brewer
Well-known member
Some old dude was at the club tonight and said he boils his bass strings. I know this should probably be over in the string catagory, but have any of yall done this or played "boiled" strings?
- Thread starter brewer
- Start date
The trick to boiling strings lies in the condiments you use. Por ejemplo, use some fresh parsley for that buttery top, but solid bottom. I've found using some paprika with adds a nice, glassy top to strings without ruining the lows. Adding some sage gets the strings all nice and warm - almost like flatwounds. But for me, the winner is chives. They give strings a mid-range boost like nothing else.
Boiling strings supposedly rejuvenates strings for a bit so they're like new, but they'll go dead again. A quick search will turn up lots of info about it. I've only done it once or twice, but it seems to work, if not for just a brief moment.
Boiling strings supposedly rejuvenates strings for a bit so they're like new, but they'll go dead again. A quick search will turn up lots of info about it. I've only done it once or twice, but it seems to work, if not for just a brief moment.
Aussie Mark
Well-known member
midopa said:
New strings are like new shoes. Give me worn in shoes any day.
Jazzbassman23
Well-known member
But if you insist, instead of boiling, might I recommend soaking the strings in denatured alchohol for 24 hours or so. Much less messy.
brewer said:
If you like the zingy noise of new strings you can "rejuvenate" the strings by boiling them in water for ten minutes or so, then drying them in the oven. I used to do this when I was a penniless student until I realised I preferred the sound of them before they were boiled.
Boiling the strings removes gunk from them. It will not make an old string new, fret wear will still be there.
Mantaray
Well-known member
Even though fret wear remains, boiling them certainly improves them and for more than a moment.
It is a great solution and one that I'd use more often if my Ray had an 'open saddle' bridge.
It is a great solution and one that I'd use more often if my Ray had an 'open saddle' bridge.
bovinehost
Administrator
You can boil them all you want but they take forever to get tender enough to actually eat.
bass thumper
Well-known member
bovinehost said:
Try scrambled if you don't have teeth! 
sundar
Well-known member
Hard boiled or soft boiled?
bass thumper
Well-known member
Soft boiled makes me fart!
backagain1
Well-known member
Boiling Strings
I tried to boil strings once. I found it was a pain in the rear and I didn't notice any improvement. Perhaps I didn't use the correct boiling procedure, but I decided it wasn't worth doing.
backagain1
I tried to boil strings once. I found it was a pain in the rear and I didn't notice any improvement. Perhaps I didn't use the correct boiling procedure, but I decided it wasn't worth doing.
backagain1
Doogels
Active member
I read in Tony Levin's book to boil them in vinegar. I did so, and they sounded GREAT...
...until they broke. They turned out to be super brittle and two strings broke at my next rehearsal. That is the only time I've had strings break in my life.
...until they broke. They turned out to be super brittle and two strings broke at my next rehearsal. That is the only time I've had strings break in my life.
Mobay45
Well-known member
Buy new strings.
If bass playing is your hobby then think of it like any other. You would have to buy golf balls for golf, gas and tires for your race car, etc.....
If you play your bass for a living you should be writing off your strings on your income taxes (at least in the U.S.).
If bass playing is your hobby then think of it like any other. You would have to buy golf balls for golf, gas and tires for your race car, etc.....
If you play your bass for a living you should be writing off your strings on your income taxes (at least in the U.S.).
Jazzbassman23
Well-known member
Well, there is that approach Decent strings can be had via closeout, eBay, etc. . . for $10/set, so there really isn't any excuse for just replacing them when they get old. Obviously, if you have a lot of basses, it gets expensive, but then you had enough money to buy all those basses . . . I used to soak mine in denatured alcohol, but the effort of taking them off, soaking them, drying them, putting them back on, just isn't worth it given the minimal amount of improvement derived.
Decent strings can be had via closeout, eBay, etc. . . for $10/set, so there really isn't any excuse for just replacing them when they get old. Obviously, if you have a lot of basses, it gets expensive, but then you had enough money to buy all those basses . . . I used to soak mine in denatured alcohol, but the effort of taking them off, soaking them, drying them, putting them back on, just isn't worth it given the minimal amount of improvement derived.
Jazzbassman23
Well-known member
I've used Chromes and liked them a lot on my P, but so far I've stuck w/rounds on all my MM's. Flats would make life easier.
