Boiling strings

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Thought I'd try it with a set of DR nickel lo-riders. How long should I
boil them? What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in the water? Dry in
oven for how long?

[Frederic Gelinas]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in
the water? Dry in oven for how long?

I never boiled strings myself, but I read somewhere that putting some
vinegar would help. I don't think you would need to dry them in the
oven since they will be quite hot and the water will evaporate rapidly.
By the time you get them in the oven, they'll be already dry. If it's
not the case, a hair dryer would be faster than the oven.

--

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Post by Frederic Gelinas

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in
the water? Dry in oven for how long?

I never boiled strings myself, but I read somewhere that putting some
vinegar would help. I don't think you would need to dry them in the
oven since they will be quite hot and the water will evaporate rapidly.
By the time you get them in the oven, they'll be already dry. If it's
not the case, a hair dryer would be faster than the oven.

I was wondering about water which works its way INSIDE the outer windings.
It would be impossible for that NOT to happen.

[Brian Running]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
I was wondering about water which works its way INSIDE the outer windings.
It would be impossible for that NOT to happen.

Boil them for about five minutes, there's no point in going longer.
When you pull them out, they'll be dry, all by themselves, in a minute
or so, including water inside the windings.

If you're going to do something as low-tech and cheap as boiling
strings, please don't get anal retentive about it, just do it.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
I was wondering about water which works its way INSIDE the outer
windings. It would be impossible for that NOT to happen.

Boil them for about five minutes, there's no point in going longer. When
you pull them out, they'll be dry, all by themselves, in a minute or so,
including water inside the windings.
If you're going to do something as low-tech and cheap as boiling strings,
please don't get anal retentive about it, just do it.

I thought I'd weigh them before boiling, and then after drying, to detect
whether they'd gained any weight due to water in the windings.

Heh. :)

[Benj]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
I thought I'd weigh them before boiling, and then after drying, to detect
whether they'd gained any weight due to water in the windings.
Heh. :)

Exactly! While using a chemistry precision balance to 4 or 5 places
and wearing rubber gloves (fingerprints have weight, you know!)

Seriously. I don't boil strings because of the water retention thing
and also because it's a pain in the butt! (getting pans, heating water
to boil, drying strings etc.) I go with the nasty solvent method
myself. Get a couple of cans of "brake cleaner" or "carburetor
cleaner". Put strings in pan. Spray daylights out of them. Soak a nice
rag with the solvent. Scrub up and down each string to get crud off.
Give final spray of clean solvent to rinse. Dry. They dry quickly
because the solvent is volatile and best of all you don't have to
worry about the rusting of music wire cores due to water trapped in
the windings. Of course the downside of solvent is it costs money and
water doesn't.

In my experience this kind of string rejuvenation only works a couple
of times because after that you seem to have to be doing it more and
more and the strings by that point tend to break a lot because by then
they are developing weakness in the cores. Do not try to solvent-
clean strings ON the bass, however as a shortcut. These solvents are
rather strong and tend to eat finishes. I have used 91% isopropyl
alcohol to rub down strings after each gig and that helps a bit but
the alcohol is not very strong at removing crud or bass finishes
(although I did have it take the silver letters off some EMG
pickups).

So string renovation isn't any huge savings just maybe you get twice
as long on a string set giving you the sound you want. Rock starts
just get the tech to change the strings on all their instruments
before each gig...

[Brian Running]

Post by Benj
I don't boil strings because of the water retention thing
and also because it's a pain in the butt! (getting pans, heating water
to boil, drying strings etc.)
I go with the nasty solvent method myself. Get a couple of cans of "brake cleaner"
or "carburetor cleaner". Put strings in pan. Spray daylights out of them. Soak a nice
rag with the solvent. Scrub up and down each string to get crud off.
Give final spray of clean solvent to rinse. Dry. They dry quickly
because the solvent is volatile and best of all you don't have to
worry about the rusting of music wire cores due to water trapped in
the windings. Of course the downside of solvent is it costs money and
water doesn't.

I just can't get enough of this kind of level-headed, rational advice.

[JimmyM]

Post by Brian Running

Post by Benj
I don't boil strings because of the water retention thing
and also because it's a pain in the butt! (getting pans, heating water
to boil, drying strings etc.)
I go with the nasty solvent method myself. Get a couple of cans of "brake cleaner"
or "carburetor cleaner". Put strings in pan. Spray daylights out of them. Soak a nice
rag with the solvent. Scrub up and down each string to get crud off.
Give final spray of clean solvent to rinse. Dry. They dry quickly
because the solvent is volatile and best of all you don't have to
worry about the rusting of music wire cores due to water trapped in
the windings. Of course the downside of solvent is it costs money and
water doesn't.

I just can't get enough of this kind of level-headed, rational advice.

LOL!

The REAL way to go is to buy a can of denatured alcohol, a small bowl
to put it in, then soak your strings in it for 2-3 days. Isn't very
expedient, but it works, it's cheap, and it's a lot less hard on
strings than boiling.

[Derek Tearne]

Post by Benj
Get a couple of cans of "brake cleaner" or "carburetor
cleaner". Put strings in pan. Spray daylights out of them. Soak a nice
rag with the solvent. Scrub up and down each string to get crud off.
Give final spray of clean solvent to rinse.

These would be the kind of solvents that have cautionary warnings taking
up most of the label, warnings that says things like "If solvent comes
in contact with your skin...".

There are solvents I might try for this application, but brake and carb
cleaning solvents would not be on my list.

--- Derek

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Post by Derek Tearne

Post by Benj
Get a couple of cans of "brake cleaner" or "carburetor
cleaner". Put strings in pan. Spray daylights out of them. Soak a nice
rag with the solvent. Scrub up and down each string to get crud off.
Give final spray of clean solvent to rinse.

These would be the kind of solvents that have cautionary warnings taking
up most of the label, warnings that says things like "If solvent comes
in contact with your skin...".
There are solvents I might try for this application, but brake and carb
cleaning solvents would not be on my list.
--- Derek

Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

[Derek Tearne]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

I've tried isopopyl alcohol, and overproof vodka (I have my own still) -
neither seem as effective as boiling with diswashing liquid - I think
vinegar would be a bit acid and likely to damage the strings with
repeated boiling.

What would be really interesting is one of those ultrasonic cleaning
devices - unfortunately the one we have is only really large enough for
jewelry.

--- Derek

[JimmyM]

Post by Derek Tearne

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

I've tried isopopyl alcohol, and overproof vodka (I have my own still) -
neither seem as effective as boiling with diswashing liquid - I think
vinegar would be a bit acid and likely to damage the strings with
repeated boiling.

Denatured alcohol is the best, but you have to give it 3 days to
really work.

Post by Derek Tearne
What would be really interesting is one of those ultrasonic cleaning
devices - unfortunately the one we have is only really large enough for
jewelry.

Ugh! I hate those things...they put out the foulest smell I ever
smelled! I used to work repairing car interiors, and sometimes those
car lots would use them to get rid of smoke smell, but the smell from
the thing was way worse than smoke. Makes me nauseous just to think
about it.

[Sir Lurksalot]

Post by JimmyM

Post by Derek Tearne

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

I've tried isopopyl alcohol, and overproof vodka (I have my own still) -
neither seem as effective as boiling with diswashing liquid - I think
vinegar would be a bit acid and likely to damage the strings with
repeated boiling.

Denatured alcohol is the best, but you have to give it 3 days to
really work.

Post by Derek Tearne
What would be really interesting is one of those ultrasonic cleaning
devices - unfortunately the one we have is only really large enough for
jewelry.

Ugh! I hate those things...they put out the foulest smell I ever
smelled! I used to work repairing car interiors, and sometimes those
car lots would use them to get rid of smoke smell, but the smell from
the thing was way worse than smoke. Makes me nauseous just to think
about it.

If one must use a solvent, cigarette lighter fluid (naptha) works quite
well.

[JimmyM]

On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:06:11 -0500, "Sir Lurksalot"

Post by Sir Lurksalot

Post by JimmyM

Post by Derek Tearne

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

I've tried isopopyl alcohol, and overproof vodka (I have my own still) -
neither seem as effective as boiling with diswashing liquid - I think
vinegar would be a bit acid and likely to damage the strings with
repeated boiling.

Denatured alcohol is the best, but you have to give it 3 days to
really work.

Post by Derek Tearne
What would be really interesting is one of those ultrasonic cleaning
devices - unfortunately the one we have is only really large enough for
jewelry.

Ugh! I hate those things...they put out the foulest smell I ever
smelled! I used to work repairing car interiors, and sometimes those
car lots would use them to get rid of smoke smell, but the smell from
the thing was way worse than smoke. Makes me nauseous just to think
about it.

If one must use a solvent, cigarette lighter fluid (naptha) works quite
well.

Actually, all this talk about solvents is kind of creeping me out. I
have very dry skin as it is, and I'd like to avoid solvents whenever
possible. That's why I use the denatured alcohol instead of lighter
fluid. Alcohol is drying but it evaporates pretty cleanly.

[Sir Lurksalot]

Post by JimmyM
On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:06:11 -0500, "Sir Lurksalot"

Post by Sir Lurksalot

Post by JimmyM

Post by Derek Tearne

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

I've tried isopopyl alcohol, and overproof vodka (I have my own still) -
neither seem as effective as boiling with diswashing liquid - I think
vinegar would be a bit acid and likely to damage the strings with
repeated boiling.

Denatured alcohol is the best, but you have to give it 3 days to
really work.

Post by Derek Tearne
What would be really interesting is one of those ultrasonic cleaning
devices - unfortunately the one we have is only really large enough for
jewelry.

Ugh! I hate those things...they put out the foulest smell I ever
smelled! I used to work repairing car interiors, and sometimes those
car lots would use them to get rid of smoke smell, but the smell from
the thing was way worse than smoke. Makes me nauseous just to think
about it.

If one must use a solvent, cigarette lighter fluid (naptha) works quite
well.

Actually, all this talk about solvents is kind of creeping me out. I
have very dry skin as it is, and I'd like to avoid solvents whenever
possible. That's why I use the denatured alcohol instead of lighter
fluid. Alcohol is drying but it evaporates pretty cleanly.

I did suggest buying strings on sale and changing them regularly. I really
don't recommend using any solvent, but naptha does work well, it dries
fairly quickly and doesn't leave any residue that I ever noticed. I used it
many years ago when I couldn't afford to change strings as often as I should
have.

[Pt]

Post by Sir Lurksalot
If one must use a solvent, cigarette lighter fluid (naptha) works quite
well.-

Cool. Flaming strings.

Pt

[Benj]

Post by Derek Tearne

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

I've tried isopopyl alcohol, and overproof vodka (I have my own still) -
neither seem as effective as boiling with diswashing liquid - I think
vinegar would be a bit acid and likely to damage the strings with
repeated boiling.

Yep. Exactly.

Post by Derek Tearne
What would be really interesting is one of those ultrasonic cleaning
devices - unfortunately the one we have is only really large enough for
jewelry.

Of course if you can't afford new strings affording a large size
ultrasonic cleaner seems out of the question. But the idea does seem
to be the solution to the mild solvent yet really gets them clean
paradox.

[Benj]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom

Post by Derek Tearne
There are solvents I might try for this application, but brake and carb
cleaning solvents would not be on my list.
--- Derek

Yeah. Why not 90-whatever percent isopropyl alcohol?

Because you gotta do the Dew and be extreme! Truth is that for an
after gig rubdown the alcohol does fine since it's mild and (usually)
won't harm any finishes. BUT, my experience is that if you want to
have that bright 'twang" back to the level that you get with boiling,
you simply have to go with something more nasty that will cut the oil
and greasy crud. In my experience the nasty solvents do give you
renewal similar to boiling. Milder ones really don't. So if you want
to play it safe get out the pan on the stove. By the way, I'd
recommend using distilled water for boiling as well. The purity of the
water will help dissolve gunk and not deposit minerals on the strings
when they dry.

[Wecan do it]

Was reading a Carol Kaye interview in a magazine recently.
Every couple of years when she felt the need to change strings
she just traded in her bass for a new one.

peace
dawg

[The Sicker Vicar]

Post by Wecan do it
Was reading a Carol Kaye interview in a magazine recently.
Every couple of years when she felt the need to change strings
she just traded in her bass for a new one.
peace
dawg

Someday...someday...

[Sir Lurksalot]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
I thought I'd weigh them before boiling, and then after drying, to detect
whether they'd gained any weight due to water in the windings.
Heh. :)

Exactly! While using a chemistry precision balance to 4 or 5 places
and wearing rubber gloves (fingerprints have weight, you know!)

Seriously. I don't boil strings because of the water retention thing
and also because it's a pain in the butt! (getting pans, heating water
to boil, drying strings etc.) I go with the nasty solvent method
myself. Get a couple of cans of "brake cleaner" or "carburetor
cleaner". Put strings in pan. Spray daylights out of them. Soak a nice
rag with the solvent. Scrub up and down each string to get crud off.
Give final spray of clean solvent to rinse. Dry. They dry quickly
because the solvent is volatile and best of all you don't have to
worry about the rusting of music wire cores due to water trapped in
the windings. Of course the downside of solvent is it costs money and
water doesn't.

In my experience this kind of string rejuvenation only works a couple
of times because after that you seem to have to be doing it more and
more and the strings by that point tend to break a lot because by then
they are developing weakness in the cores. Do not try to solvent-
clean strings ON the bass, however as a shortcut. These solvents are
rather strong and tend to eat finishes. I have used 91% isopropyl
alcohol to rub down strings after each gig and that helps a bit but
the alcohol is not very strong at removing crud or bass finishes
(although I did have it take the silver letters off some EMG
pickups).

So string renovation isn't any huge savings just maybe you get twice
as long on a string set giving you the sound you want. Rock starts
just get the tech to change the strings on all their instruments
before each gig...

===================================================================

Better just to order strings in quantity when you catch them on sale and
change them regularly.

[Benj]

Post by Sir Lurksalot
Better just to order strings in quantity when you catch them on sale and
change them regularly.

Or lower your standards just a bit. You can order dirt cheap La Bella
round wounds from Carvin.

But usually the strings I restore are the weird ones like the pressure
wounds or the ground wounds. They are already less bright than rounds
to begin with so when they get a little duller you really start to
notice, but they also cost more than common strings, hence the urge to
squeeze a bit more life out of them.

[Sir Lurksalot]

Post by Sir Lurksalot
Better just to order strings in quantity when you catch them on sale and
change them regularly.

Or lower your standards just a bit. You can order dirt cheap La Bella
round wounds from Carvin.

But usually the strings I restore are the weird ones like the pressure
wounds or the ground wounds. They are already less bright than rounds
to begin with so when they get a little duller you really start to
notice, but they also cost more than common strings, hence the urge to
squeeze a bit more life out of them.

===================================================================

The last bass strings I bought were Curt Mangans, normally about $40 per
set. I found them on sale for $8 per set. I ordered four sets and still have
a couple left, so I won't have to worry about it for a while.

[Thai Webb]

Gang:I've tried 'em all and by FAR the best and most cost-effective
(not to mention least messy) is the de-natured alchohol dip. I've
detailed a PVC tube string hanger in previous posts. Place the strings
in there for 24 hours, the strings sound like they are right out of
the pack after the re-string. No issues with silk windings either. If
you'd like to give it a try - I'll do a set for $5 + return postage.
Contact me; ***@gmail.com. Put "Bass String Cleaner" in the
subject line. Thai

[Olaf B]

Post by Thai Webb
Gang:I've tried 'em all and by FAR the best and most cost-effective
(not to mention least messy) is the de-natured alchohol dip. I've
detailed a PVC tube string hanger in previous posts. Place the strings
in there for 24 hours, the strings sound like they are right out of
the pack after the re-string. No issues with silk windings either. If
you'd like to give it a try - I'll do a set for $5 + return postage.
subject line. Thai

Has anyone tried ultrasonic cleaning? Looks like the orchestral string crowd is using this method.......anyone know this outfit? www.stringcleaning.com

[OldbieOne]

Post by Olaf B

Post by Thai Webb
Gang:I've tried 'em all and by FAR the best and most cost-effective
(not to mention least messy) is the de-natured alchohol dip. I've
detailed a PVC tube string hanger in previous posts. Place the strings
in there for 24 hours, the strings sound like they are right out of
the pack after the re-string. No issues with silk windings either. If
you'd like to give it a try - I'll do a set for $5 + return postage.
subject line. Thai

Has anyone tried ultrasonic cleaning? Looks like the orchestral string

crowd is using this method.......anyone know this outfit?
www.stringcleaning.com

I've tried this myself, and it works no better or worse than the old school
boiling method. It just speeds up the process of cleaning.


--
OldbieOne

The One Who Tells It Like It Is (TM)
Brought to you by RetroPC w/Windows v4.0.950B

[js]

Post by Brian Running

Post by JoeSpareBedroom

Post by Brian Running
If you're going to do something as low-tech and cheap as boiling

strings, please don't get anal retentive about it, just do it.

This needs to be the masthead on the AGB website

Post by Brian Running

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
I was wondering about water which works its way INSIDE the outer windings.
It would be impossible for that NOT to happen.

Boil them for about five minutes, there's no point in going longer.
When you pull them out, they'll be dry, all by themselves, in a minute
or so, including water inside the windings.
If you're going to do something as low-tech and cheap as boiling
strings, please don't get anal retentive about it, just do it.

[Derek Tearne]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
I was wondering about water which works its way INSIDE the outer windings.
It would be impossible for that NOT to happen.

It doesn't seem to be an issue. When I was a student I boiled a lot of
strings - well more accurately I boiled one set of strings a lot of
times. I was expecting the strings to eventually show signs of
corrosion or other damage due to water in the windings - but they never
did. Probably some combination of capillary action and the strings
(through conduction from the base of the pan) being hotter than 100
degrees C when you take them out of the water drives that internal water
out.

However, like Brian puts so well, this isn't something to worry about
obsessively.

You are boiling the strings at the point you would, under circumstances
of conspicuous consumption, be replacing them - so there's no point
worry that water under the winding might be reducing the remaining life
of the strings.

--- Derek

[handgunner]

Thought I'd try it with a set of DR nickel lo-riders.  How long should I
boil them? What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in the water? Dry in
oven for how long?

No need to boil anymore, a Bass version of this is coming out.
http://www.thestringcleaner.com/

[Pt]

Thought I'd try it with a set of DR nickel lo-riders.  How long should I
boil them? What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in the water? Dry in
oven for how long?

Boil your strings with herb then dry them with Jack Danials.
A happy string is a good string.

Pt

[fourstring]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Thought I'd try it with a set of DR nickel lo-riders. How long should I
boil them? What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in the water? Dry
in oven for how long?

Boiling strings is damn near the bassplaying
equivalent of the urban myth, ie a waste of time.
Yes, boiling them will remove finger crud...
so will a good string cleaner.
Neither cleaning method will improve the reduced
tensile strength or take care of the flattened windings
over the frets.
You will be disappointed.
--
Clive Norris
Managing Director
Selectron (UK) Ltd
www.espguitars.co.uk
www.skullstrings.com
www.espshop.co.uk
www.mightymite.com
www.coreoneproduct.com
www.emgpickups.co.uk
www.tube-shop.com
www.whirlwindusa.com
"They laughed at Newton,
they laughed at Einstein,
but they also laughed at
Bozo the Clown."
Carl Sagan

[Derek Tearne]

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Thought I'd try it with a set of DR nickel lo-riders. How long should I
boil them? What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in the water? Dry in
oven for how long?

Half an hour to 45 minutes with some dishwashing liquid - take them out
of the water, uncoil them, and let them dry in the air - you can dry
them with a 'tea towel' - I'm not sure how that translates into north
american.

You can also put them through a dishwaster cycle - make sure you rinse
any other items that have had food on them really well though and take
them out as soon as the cycle has finished.

You'll get some, perhaps most, of the brightness back from your strings
- the strings will be come dull again in a shorter time than from new.
Some strings respond much better to boiling than others - I don't really
know why - but unless the strings were coated with something strange you
won't be any worse off than you started.

This is a useful thing to do if you have a recording date or important
gig and don't have time or money to get new strings.

In these recessionary times I can see a lot of folks boiling strings who
haven't needed to for a long time.

--- Derek

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Post by Derek Tearne

Post by JoeSpareBedroom
Thought I'd try it with a set of DR nickel lo-riders. How long should I
boil them? What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in the water? Dry in
oven for how long?

Half an hour to 45 minutes with some dishwashing liquid - take them out
of the water, uncoil them, and let them dry in the air - you can dry
them with a 'tea towel' - I'm not sure how that translates into north
american.
You can also put them through a dishwaster cycle - make sure you rinse
any other items that have had food on them really well though and take
them out as soon as the cycle has finished.
You'll get some, perhaps most, of the brightness back from your strings
- the strings will be come dull again in a shorter time than from new.
Some strings respond much better to boiling than others - I don't really
know why - but unless the strings were coated with something strange you
won't be any worse off than you started.
This is a useful thing to do if you have a recording date or important
gig and don't have time or money to get new strings.
In these recessionary times I can see a lot of folks boiling strings who
haven't needed to for a long time.
--- Derek

After today's gig, I'm not sure I want to revive these strings. Last night,
I went through a bi-annual ritual: Installed a set of GHS Precision Flats
which I end up not liking two hours later. But this time, they sounded
gorgeous (on the same bass as always). So, I took them to an afternoon gig
(a cluster phuque, but that didn't obstruct my evaluation of the strings). I
must be playing differently than I was a year ago because at least today,
I'm in love with these strings. Tomorrow, who knows?

[Benj]

Post by Derek Tearne
You can also put them through a dishwaster cycle - make sure you rinse
any other items that have had food on them really well though and take
them out as soon as the cycle has finished.

Um, are you saying you have to worry about food on the strings or is
it that you have to be careful that your dinner doesn't end up tasting
like Bass Strings?

[Derek Tearne]

Post by Benj

Post by Derek Tearne
You can also put them through a dishwaster cycle - make sure you rinse
any other items that have had food on them really well though and take
them out as soon as the cycle has finished.

Um, are you saying you have to worry about food on the strings or is
it that you have to be careful that your dinner doesn't end up tasting
like Bass Strings?

There's nothing worse, just at the high point of your solo, than
discovering a little bit of food in the string, especially something
like pasta.

--- Derek

[eadg]

Post by Derek Tearne
In these recessionary times I can see a lot of folks
boiling strings who
haven't needed to for a long time.
--- Derek

If it saves money why not, but it is a lot of trouble, and
always,
it's only temporary.
For a long time I changed my strings approx every two months
but
nowadays it's measured in years, I use nanoweb coated
Elixirs; they
age well (no nasty off-tune harmonics period I've
experienced with
other brands to endure before they 'settle down), sustain to
an
acceptable degree, are very stable with regard to tuning and
if
anything, improving in low mid response (to the ear of the
beholder). They've been on the bass two years come October
and
I'm eager to see how long they last before I have to
renew them (150+ gigs per year is the average, + practice).
Downside is the wierd dandruff-like flaking as the coating
wears
away, and having to use eq for anything remotely requiring a
slap
tone.

[Derek Tearne]

but nowadays it's measured in years, I use nanoweb coated
Elixirs;

Those probably don't boil so well...

I've considered buying those, but they are hard to find around here and
rather expensive.

--- Derek

[eadg]

Post by Derek Tearne

but nowadays it's measured in years, I use nanoweb coated
Elixirs;

Those probably don't boil so well...

Probably not. I have no idea what a nanoweb coating consists
of but it does seem to resist sweaty fingers, appreciably
longer than the Elites I used to favour.

Post by Derek Tearne
I've considered buying those, but they are hard to find
around here and
rather expensive.
--- Derek

The price of strings is the bane of every bassist. I want a
set of Dominants for my EUB (the stock light gauge on my NS
are really thin sounding) but it will only happen if the xmas
season is productive for gigs.
I got my last set from
http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/strings/bass_guitar/elixir and
they're even cheaper now (I paid £38
I think, now they're £30).Available in light, medium and
heavy (and that's the 5 strg set price. Not cheap for BG but
not excessive given the quality).With no more than an
occasional wipe with a towel they've been on the bass (my
only BG) for nearly two years and are improving with age
imho.
I'd recommend them, even with international postage.

[Nick name]

Thought I'd try it with a set of DR nickel lo-riders.  How long should I
boil them? What about a bouquet garni of herbs & spices in the water? Dry in
oven for how long?

You might try using an ultrasonic cleaner but don't forget to put on
eyeprotection wear prior to attempting this...