Cleaning strings...

[Lion's Skull]

Hey,
which products do you use to clean the strings after playing? Any suggestion? I've been cleaning them with a simple cloth all my life, but now I want to try out something else. Any advice?

r.

[Daddydex]

I have used the Blitz cloth with good results.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ths?sku=422011

Dan

[EddieN]

Naphtha on a rag. It'll dry out bare wood so loosen strings.

If you're a bass player using rounds (I just clean flats like I would guitar strings), remove the strings & soak 'em in an airtight container covered in the stuff. I don't think anything brings 'em back to life better & you wouldn't believe all the crud that comes off. Real money saver.

[FredDairy]

When I'm done playing I always wipe them down with the rag that came with my guitar. Once every week or two I'll wipe them down with ronsonal lighter fluid.

[jazztele]

GHS fast fret. safe for wood, you, and the environment.

[Iceman]

I have had good luck with Dr. Stringfellow string lubricant/cleaner.

[Lion's Skull]

Originally Posted by FredDairy

When I'm done playing I always wipe them down with the rag that came with my guitar. Once every week or two I'll wipe them down with ronsonal lighter fluid.

Is Ronsonal ok with the finishing on maple fingerboard? And on unfinished/rosewood fingerboards?

r.

[hockey_head]

+1 on the dekyper's "dr. stringfellow". i used to use fast fret but it leaves kind of a sticky film. the only thing that dr. stringfellow leaves behind is a slightly slippery feeling that goes away after about one song.
it is also wood safe and has a little lemon oil in it so rosewood and ebony boards stay maintained.

[surfoverb]

Originally Posted by Lion's Skull

Is Ronsonal ok with the finishing on maple fingerboard? And on unfinished/rosewood fingerboards?

r.

It should be...Dan Erlewine uses naptha on everything.

[EddieN]

To the original poster: Ronsonol lighter fluid & naphtha are the same thing.

[magicguitar]

I just use old 100% cotton tee shirts and wipe down after each play - works for me. I also change strings rather frequently.

[TG]

Lucky me. I never seem to need to.

[FredDairy]

Originally Posted by Lion's Skull

Is Ronsonal ok with the finishing on maple fingerboard? And on unfinished/rosewood fingerboards?

r.

I think it's fine. I use it on the strings, I'm not pouring it on there just a little on a rag and rubbing it into the string while pulling the string away from the fretboard. I think there's more beer getting rubbed into the fingerboard on a nightly basis.

[graphs]

i never find they get all that dirty until they're about ready to be changed. i wash my hands before playing because i hate the feeling of greasy hands...maybe that helps???

[Axis29]

Most of the time I don't do anything... I'm lazy, but every few times I play I'll spray it down with FingerEase. It's a nice silicone string cleaner and lubricant. I think it lasts a little longer than Fast Fret, but still doesn't feel slimy.

[Twangmeister]

+1 for Dr. Stringfellow. I've gotten to the point where I like the feel of the strings more with it than without it, kind of a clean, non-greasy, steely kinda thing.

[blue metalflake]

Always believed in the oily rag - just a little light machine oil,

[beep.click]

Originally Posted by graphs

i never find they get all that dirty until they're about ready to be changed. i wash my hands before playing because i hate the feeling of greasy hands...maybe that helps???

That's me, too. Also, I'm absolutely FANATICAL about getting a guitar back into it's case.

[Tim Armstrong]

I have a small towel that I wipe the strings with, but when I'm gigging as a guitarist, I tend to change the strings pretty regularly, so I don't do much more than that.

I have flatwound strings on my bass, and wipe them with the towel, too. If it's a sweaty gig, I use FingerEase before the gig starts...

Cheers, Tim

[pblossom]

I spray a little silicone on a rag and individually wipe each string, from the bridge to the nut when I put new strings on. It repels moisture and the strings last a long time. If they start getting dirty or whatever, I do it again—it cleans all the stuff off—and it makes the strings feel new again.

Silicone works great in the nut as well, when you're changing the strings since most tuning problems come from the strings hanging in the nut. Just a little dab in each string groove with a Q-Tip.

Works wonders.

[Michaell]

been down this road

wipe them off with a cotton cloth

then change 'em when they lose bounce and tone

don't watse your time energy or money with " cleaners " or other such chemical concoctions that " clean strings " as a means to extend playing life.

strings wear out..... thee biggest down side to playing guitar...so.....get over it

change strings often.....the guitar sound better and feels better and you'll play better

[Tim Bowen]

If you gig a lot in the southern United States during the summer months, your instruments will be covered in gunk, and that's the deal. Strings usually die a horrible and grisly death. I'd love to properly care for each and every one of my instruments immediately after every show, but after 3 or 4 sets with bunches of stuff to load out, and overworked wait staff finally having the chance to close up shop and go home, babying my instruments is honestly the last thing on my mind. I usually deal with the gunk after the fact, for better or worse.

I broke my Supro lap steel out of the case today to prepare for a session later this week. The strings were so covered in acidic sweat from the weekend gigs that the slide bar was literally sticking. I couldn't find any lighter fluid at the house, so I wiped the strings down with rubbing alcohol, which was a pretty good quick fix. Hopefully there's no social disease involved.

I don't like the sound of new strings for bass and slide instruments. For cutting rhythm tracks on stringed instruments, I'm a bit neurotic about fresh strings, unless it's inconvenient to install them.

[Colt W. Knight]

GHS fast fret will pay for itself in extending the playing life of your strings

[ajgus]

I have a piece of an old t shirt that is my designated guitar rag. I rarely wipe my strings down. I just change them out when they start to "lose that lovin' feeling". When I do clean them, however, I use good old fasioned rubbing alcohol. Seen techs do it. Works for me. Only problem is that it smell like the doctor's office.

[Daddydex]

Originally Posted by Michaell

been down this road

wipe them off with a cotton cloth

then change 'em when they lose bounce and tone

don't watse your time energy or money with " cleaners " or other such chemical concoctions that " clean strings " as a means to extend playing life.

strings wear out..... thee biggest down side to playing guitar...so.....get over it

change strings often.....the guitar sound better and feels better and you'll play better

And thankfully they are cheap! I do agree that these methods won't extend the life of your strings much but the blitz cloth comes in handy in the summer months when you have to get "just one more gig" out of the rusty strings you should have already changed.

Dan

[surfoverb]

everybody has different body chemistry so what works for one won't for the other...I generally don't do anything unless I've been playing with dirty hands and I get gunk built up on the back of the neck in which I'll wipe the back of the neck and front with a damp cloth. I really want to get a blitz cloth, I live 5 minutes from a PX and I should look into that.

I change strings too often to worry about it but I know people that do prefer really old strings.