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Thread: Pre-Cleaning Strings

  1. #1
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Pre-Cleaning Strings

    Yeah, sounds like yet another tone myth right?

    If you play a lot of gigs you know that strings ain't what they used to be. I used to be able to get at least a complete show's worth out of a set, sometimes two. Lately if you can squeeze a long set out of a set you're doing good. And that's with LED lighting - if the place still has the old PARs fuggetaboutit!

    Most of my player-grade guitars are have lots of road wear but I do take a cloth with a little lemon oil and wipe down the fingerboards after use to keep the disgusting finger cheeze under control.

    So, a little while ago I had just put new strings on before a show and for whatever reason, I grabbed a white paper towel and put some lemon oil on it to wipe the board. To my surprise, the paper towel had black streaks on it from the brand new strings. WTF? So I wiped them from the top and underside and A LOT of black came off them.

    That night after the first set when I usually switch out from my Pelham Blue to my Burst the strings on the blue guitar still felt like new! Shiny and clean too. I played the second set on them and they didn't give up at all.

    So lately, when I change strings I take a paper towel and fold it a few times to make a thick pad and put some lemon oil on it. Before I install the string I pull it through the paper towel and - you ain't gonna believe how much grimy black stuff comes off of brand new strings! I have to pull each one through at least half a dozen times to get it clean.

    And now - they feel and last just like the good ol' days. Good savings too, I was going through about $24 worth of strings every show. Now I'll bet it's under ten bucks.

    So, next time you change strings you might want to try it. I'm interested to find other player's results.

    Chuck
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  2. #2
    Forum Member Laker's Avatar
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    Re: Pre-Cleaning Strings

    Wow, am I glad I’m a bass player!

  3. #3
    Forum Member Michael Smith's Avatar
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    Re: Pre-Cleaning Strings

    Could it be oil left over from the manufacturing process? Or something they put on it to prevent rust?
    "When You're Riding Down the Highway at Night, And You're Feeling that Wild Turkey's Bite" ZZ Top

  4. #4
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Pre-Cleaning Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Smith View Post
    Could it be oil left over from the manufacturing process? Or something they put on it to prevent rust?
    I wonder this, too. What kind of strings are you using? Some manufacturers put them in sealed, airtight, individual wrappers. I think that's to keep this from happening to strings that may have been in the package and sitting on the shelf for a while.
    Striving to be ordinary

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  5. #5
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Pre-Cleaning Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Smith View Post
    Could it be oil left over from the manufacturing process? Or something they put on it to prevent rust?
    It could be either of those things, or it could be the nickel surface being oxidized because the manufacturer is not putting a treatment on the strings to keep them from getting oxidized.

  6. #6
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Pre-Cleaning Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    It could be either of those things, or it could be the nickel surface being oxidized because the manufacturer is not putting a treatment on the strings to keep them from getting oxidized.

    This appears to be a greasy substance, with the gray color of molybdenum grease. I can't tell if it's the substance itself or if it's a clear coating that attracted dirt. I had another player check his strings and he had the same problem on a different brand. Not surprising, since the same company makes the wire for most string manufacturers.

    It's not oxidation because once it's removed the string is gleaming and shiny and smooth. In fact, lot shinier than before it's cleaned.

    My guess is it's something left over from the manufacturing process.

    Again last night, I played two long sets with the same guitar and the strings were fine. (9 pound les Paul, unfortunately my back wasn't lol! Still feeling it this AM.) I don't have the luxury of a guitar tech when I play so it comes down to yours-truly keeping everything in shape. I was changing at least four sets of strings a week so this is like, a HUGE benefit to me.

    Another benefit appears so far to be better tuning stability, which is always nice.

    Anyway, just passing this along. I'd suggest you give it a try and see what happens.

    Chuck
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

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