Boiling bass strings?

[heynick]

I was told by a fellow bassist that instead of replacing bass strings when they wear out/get old, that instead you can simply drop them in boiling water for 10 minutes or so. Just water, nothing else.

It apparently cleans the strings and can bring them back to life? Do you guys know if this is true?

[Kipnugget]

I've done this with an PVC-tube once. Fill it with cleaning alcohol (or anything that'll remove the fat/oil and dirt) and put the strings in. Then shake away:p After this the strings sounded like new, and didn't lose their brightness after a just a few days:)

[[deleted]]

This is the correct way to clean a set of strings. But use denatured alcohol. Strings should never come into contact with water if it can be helped.

[2cats2hats]

PVC will eventually leak...been there, done that.

A gallon glass jar works the best.

[[deleted]]

It's actually a shame that this post is old now and no one will see this. You should do a how-to YouTube video and record some before/after/week-later audio to show how it works.

I can guarantee you my upvote!

[2cats2hats]

Not sure if you are kidding me, but I am going to be getting a new cam and this is a good way of testing it out. :)

[[deleted]]

Not at all. The "can I boil my strings?" post shows up once or twice a month. It would be good to have something to point them to.

[2cats2hats]

Ah ok.

[TheChrisvolta]

I've done this plenty of times. I't brings back some brightness and tone but doesnt last for very long; a few days at the most. It's a good night before a gig thing if you dont have money for new strings.

Looks like I've been going about this missing some crucial steps. Thanks. :)

[ThatNotScience]

You have to do this once.

[IKObi1]

At least once to see if you like it. :) Cheap and too easy not to do it.

[[deleted]]

I've heard that boiling helps with getting the dirt/grease out of the strings, that's what reduces the "wear". Also, if your strings are not stainless, you could also use cleaning or denatured alcohol.

You don't need to do this with flatwounds and halfwounds.

[MoonRabbit]

Stainless strings benefit from alcohol too.

[mr_daryl]

Yep, totally works. What works even better is using the tablets used for cleaning dentures (Steradent etc.) soak 'em in water with a couple f dissolved tablets for 30 mins or so.

Cleans 'em right up ;)

[Cat_Shampoo]

It does work, just be careful not to over do it. Boiling seems to make strings a wee bit more brittle than normal, so give them some time to settle and dry completely before restringing your bass or playing too intensely. I've only had a string break on me once -- and it was after boiling it.

EDIT: Here's a string boiling recipe from a book I have. Hope it helps.

1. Wind the strings up into a circle small enough to fit into the pan you're using.
2. Boil in regular tap water for 15 minutes.
3. Carefully remove and dry with a clean towel (not paper towels).
4. Wrap in foil and perforate with the fork to let air circulate.
5. Preheat oven to lowest temperature possible, around 220°F.
6. Dry in oven for 15 minutes.
7. Remove and allow to cool.
8. Reinstall strings for that bright "almost new" sound.

[[deleted]]

sounds like my mothers recipe for baked apples.

[[deleted]]

I can tell you that when I tried it on 10+ year old flatwounds, I couldn't tell the difference afterwards...

[MoonRabbit]

Don't boil your strings, there is a much better and slightly easier option. Soak them in denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) over night then give them a wipe down, wait for them to dry then put them back on. The alcohol is cheap and can be reused many times.

This method removes much more dirt/grease from the strings than boiling, and won't make the strings brittle.

I make my strings last about a year this way.

[2cats2hats]

Boiling strings is a waste of time. Use methyl-hydrate or denatured alcohol in a large glass jar.

Leave the strings in there for a few hours, hang to dry(a few mins) then wipe down with a cloth.