LITTLEWING Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Anybody else feel their strings sound worse after cleaning them with a dedicated string cleaning product? I’m coming to the conclusion that maybe you should just leave them alone except for a wipe over after a sweaty session. (Oo-er missus!) I’m starting to wonder if all the wiping with cloths and ‘cleaner’ is making things worse by the simple virtue that you’re pushing more and more sh*t into the windings. On this note, anyone got any surefire ideas they use to keep them nicer longer? Maybe someone could invent a kind of spinning toothbrush type gadget to move up and down to get all the crud out effectively. Or is that like making a car that would do 800 miles to the gallon so that, like nobody would buy petrol every week, that nobody would buy new strings for ages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Elixir solved that problem already 😊 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Anhydrous alcohol wipes. Not the 70%, the 99.9%. Nothing else comes close. I used to buy boxes of 50 individual wipes, but I don't seem to be able to find a link to share. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 Spinning toothbrush? Try the tricks like ultrasound washing and dishwasher. Cooking in water is so old fashioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 When I was poorer and basses came so cheap or exchanged easily for something shiny, I kept my strings alive by boiling them in my old mother’s saucepan when she wasn’t around. Basses came and went so fast (Kay’s/squiers/Antoria’s) buying new strings didn’t enter the equation. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LITTLEWING Posted November 20, 2021 Author Share Posted November 20, 2021 Update - bought some Isopropyl wipes as some people suggest. Seemed to remove a bit of poo from all four strings. Killed (to my ears anyway) a previously clear sounding newish set of Rotosounds stone dead in 5 minutes. NEVER putting ANYTHING on my strings again apart from my fingers and a small hand towel after each play. Boo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted November 20, 2021 Share Posted November 20, 2021 I don't think I've heard of any method of cleaning strings that make any significant distance to their lifespan. Boiling strings give a few hours at best. IIRC Marlowe DK made a video RE: letting the strings off and slapping them to death which cleaned a lot of the gunk out but again the gain was limited. I think you just need to accept that (roundwound) strings have a limited life after which you need to buy others. Flatwounds have a much longer life, Tapes longer still. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted November 21, 2021 Share Posted November 21, 2021 On 20/11/2021 at 16:41, LITTLEWING said: Killed (to my ears anyway) a previously clear sounding newish set of Rotosounds stone dead in 5 minutes. Really? I am genuinely shocked. I've uses IPA wipes for ages, and usually find they leave strings almost too clean and clear initially. I don't understand how they could make them duller. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted November 22, 2021 Share Posted November 22, 2021 On 20/11/2021 at 19:08, TheGreek said: I don't think I've heard of any method of cleaning strings that make any significant distance to their lifespan. Boiling strings give a few hours at best. IIRC Marlowe DK made a video RE: letting the strings off and slapping them to death which cleaned a lot of the gunk out but again the gain was limited. I think you just need to accept that (roundwound) strings have a limited life after which you need to buy others. Flatwounds have a much longer life, Tapes longer still. That Marlowe video... yes, ruin your fretboard at the same time. Not a fan of coated strings either because they feel like they're dull from the offset. I normally get six months out of my DR strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 I stick mine in a tub of hot water with a tiny bit of washing up liquid, give them 10 minutes then pour out the hot water, rinse them quickly to remove any suds and dry them with a towel, gives me another few weeks of life to my strings. The tub method works better than boiling them on a stove which is too hard on the strings and doesn't last very long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bay Splayer Posted June 1, 2022 Share Posted June 1, 2022 Methylated Spirit. Simply leave strings in a jar of the stuff overnight. Works for me, hardly ever buy new strings nowadays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 (edited) Computer Screen / Spectacles wipes from the pound shop... Easy to have a couple in ya case or glg bag... Edited October 12, 2022 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMoon Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 Try flats! They last forever and the tone (if it’s for you) will not change much over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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