KL Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I just saw the thread about changing your strings . . . one at a time or all at once etc. It reminded me of when I couldn't afford new strings all the time. I used to take off all of my strings and boil them in a pan of water to get all the dirt and sweat out of them, dry them off and then replace them. They always sounded re-vitalised! It does work. Bass players do this because all their strings are wound and they are big and expensive, so it's a good way to give a bit more life to those dull old bass strings. Have any of you ever done this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Yes ........long ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I thought it was an old wives tale. I've been gigging bars since the early '70's and I've never boiled, or put a string on, once it came off. And I played a LOT of bass in the early '70's..... I still don't believe anybody really did that. They just SAY they did....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I boiled them before i put them since EVH said they would expand easiar...now i hate EVH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Mmmmmm.... Guitar string soup....:- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 .now i hate EVH. He's got cool shoes, ya gotta' admit that........ :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 I thought it was an old wives tale. I've been gigging bars since the early '70's and I've never boiled' date=' or put a string on, once it came off. And I played a LOT of bass in the early '70's..... I still don't believe anybody really did that. They just SAY they did.......[/quote'] Well Murph, now you know it's true. I did it many times when I was a teenager, and the bass player in our band still does it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well Murph' date=' now you know it's true. I did it many times when I was a teenager, and the bass player in our band still does it![/quote'] Times must be tougher in the UK, than they are here. When I played bass, I could get 6 months out of a set of strings gigging 2 nights a week, easy. Even at that, I could never justify spending enough time to boil a set of strings, I mean really..... After 50 gigs, I would have saved up enough, for a new set....... Just sayin'...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I thought it was an old wives tale. I've been gigging bars since the early '70's and I've never boiled' date=' or put a string on, once it came off. And I played a LOT of bass in the early '70's..... I still don't believe anybody really did that. They just SAY they did.......[/quote'] My brother used to do boil them when we were teens and a set of strings was a very big expense. I was there, I saw, he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Further, when I had enough money to buy a new set of strings, I would carefully remove the old ones, wind them up and use them for spares when I broke a string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Yep . . . that's right Rich . . . used to do that too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Further' date=' when I had enough money to buy a new set of strings, I would carefully remove the old ones, wind them up and use them for spares when I broke a string.[/quote'] God bless ya, man..... I never knew times that tough...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Years ago I tried to re-use an old string a few times. They broke at the tuning post every time. Too short = no good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 If you can't afford a guitar string, it's time to re-consider your goals......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 If you can't afford a guitar string' date=' it's time to re-consider your goals.........[/quote']$hit happens murph. One day your paying for your brand new gibson les paul custom and the next day your eating beans from a can next to a Burger King. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I usually don't replace strings until they break... And then I mooch off of one of my friends with more money and less impetus to wear out strings practicing more than the next guy so that your licks don't sound generic and so everything runs smoothly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 That's what I've never understood. After you buy a guitar, your maintenance pretty much consists of a $3 set of strings every few months. Even stamp-collecting is a budget buster by comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I boiled my acoustic strings on a couple of occasions when I was broke. They still sounded like a fat girl's fart. Then a bass player pal turned me on to this: Gets rid of the dirt, scum, grime, funk, schmunda, and sweat -- leaving em fresh-sounding with that new string feel. Doesn't improve the elasticity but the feel is clean and new & the tone comes back out to play. Boiling strings isn't even in the same ballpark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Gets rid of the dirt' date=' scum, grime, funk, schmunda, and sweat [/quote']Smegma too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Yeah . . . I don't think Fast Fret had been invented when I used to boil my strings!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Smegma too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Smegma too? ...and fromunda cheese... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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