markdavid Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Sorry if this seems like a dumb question but , I have heard about some bass players rubbing vaseline on there new strings to remove some of that trebly new string sound , I want to try this when I change my strings next , but I was wondering , will this do any harm to my bass especially the wood on the neck and fingerboard , also how much will this kill off the new string sound, I mainly use flatwounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Erm, if you want to deaden the sound of new strings, why are you changing them in the first place? Maybe choose strings that are not so bright to start with? Vaseline is petroleum based, so I'm really not sure what sort of effect that might have on finishes etc. but I can't imagine it would be good, otherwise we'd all be using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 If it does work I'll make sure I keep my hands well clear of it! I take great pains to keep that lovely bright fresh new string sound. Just play them in is the only advice I can give you. they lose a bit of zing quite quickly, especially if you don't protect or clean them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 If you like the dead string sound then just don't change them. Obviously you have to if they break, but that doesn't happen very often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay249 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 If you play with flatwound's you're already halfway there, less string noise, mellower sound, just play the hell out of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 MB1. Vaseline has many uses as no doubt you know.spreading on bass strings though, is not one of them!......... TRY MARMITE!.........for that yummy mid gig snack! Seriously though, just play em in....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Fried chicken grease - wasn't that always Jaco's joke 'secret' to his sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 MB1. Stars eh!think that was all jaco ever ate, so it wouldnt surprise me it ended up on his basses,however putting chicken grease on a fretless fender will not however make you play like jaco.He was RATHER GOOD to start with,chicken grease or no chicken grease!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Mark, Just be patient and play the F++k out of them. They[u] will [/u]loose that 'twang'..... I put a new set of Chromes on one of my PRSs three weeks ago and playing 1hr a day they are just starting to get that thwump that you want..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 I just changed my Pre's strings for the first time ever - and I bought it in 1981. Decided I like the zingy sound, actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 could try adjusting your EQ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Replacing those horrid little speakers with some 18 inch big boys might help as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_the_bass Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 i tried a tiny tiny tiny tiny smear of vaseline on the saddles of my tele as it kept breaking strings - i got one tiny tiny tiny tiny tiny smear in the wrong place and it had the effect of deadening the G (they're mega cheap strings so i'm not averse to changing them once a fortnight). on the plus side i haven't broken a string yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bald Eagle Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Think I'd just get some nickels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 I have tons of old dead DR Strings......... I tae them off when they go like you appear to want them !! LOL !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichBowman Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I think the Chicken grease was James Jamerson - Thought I could be wrong.... As for grease or vaseline on the saddles, instead of that, try rubbing a bit of pencil in the grooves and in the nut, should help smooth out the action when you're tuning. I certainly noticed a difference. Plus it'd remove the risk of ruining the string. Sorry for the wayward topic-ness, by the way. Maybe if you change the strings if they're getting too dull, boil them up and put them back on. They'll be bright again, but will dull out a lot quicker (or so I found when I used to do that - Now I always use fresh string, helps me control the EQ much easier and I find the lows are much lower. Again, could just be me). Cheers, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 [quote name='RichBowman' post='39334' date='Jul 31 2007, 01:59 AM']I think the Chicken grease was James Jamerson - Thought I could be wrong....[/quote] I thought it was Bootsy! I bet in 10 years time it'll be flea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichBowman Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Like some other members, i go to great lengths to keep my strings bright, PA's and Rooms always deaden your sound. Make sure my hands are clean before i play, rub down my strings after each gig/set......... Just don't do any of that! :-D Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Vasleine wil also soften your fingertips, seriously Use EQ if you have to, but if you're playing flats you shouldn't need to change them often in the first place Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kode4food Posted November 13, 2021 Share Posted November 13, 2021 sorry, a bit late to the party, but wanted to share my experience. I've used vaseline to deaden d'addario chrome flats. They come out of the package super zingy which is not my cup of tea. I basically smudged a bit of vaseline into a paper towel, ran it across the length of each string, and then cleaned it off with a fresh paper towel. They sounded quite nice after that, almost 'woody'. And, yes, as has been mentioned above, it was nice and smooth on the fingers, at least for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted November 13, 2021 Share Posted November 13, 2021 14 years late! How did you find this thread? 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 (edited) - Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 Put some foam under the strings to deaden them a little. IMO Vaseline wouldn't deaden the strings but it would mess up anything else you touched! In the 60's Binky McKenzie, a bassist with Alexis Korner's Free At Last, put Vaseline on his fretting fingers, but that was only to speed up his playing. I never saw him but friends who did were very impressed. Unfortunately his career as a bassist was cut short when he killed his parents and brother in law!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted November 14, 2021 Share Posted November 14, 2021 Congratulations on the greatest resurrection since Jesus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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