hypo-allergentic strings?

[cold_lump]

hello. i have been playing guitar for over 10 years and bass now for about 6 months. i can only play about twice a week and for short periods of time when i do, because i suffer from "nickel dermatitis". its an allergy to nickel. if i play for too long or start to sweat, my hands break out in a very "poison ivy" like rash. it last for about 3 days and goes away. it is a very frustrating thing to deal with. the itching is enough to drive one insane!!! now that im playing bass, its getting worse because of the string size, im exposed to more nickel. i have tried stainless strings but they also contain nickel. i wish surgical stainless steel strings were available, or some other alternative to nickel based strings.
anyone know of anything?
i am in the process of trying out ointments or creams that i can rub into my hands and fingers before i play to see if that helps. i have no good results yet. i talked to one doctor who told me to drink benedryl before playing to block the hystimenes. (sp?) but i dont wanna fall asleep playing or at a gig so i havent even tried it. i know this isnt a medical forum, but i was wondering about string options so i thought i would ask incase anyone else had the same problem.
thanks for any help!
ps- i may try elixer strings next to see if the "nano-web" coating helps any, but ive always feared they would sound bad, i like a very bright sound and the thought of a wrapped strings just makes me think it would loose brightness.

 

[bovinehost]

Until you said "I like a very bright sound", I thought about those...what are they called? Asbory basses? They use some kind of odd rubber strings, but I doubt they're very bright.

Wish I had some good advice for you, man. Allergic to strings - now THAT is a bitch.

 

[midopa]

On the note of those Elixer strings... Try 'em out! And what about those other silk coated strings? I doubt they'll sound bright, but if I were you, I'd be primarily looking for a string set that doesn't irritate me. Only then would I proceed to search for bright, safe strings.

Well, that's my input. Your condition really is a bummer - you've got my regards. However, is there any way out of it (ie. some sort of medication, surgery, etc.)?

 

[dlloyd]

i have tried stainless strings but they also contain nickel. i wish surgical stainless steel strings were available, or some other alternative to nickel based strings.
anyone know of anything?

Okay, I am not a metallurgist or a dermatologist, but...

Clearly you are aware that there are different types of stainless steel. Here is a rundown on the compostion of various types:

http://www.ssina.com/chem.htm

It's not exhaustive, but even the 316 surgical alloy that is used for body jewellery contains as much as 10% nickel.

I don't know of any string makers that use 316, but SIT Rock Brights Stainless use the 430 alloy that contains almost no nickel...

http://www.sitstrings.com/bass.htm

According to study reported in this article:

http://www.euro-inox.org/pdf/health/TheSafeChoice_EN.pdf

"...clinical patch tests clearly show that (...) the ferritic grade (AISI 430/1.4016: Ni-free 17% Cr) stainless steel are harmless since no allergic reaction was seen on the 50 already Ni-sensitised persons."

 

[Disquieter]

Re: Re: hypo-allergentic strings?

Okay, I am not a metallurgist or a dermatologist, but...

Clearly you are aware that there are different types of stainless steel. Here is a rundown on the compostion of various types:

http://www.ssina.com/chem.htm

It's not exhaustive, but even the 316 surgical alloy that is used for body jewellery contains as much as 10% nickel.

I don't know of any string makers that use 316, but SIT Rock Brights Stainless use the 430 alloy that contains almost no nickel...

http://www.sitstrings.com/bass.htm

According to study reported in this article:

http://www.euro-inox.org/pdf/health/TheSafeChoice_EN.pdf

"...clinical patch tests clearly show that (...) the ferritic grade (AISI 430/1.4016: Ni-free 17% Cr) stainless steel are harmless since no allergic reaction was seen on the 50 already Ni-sensitised persons."

wow...

i was about to say that...but you...y'know....beat me to it..


I new a guy who was alergic to the finish on gibsons. Nitrocelulose laquer...at least he said he was. all his gibsons were sanded down to wood and oiled.

thanks
joel D.

 

[dlloyd]

Re: Re: hypo-allergentic strings?

I don't know of any string makers that use 316, but SIT Rock Brights Stainless use the 430 alloy that contains almost no nickel...

Other strings that are made from 430:

D'addario Prisms and EHR
SIT Power Steel

Perhaps someone from EB could comment on the alloy used in their stainless slinkies?

 

[Psychicpet]

and if the stainless steel strings don't work, there was an article recently in BassPlayer on the Zawinul Syndicate's newest bassist, a guy from France, who plays while wearing silk gloves due to an excessive sweat problem with his hands. It would be weird playing with gloves on but might actually be an option and anything that'll help get you back and playing would be worth it right? Good luck with the search and with Professor Dlloyd here we might actually all be able to get "String" theory into the collective conciousness of the planet!! I know that we bassists are the intellects of the band but come on Dlloyd.... you're freakin' me out! hehehehe

 

[dlloyd]

and if the stainless steel strings don't work, there was an article recently in BassPlayer on the Zawinul Syndicate's newest bassist, a guy from France, who plays while wearing silk gloves due to an excessive sweat problem with his hands. It would be weird playing with gloves on but might actually be an option and anything that'll help get you back and playing would be worth it right? Good luck with the search and with Professor Dlloyd here we might actually all be able to get "String" theory into the collective conciousness of the planet!! I know that we bassists are the intellects of the band but come on Dlloyd.... you're freakin' me out! hehehehe

I used to work with high power magnets and got to learn about the subtleties of various steel alloys, particularly with regards to body jewellery.

 

[Baddog]

Would a tight rubber surgical glove and playing with a pick help?

 

[skabassist13]

probably, might feel weird but you wouldnt be touching the string. however playing with a pick mot not solve the problem unless you had a glove on that hand as well. you still touch the strings when you play with a pick. so youd need gloves on both hands, and then it wouldnt really matter what syle you played then would it?

 

[cold_lump]

im going to try out some of the strings you guys have reccomended. im very hesitant to try elixers, i dont know why. every bass ive ever seen with them on it, they are all "shedding" like a snake.
too bad they dont make titanium strings. that seems to be the only thing i have found that doesnt cause me to break out.

its a pretty irritating thing to have, (this allergy). i cant wear a watch, (even the cloth or plastic ones have a metal buckle) they make my wrist break out, i cant wear a ring (ill be getting married soom {god help me} and i have to get a titanium band) i even have to dip my belt buckles in plasti dip , that stuff you coat the handles of tools with or if i lean over and my gut touches my buckle, i will get a rash on my stomach!!!

the other crappy thing is that im a guitar tech. i do alot of fret work. once i didnt wear gloves when leveling a set of frets and the next day my hands looked like freddy krueger!!!! it was horrible! i ALWAYS wear gloves for that now.

 

[Moondog]

Lump,

Elixir Nanowebs are GREAT! don't hesitate - trust me . My wife has the same allergy & we had the same concern w/my bass playing & putting my mitts all over her. I've had them on my SR5 for a few months now with no shedding. They're responsive, well balanced, with med tension. Of course they're not as bright as SS but they ARE very comparable to the nickel DR lo-riders & sunbeams I have on my other basses (washing my hands after). I play hard with a pick quite often and have seen no wear/shedding or loss of tone over the past few months. The Polyweb coating was more prone to shedding (Nanoweb = better)

 

[Moondog]

Lump,

Elixir Nanowebs are GREAT! don't hesitate - trust me . My wife has the same allergy & we had the same concern w/my bass playing & putting my mitts all over her. I've had them on my SR5 for a few months now with no shedding. They're responsive, well balanced, with med tension. Of course they're not as bright as SS but they ARE very comparable to the nickel DR lo-riders & sunbeams I have on my other basses (washing my hands after). I play hard with a pick quite often and have seen no wear/shedding or loss of tone over the past few months. The Polyweb coating was more prone to shedding (Nanoweb = better)

Forgot to mention that they are also the smoothest string I've ever played - better than TI flats!!

 

[Baddog]

Even if they made the strings out of a different material would they even sound the same?

 

[cold_lump]

just ordered the SIT power steels. they were the cheapest for an experiment. they are all 430 stainless. if they work i can go with any of them. however i have tried peavey stainless (they were the only stainless available within 100 miles of me) and they were no better than nickel. if the power steels dont work, im going to try the elixirs. i couldnt find any info on peaveys website to see what kind of stainless they use in their strings, had it said they use 430, i would have not ordered the power steels and went straight for the elixirs.
oh well..... we will see what happens now.
thanks guys!!!
any more opinions are appreciated!!

 

[shaver]

i dont know of any string brands to sugest, but i can tell you to stay away from the ass-berry bass, worst bass i have ever playd, and its so little, like half the size of a regular sized electric

 

[SGMan88]

Allergic to strings!? Thats worse than cancer. Sorry about that dude...you have all of my sympathy.

 

[cold_lump]

youre not kidding!!! its kinda like a carpenter being allergic to sawdust, or a porn star being allergic to..... umm... you get the point.
so on that note... i guess if the stainless dont work i will have to try the "condom" method and go with the elixirs and see if that helps.
does anyone know what grade of stanless peavey uses in their strings? if its 430 then im already damned before i even try the SIT stainless. maybe i will email peavey and ask....
maybe someone like ernie ball should make me a signature set of strings of titanium to offer to the world of freaks like me who are allergic to strings. there may be some market out there for hypo allergentic strings.... it could be a ground breaking new product and who knows, titanium might sound great!

good note: last night at practice i gave my hands a good coat of hydrocortisone cream and rubbed it in real good before playing, then afterwards, washed them real good and gave another coat of the same. no rash today! i will have to continue trying this before i concider it a cure. it couldve been luck....

 

[dlloyd]

does anyone know what grade of stanless peavey uses in their strings? if its 430 then im already damned before i even try the SIT stainless.

No idea what Peavey use.

Let us know how you get on with the SITs. If the problem occurs with those, you may have a more fundamental problem that changing string brands will not address. Fret wire is typically made of an alloy called nickel-silver, which contains around 18% nickel.

However, your fingers don't have anywhere near as much contact with the frets than with the strings. I think it's unlikely to cause a problem.

You can get stainless steel fret wire (not sure of the alloy) and fret wire that is made of other materials. Warmoth supply a gold coloured wire that apparently contains no nickel:

http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/Fretsize.htm

A refret is expensive, but probably worth it if you're allergic to the frets.

 

[Baddog]

Can you skin handle latex gloves? I know that some people can't handle latex either.....Just a thought! They are really thin so hopefully they wouldn't hamper your playing.