#1
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Best way to care for your steel guitar strings?
How do you take care of your steel guitar strings so they will look good and last?
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Just pickin' around |
#2
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Do you mean storing new strings or strings already on your guitar?
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird |
#3
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Quote:
I don't do anything for them so they 'look' better. I wipe strings down with a micro-fibre shop rag every time I play them (even if for only 5 minutes) before putting them back in the case. That alone easily doubles the life of my non-coated sets. It may also keep the looking great…Coated strings can discolor & be working just fine (even if/when wiped down). Spare sets live in my guitar cabinets in a drawer. Our relative humidity is low where we live, and strings stored in that manner last years. |
#4
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Already on your guitar.
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Just pickin' around |
#5
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I've mentioned this many times on the forum in the past. One of my best friends was an analytical chemist who specialized in surface analysis.
He told me the best thing to remove "organics" from brass and bronze was simple old wool. Go to a fabric store and buy a chunk of good quality wool, and cut some small squares off to keep your case. Wipe down the strings after playing - and make sure and wrap the wool around the bottom side of the strings too where the most stuff builds up.
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"One small heart, and a great big soul that's driving" |
#6
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Wash hands with soap before, wipe strings with cotton after.
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#7
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OK, as mentioned above, wash your hands before playing is the main one.
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird |
#8
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Quote:
KFC grease doesn't work well with guitars and their strings!
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"One small heart, and a great big soul that's driving" |
#9
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Funny you should say that, I find Elixir strings too slippery and once saw someone else with similar experience describe them as 'coated in fried chicken grease'.
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird |
#10
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I use Elixir Nanos, so nothing. I play probably an hour a day average and change them every 6 months whether they need it or not.
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#11
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I just play coated strings.
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#12
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Before I used Elixirs I used to wipe the strings down after playing, but that was decades ago. Any more I use Elixirs and don't do anything other than make sure I wash my hands after eating a greasy burger before picking up a guitar. Seriously though, I don't do anything special and the Elixirs just keep going strong.
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Taylor 814ce DLX Taylor GTe Urban Ash Taylor GS Mini-e Rosewood Ovation CS257 Celebrity Deluxe Epiphone PR-350 Kramer 450G Gretsch G2622 |
#13
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Quote:
For my main axe, I keep changing it every two or three months since I play it everyday. As many mentioned above, wipe strings down with a micro-fibre before putting back to case, wash hands before playing. Also, I do apply strings oil every time after playing but I don't know whether it really help or not. Your mileage may vary
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Leviora A1 Fan Fret Martin OMC28BLJ ArchAngels Wings (Dreadnought) Grace Felix L.R.Baggs Mixpro Zoom A3 Trace Elliot TA40CR Henriksen the Bud ten |
#14
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Clean hands, nothing else. Works for me.
I use a variety of coated and uncoated strings, in brass and phosphor bronze, sometimes monel. I wipe the fretboard down with a soft, dry cloth when I change strings. Sometimes I use a little Fast Fret, but not for cleaning purposes, only when I'm trying to reduce finger-squeak. Strings last me anything between 1 month and 6 months or more, depending on how much I have played that particular guitar and what sort of strings they are. The long and the short of it is keep your hands clean.
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Tacoma Thunderhawk baritone, spruce & maple. Maton SRS60C, cedar & Queensland Maple. Maton Messiah 808, spruce & rosewood. Cole Clark Angel 3, Huon Pine & silkwood. Cole Clark Fat Lady 2 12-string, Bunya & Blackwood. |
#15
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I'll second this.
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Patrick 2012 Martin HD-28V 1984 Martin Shenandoah D-2832 2018 Gretsch G5420TG Oscar Schmidt Autoharp, unknown vintage ToneDexter Bugera V22 Infinium |