Do you remember when your bass strings were new and they had that nice zingy pop to them? Do they sound a little dull now? They don’t quite have their original clear sound anymore? Well, no worries. There is a way for you too restore your old dull strings and make them sound “almost” like new. If you’re a bassist on a budget this will help you squeeze a little more life out of your old strings without spending a cent. (nothing beats new strings, but this will get you through a tough spot.)
What you need:
- A set of old bass strings in need of some lovin’.
- One pan ready to boil water and strings.
- Some tin foil to wrap the strings in and bake in the oven
- Something to poke holes in the foil with, a fork is fine or a toothpick…
The recipe:
- Wind the strings up into a circle until they’re small enough to fit into your pan.
- Bring water to the boil and add strings.
- Boil for 15 – 20 minutes (don’t boil too long or the heat will warp your strings)
- Remove the strings from the water and dry with a clean towel. Not a paper towel, and please be careful with the hot water, don’t burn yourself.
- (Some people like to wipe them off with rubbing alcohol to get some extra dirt and grime off them)
- Wrap the strings in the foil (all in the same parcel of foil) and poke some holes with your fork to let the air get around the strings
- Preheat your oven on a low temperature, around 220°F
- Carefully place strings into the oven and dry for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the string parcel and leave to cool.
- Whack the strings back on your bass and enjoy!There you go. Not too hard is it? Helps to keep the strings lasting a little longer and save a few dollars.
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