daveinspain Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Been on here a long time and I don't recall anyone ever talking about cleaning the strings. I'm just sitting here going over some of the tunes for tomorrows band rehearsal and noticed the strings felt kin of, icky... I don't feel like changing the strings so I'm thinking of getting a cloth and some alcohol and one by one running the soaked cloth up and down each string and then finish them off with some fast fret... What do you guys do when you're too lazy to changed the strings or get a little more life out of them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Well, you still have to take them off but I used to boil them when I was young and broke. In a pot of boiling water,, brightens them right up. But I think you don't want to remove them so my point is moot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riptide Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Been on here a long time and I don't recall anyone ever talking about cleaning the strings. I'm just sitting here going over some of the tunes for tomorrows band rehearsal and noticed the strings felt kin of, icky... I don't feel like changing the strings so I'm thinking of getting a cloth and some alcohol and one by one running the soaked cloth up and down each string and then finish them off with some fast fret... What do you guys do when you're too lazy to changed the strings or get a little more life out of them? I always try to clean my strings after maybe an hour of play time. I think it makes them last longer and they certainly feel WAY better... it gets of dirt grime and grossness in general... (even if it isn't substantial) they just feel way smoother! I use Dunlop string cleaner now but I used to use alcohol and that worked pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted November 11, 2013 Author Share Posted November 11, 2013 Did it. Strings feel better but they keep going out of tune.... :huh: I'm guessing running the alcohol up and down the strings heated and cooled the string making them unstable for a time... We'll see how it goes after playing for a while... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riptide Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Did it. Strings feel better but they keep going out of tune.... :huh: I'm guessing running the alcohol up and down the strings heated and cooled the string making them unstable for a time... We'll see how it goes after playing for a while... Did you clean the nut? I find that that helps with tuning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I've heard the boiling too... never did it. Wiped 'em in the old days when I used flats on one electric for rock. Just ran the nylons until it was obvious they hadda go. Ditto some 8s I used for several years on another electric and when I finally changed 'em, they had little bends where they went over the frets. Then again, I never was much for specific tone as long as the strings would stay in tune. Nowadays I use the Elixirs on most of my guitars and unless my fingers are grungy, I don't think they need much cleaning. I'm doing some experimenting with some light gauge flats too, but normally the hands ain't been eatin' finger food first. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Baby wipes. No, I'm not kidding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Used to boil bass strings and it sort of works but takes something else out as well as the dirt. Usually use a thin cloth and under the strings too if I have time. I heard the guitarist in U.K Hendrix/Z.Z.Top tribute band "The Hamsters" sometimes sprayed WD40 all over the neck at the start of a set! That would clean 'em too - sort of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 Used to boil bass strings and it sort of works but takes something else out as well as the dirt. Usually use a thin cloth and under the strings too if I have time. I heard the guitarist in U.K Hendrix/Z.Z.Top tribute band "The Hamsters" sometimes sprayed WD40 all over the neck at the start of a set! That would clean 'em too - sort of! Issshhh.... I hate to think of what that does to your fingers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I never clean the strings. When they start sounding and feeling cruddy I change them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHTom Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I never clean the strings. When they start sounding and feeling cruddy I change them. Same hear..........quick wipe down after playing and change them often. NHTom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 First I was shocked when I found out that I was supposed to change my guitar strings...........and now I'm supposed to clean them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Just change them, always better. A lot of conventional cleaning ways will just lessen the strings life anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 It really helps to increase a string's lifespan by giving them a wipe after each time you play-that also cuts down greatly on neck crud building up around the frets.Planet Waves makes a cool string cleaning kit that comes with a cleaning solution and 2 small plastic tools that hold 2 small felt pads that you wipe along the length of the strings after you soak the pads with some of the solution.That stuff works like a charm.You can pick them up in any guitar store. I always give my hands a good washing before I play and that really cuts down on the amount of oils and minute flakes of skin that come off while playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy60 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 personally, i'm not really into cleaning anything. if the strings start to sound dull, i change em out. if the neck and board get too grimy or frets need dressing, i let the tech guy at the custom shop take care of it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoreyT Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I have one of these gizmos for each guitar, and I use it on them after playing. It really does work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 cotton cloth with alcohol does the trick for me. Then again, with the cost of a 10 pack at Juststrings.com --- Changing em often isn't a bad thing either.. /ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiz Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I'm lucky because I don't really sweat a lot, so my strings don't get really gunked up. I kept some GHS Fast Fret in my case on tour and I used that after gigs. I wound up changing strings once a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Hello! I use Ernie Ball Wonder Wipes when I feel that they starting to fade. Usually doubles string life for me. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I wipe 'em after playing with a soft cloth. And I change them often. I play once a week outdoors in a marina on a salt water lagoon. A few weeks and they start to get rust and they are outta there. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick_s Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I wipe mine down with a cotton cloth each time I play, seems to stop them going dead as quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I try to wipe the strings down after i play with a cloth or more often a sleeve. I never clean the strings, I'll change them quite often though, back when I was gigging, I'd change them every 2 weeks or so. Now I'll change them every couple months as I don't play as often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 I like the string cleaner thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edlo Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Been on here a long time and I don't recall anyone ever talking about cleaning the strings. I'm just sitting here going over some of the tunes for tomorrows band rehearsal and noticed the strings felt kin of, icky... I don't feel like changing the strings so I'm thinking of getting a cloth and some alcohol and one by one running the soaked cloth up and down each string and then finish them off with some fast fret... What do you guys do when you're too lazy to changed the strings or get a little more life out of them? For me, I always wiped them after with a soft cloth. That seems to work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 I clean them with a WHITE "T" shirt after each gig before the guitar goes in the case. The next day I clean them AGAIN by running a Q-tip soaked in WD-40. Cleans off any "cheese" I missed and makes them sound brand new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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