Boiling Strings

[tangodown87]

Hi all,

im not the most clued up player with technical stuff but im just looking at getting the most out of a set of strings and ive come across people who boil their strings?

is this worth doing? does it give much of an extended lifespan? or can it damage my bass?

if anyone knows anything about this, would really appreciate your help!!

thanks

[bremen]

It can rejuvenate old strings for a while. I don't see how it can damage the bass (assuming you don't put them on the bass straight out of the saucepan to allow them to drip-dry).

[51m0n]

Much better off soaking them in meths for a couple of days, has at least as much effect and doesnt expose the core to water, so far less likely to start it oxidising.

I have a few sets of DRs that are over 3 years old now and still sound like they are about a week old, I just rotate the sets in my tube of meths and keep a set on that are fresh enough to keep me happy.

Saved me an absolute fortune....

[Slipperydick]

It does put some of the zing back, just put em in a saucepan with a few drops of vinigar, bring itto the boil for a bit then dry em with a lint free cloth. Usually works more than once when your hard up.

Wont damage your Bass, not as long as you remember to take em off first anyway.

[PaulWarning]

yeah, you have to take them off your bass before you boil them
there's several topics about this, I've tried it but it's a lot of hassle and the strings go off again PDQ, oh, and use a pan with a lid, it's not very pleasant getting whipped across the face with a red hot bass string, believe me

[bremen]

[quote name='Slipperydick' timestamp='1321882309' post='1443979']
.

Wont damage your Bass, not as long as you remember to take em off first anyway.
[/quote]

I'm visualising a bass-shaped saucepan on the stove, being stirred by Terry f***witt; steam rising.

[squire5]

As 51m0n says (like that?See what I did there?) Meths is much better than boiling.I boiled my strings for years and it worked.But meths cleaning lasts an awful lot longer in my opinion.Makes the meths taste a bit funny afterwards tho'

[skankdelvar]

[color=#ff0000][b]Skim-Reader Warning[/b][/color]: Do Not Boil Meths

[tangodown87]

i do like the fact that everyone assumed i wouldnt take the strings off first! i know technically im not very good but come on!! haha

thanks for the answers guys i guess ill give it a go and see what i think,

most cooking ive done for a while anyways...

[Conan]

If boiling doesn't produce the results you seek, you could always try frying them.

[crez5150]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1321885914' post='1444030']
If boiling doesn't produce the results you seek, you could always try frying them.
[/quote]

Saute is the way to go!

[tangodown87]

if anyone has any recipes to share...
maybe ill use cheap pans instead of my girlfriends nice shiny expensive ones aswell...

[bremen]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1321885979' post='1444031']
I'm about to do some this afternoon as well.

It's been a long time since I done it but NBD came with 3 grubby strings so pulling out one of theold packets .

As for the water. As far as my basic science when. It's the oxygen that makes things rust (Oxidization) but when you boil water it takes out some of the oxygen content.
[/quote]

Not really - any water left in the core of the strings will still be made of two Hs and an O.

Fortunately, the string is (edit: usually) stainless steel and won't rust.

Edited November 21, 2011 by bremen

[51m0n]

Heat cold cycle on the metal doesnt help make it last any longer either.

Back in the day I was into boiling them, but they would become more liable to break than if just left. Since moving over to meths I havent had any issues.

[gilmour]

I've found boling to them can add a bit of Ing back, but it doesn't last as long and they do seem to break more easily afterwards.

Best results I had for putting the zing back in was, IIRC, some switch cleaner (like you buy form Maplins) although it may have been Isopryl Alcohol.

[skidder652003]

grab some isopropyl alchohol online (about £6) and wipe em down after every use,they last a lot longer than boiling them!

[Adrenochrome]

Boiling them is bad and will reduce their life (but give some zing back temporarily). Clean them before and after every set/ practice session. They should last years.

[Dad3353]

Rotosound Tru-Bass 88's. Black nylon coated. Don't need no damned boilin'..! Get used to dull thud; don't want any of that new-fangled 'zing' around here..! Put 'em on, leave'm alone.

[JDH]

I've switched to WD-40...

[Pete Academy]

I have put mine in a dish washer in the past. Does an equally good job.

[Mr. Foxen]

Meths is cheaper than isopropyl, works the same. Absorbs water eventually and lets the strings rust, that's when I use it to light the bbq.

[mep]

I've just put a couple of sets back on 2 of my basses that I soaked in meths for 24 hours. It works a treat, and they sound practically new. Not much meths evaporated either, so plenty left for a few more soaks.

[Mr. Foxen]

It isn't the evaporation of the meths that kills it, it absorbs atmospheric water and can rust strings if you leave them in for ages. With the increasing amount of methanol/alcohol in petrol, there is trouble with it rusting the tanks in classic cars that are left with a tank of fuel for periods.

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1321915459' post='1444486']
It isn't the evaporation of the meths that kills it, it absorbs atmospheric water and can rust strings if you leave them in for ages. [/quote]

+1

White Spirit works too, & has the advantage of not absorbing moisture. 2L of turps & a tupperware pasta box from Poundland makes for a good bosh tank.

Pete.

[Booooooom]

+1 for meths. I recommend making one of [url="http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/bass_string_cleaning_tube.html"]these[/url].
In addition, I'd thread a short length of drinking straw/tubing over the headstock windings to straighten and bind which makes getting the strings into the tube much easier. Also, run the strings through a clean cloth/piece of kitchen roll as you withdraw them from the tube so you don't splash meths about. Works a treat