hypo-allergentic strings?

[Mantaray]

Whoa! I didn't know that you could also be alergic to strings. The only thing that caused me some skin irritation were some poor quality plastic bags. Go and check out whether you can take some injections to get rid from your allergies once and for all....................

 

[cold_lump]

im not allergic to latex, but i am allergic to the powder that is on the latex gloves, balloons etc.
as far as a refret, i could do that myself and have many times for many people. im a guitar tech. i just dont think its the frets that are causing it. i just dont touch them enough.

 

[cybrpunk]

As far as the gloves go, they have powderless latex gloves (a little more expensive) but I think i'd rather have nylon/tape wound strings than play with gloves on. Furthermore, with you showing a hypersensitivity to Ni, theres a higher chance that you could eventually develop an allergy to the latex itself. Most people aren't born with latex allergies, it takes exposure after exposure and then all of a sudden one day your body says NO MORE and freaks out. It happens to doctors/nurses pretty often since they have their hands in latex so much.

 

[cybrpunk]

forgot to mention, as far as the elixers go, i think they would be great to begin with, but the coating comes off the strings pretty quickly leaving only the coating in the groves (that's the shreaded appearance they get). While this is normally fine since it continues to keep gunk out of the grooves (which is what normally kills tone on strings) you would quickly have the same old Ni exposed.

 

[cold_lump]

i am aware of the different types of latex gloves. there are also nitriles, which also come powdered or non, that are non latex.
i would quit before i played with gloves on...

i think thats how i got the algery to the NI in the first place, sort of over exposure. i havent always had it. in my younger years, i had many many pearcings, (self done ofcourse) and started playing guitar about the same time.... then i decided i was going to pierce my ears with safety pins, and leave them in there. so i did, they got infected and since that day i couldnt wear jewlry at all. so thats when it all began. that was 10 years ago or better. i grew out of all that piercing crap, now its all about the tattoos....

 

[Baddog]

Dude, I feel bad for you! Life without playing is not life!

 

[dlloyd]

I contacted various people about this, and it seems not all 430 stainless is equal... all stainless steel strings are made from 430, but some 430 stainless steel will contain a small amount of nickel, particularly alloys originating in the US. Unfortunately this may mean the SITs I suggested will trigger your allergy, particularly in view of your experience with the Peaveys.

Some good news though... apparently, Rotosound swing bass stainless are wound with a higher quality 430 wire (in terms of the nickel content) and are 100% nickel-free.

 

[lowstrung]

Dude,

Just take a spoon full of benedryl before you start to play. It won't put you to sleep. If it solves your problem it will be cheeper than changing your strings a hundred times. If it works maybe the doctor can set you up with alergy shots for it.

 

[dlloyd]

Dude,

Just take a spoon full of benedryl before you start to play. It won't put you to sleep. If it solves your problem it will be cheeper than changing your strings a hundred times. If it works maybe the doctor can set you up with alergy shots for it.

Dunno, I have a number of allergies and have to use antihistamines for them.

I'd rather not.

Avoidance of the allergen is always better than treating the allergy.

 

[cold_lump]

crap!
thanks for the info dlloyd. the SITs have just arrived today. i havent put them on yet, i was going to save them for an upcomming gig. according to the package, the core at least is swedish stainless steel. it only says that the outter wrap is 430 stainless. it doesnt state its origin. i guess i will give them a try.
so the rotosound is 100% nickel free....
i guess they will be my string from here on out if the sits do not come through. thats good info and i really appreciate your help! i will be looking for a good source for those rotosounds!

 

[cold_lump]

well...... no luck with the sit or the rotosound. i installed the rotos last night and had practice.
today my fingers are pure meatloaf and itch like crazy. and i have a gig tonight... my woman is real pissed because she bought the rotos thinking she was helping me. now shes all "you believe everything you read on the internet?!!!"
the problem was never this bad when i played guitar. i guess because of the string size difference. with bass im exposed to more of the bad stuff.

 

[MM Scarborough]

iv just read this thread for the first time, that is one big bummer! I doubt youl be able to find any strings without nickel in em! However i noticed you mentioned hydrocortisone cream, i use it for ecxma or however you spell it! I pretty sure its a steriod cream, which in the long term could thin you're skin and make you more prone to blisters, i would recommend aquaureous cream which is a kind of moisturiser, i use it to control my excma and the hydrowhateverit's name is for when it gets out of hand. Hope that helps. Incidently I play quite heavy and my fingers get bruised (but not blistered) anyone know of a way around this?

Matt
England

 

[cold_lump]

yeah. its getting kinda hopeless. im hesitant to try the elixirs just because of the price and everything else has been a dead end road, why would they be any different?
gloves are out of the question.
ive seen some titanium violin strings, why not bass too?

 

[cybrpunk]

That sucks about the bruising Scarborough. I know one of the major sideeffects of corticosteroids is impaired wound healing, but we were not taught that they can cause increased bruising. If i'm understanding it right the bruising has only happened since you've been using the hydrocortisone? Also do you take aspring every day because that can certainly cause easy bruising?

 

[MM Scarborough]

hi there cheers for the response. I try to avoid putting hyrdocortisone on but obviuously applying it does use the fingers. I was practicing today (well recording) for 3 hours, have played a little in my bedroom since last time I played which was a week ago and within half and hour they fingers killed, they didn't blister they just felt swollen. It's like a vicious circle,if you don't practice your fingers soften and then blister again if you do then they bruise. I generally find with that MM's sound great when played heavily anyone else find this? I play a fairly light gauge aswell (100's on E) so it shouldn't be a problem. Perhaps I just need to rest em for a while?

 

[dlloyd]

well...... no luck with the sit or the rotosound. i installed the rotos last night and had practice.
today my fingers are pure meatloaf and itch like crazy. and i have a gig tonight... my woman is real pissed because she bought the rotos thinking she was helping me. now shes all "you believe everything you read on the internet?!!!"
the problem was never this bad when i played guitar. i guess because of the string size difference. with bass im exposed to more of the bad stuff.

Sorry to hear it, that sucks. The info about Rotosounds containing no nickel came from Rotosound theirselves...

Titanium will not work, it's not magnetic.

Perhaps you should give the coated strings a go. It'll be a major bummer if it turns out to be the frets that you're reacting to.

 

[dlloyd]

Here is the email I got from Rotosound, by the way...

Dear David,
Type 430 stainless is a ferritic stainless steel or to be more precise chrome iron. It is the material used for all stainless steel strings as it is magnetic and will respond in a magnetic field due to it having an 80% iron content. True stainless steel is austenitic 18/8 ie. 18% chrome and 8% nickel. It is not magnetic and of no use for making music strings that work with magnetic pickups. Not all type 430 wire is nickel free albeit not high. The material we use is not American. It is of a much higher order and sound and contains no nickel. Swing Bass stainless sets should prove no problem for players with a nickel allergy. Regards, John

I take it you're getting inflammation on the fingers of both hands?

 

[cgworkman]

Perhaps you should give the coated strings a go. It'll be a major bummer if it turns out to be the frets that you're reacting to.

That would be some bad ****!

 

[dlloyd]

That would be some bad ****!

It struck me that, even if the strings were 100% nickel free, some wear of the frets (~18% nickel) will occur every time you play, and a very small amount of nickel will transfer from the frets to your fingers.

No idea if this would be enough to cause a reaction to the strings.

If the allergy is limited to his left hand (assuming he doesn't touch the frets with his right hand), chances are this is occurring.

 

[cold_lump]

i play with a pick. and yes the inflamation is only on the left hand. mainly my middle finger which i use most. i used to get it on both when i played guitar from palm muting on the bridge. the side of my hand would break out from touching the strings.
i want to let this break out totally dissappear before i play again. should be another day or so. then try again. i may have had some "left over" rash from the pre-rotosound strings when i tried them. i will wait untill im compleatly clear to play again.
i know they make stainless frets, but i wonder what grade they are and if they contain nickel too....