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Strings going dead rather quickly


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Recently changed some strings (D'addario Pro Steels) as they sounded pretty dead and dull on my Corvette. I put them on my old Ibanez as they needed some newer strings on them and lo and behold they sound bright and new! So i tried it with some Ernie Balls I'd taken off the corvette previously and they sound like they have plenty of life left too!

Could this be a problem with my Warwick? Struggling to think why this might be...

Edited by Randy_Marsh
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I've found that taking strings off & putting them on again can make them sound brighter again for a while; maybe slackening them right off & then returning to tension clears some of the crud caught in the windings & gives 'em a bit more life.

(Just my personal observations on the matter - no scientific basis for them......). :)

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[quote name='RhysP' post='1235227' date='May 18 2011, 09:06 AM']I've found that taking strings off & putting them on again can make them sound brighter again for a while; maybe slackening them right off & then returning to tension clears some of the crud caught in the windings & gives 'em a bit more life.

(Just my personal observations on the matter - no scientific basis for them......). :)[/quote]

Aye, I have noticed that a bit myself. I'm just worried about it being the nut or something. Might have to take it in for a decent set up... Just need to find somewhere decent near Crewe

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I wouldn't get into the habit of tensioning and de-tensioning strings too much. It can interfere with the harmonic properties of the string. Also, you will get flat spots where the frets have been and these will hardly ever line up.

Some people take old dull strings off and boil them for a while to make them sound brighter. When I've done this I get almost a chorus effect out of the strings when they are back up to tension, and they don't last that long either.

What makes strings go dull is sweat and bits of skin etc getting into the grooves of the string winding. When you take the strings off the dirt in the grooves gets compressed, when you tension again the grooves get slightly larger so the compressed dirt loosens and falls out. Boiling them gives a deeper clean but the changes in temperature also deteriorate the sound properties of the string.

You could try cleaning the strings, under tension with isopropyl alchohol (don't use whiskey!). You could also try wiping the strings with a lint free cloth after every time you play the bass to prolong their life. Some people make strings go dull quicker than others, it depends on the acidity of your sweat.

When i was touring a set of steel elites would last me two nights before they turned into rubber bands! I use the D'addario EXP coated strings these days, they are not cheap but they last for ages, the only ones I've tried that last longer are the DR Bootzillas but they are super expensive and have quite a harsh sound.

B

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[quote name='Randy_Marsh' post='1233785' date='May 16 2011, 03:58 PM']Recently changed some strings (D'addario Pro Steels) as they sounded pretty dead and dull on my Corvette. I put them on my old Ibanez as they needed some newer strings on them and lo and behold they sound bright and new! So i tried it with some Ernie Balls I'd taken off the corvette previously and they sound like they have plenty of life left too!

Could this be a problem with my Warwick? Struggling to think why this might be...[/quote]

Have you tried a brand new set on the Warwick yet? If a new set that has yet to touch a bass also sounds dead you might have a problem with the Warwick.

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[quote name='XylemBassGuitar' post='1236197' date='May 18 2011, 07:46 PM']Have you tried a brand new set on the Warwick yet? If a new set that has yet to touch a bass also sounds dead you might have a problem with the Warwick.[/quote]

Put a fresh set of Warwick strings on literally about 5 minutes ago, and they sound grand. Lots of life in them and nice and bright. I'm going to have to start wiping them down when I play I think. I must just kill strings, as the coated DR's didn't last very long haha. Glad to know it's probably not a fault with the bass.

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