they are the smoothest fastest easy to play sting in my view and produce practically no fret ware.  BUT I just bought Elixirs with the coating. I sure hope methylated spirits is ok. Has anybody asked Elixir?

Posted

The idea of Elixirs is that the entre string is coated after being wound, which stops your biocrud getting into the winds, thereby eliminating the need to to clean with meths. Wipe down with a dry cloth, if needed, but don't use any kind of solvent on a coating like that, would seem to be the obvious course of action.

Posted
3 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

The idea of Elixirs is that the entre string is coated after being wound, which stops your biocrud getting into the winds, thereby eliminating the need to to clean with meths. Wipe down with a dry cloth, if needed, but don't use any kind of solvent on a coating like that, would seem to be the obvious course of action.

 

As Doctor J mentioned, the idea of these strings is that you don't need to wipe them down. The nanoweb coating keeps the muck out of the grooves. To give you an idea, I change my Elixirs once a year on my main Jazz bass, and that's usually after 30-40 2 hour Warners/Theatre live shows.

 

Just play them and enjoy them :)

  • Like 1
Posted

And be wary of even using a damp cloth to wipe Elixirs down. When I tried that once it made the coating feel sticky, took days of playing to start feeling normal again. You actually don't need to clean them. 

  • Like 1

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