That NEW string sound

[lucky]

For a good while now I have been that busy at work,that my Ric bass & my bass playing time has had to take a back seat.But today while walking through town I went into my local guitar shop & bought my Ric bass some new strings, Rotosound RS66 45-105 and set off home to fit them.
After putting them on & a quick setup the bass sounds as good as new,the previous Roto's had been on for over a year so you could hear a difference. I love that new string sound you get with a Ric bass no other bass I've owned has sounded this good with new strings, maybe it has something to do with my bass hero a Mr.Chris Squire. I must try and find some time to get back into playing again,does anyone else like that new string sound with their Rickenbacker bass.

[cassius987]

If you like "new string sound" invest in a string cleaning tube, it'll save you money. You can rotate between two-four sets of the same strings over a year (three-six months per set), for several years. Your strings should never have to sound dead after getting this system set up, and when you change the strings every so often you can also give your bass a setup and polishing.

http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/how_t ... rings.html

[lucky]

Interesting reading the price of the Rotosounds I bought today were £17.99 aprox $28.71,how much are Roto's in the US.

[cassius987]

Pretty comparable to that.

[congerz83]

Call me crazy, but I like the sound of my GHS Jazz Flats after a "break-in period"

[doctorwho]

If you like "new string sound" invest in a string cleaning tube, it'll save you money. You can rotate between two-four sets of the same strings over a year (three-six months per set), for several years. Your strings should never have to sound dead after getting this system set up, and when you change the strings every so often you can also give your bass a setup and polishing.

http://www.tunemybass.com/strings/how_t ... rings.html

That website contains a technical error:

...They add poison to pure wood alcohol ...

It should be "... They add poison to pure grain alcohol ...". Denatured alcohol is grain alcohol (ethanol; ethyl alcohol). "Wood alcohol" is a synonym for methanol (methyl alcohol) which is in itself a poison and is used as a denaturant in some denatured alcohol formulations.

[cassius987]

Call me crazy, but I like the sound of my GHS Jazz Flats after a "break-in period"

You're talking about flats. The OP is talking about Rotosounds. Very different approaches to string aging with these, and between players.

It should be "... They add poison to pure grain alcohol ...". Denatured alcohol is grain alcohol (ethanol; ethyl alcohol). "Wood alcohol" is a synonym for methanol (methyl alcohol) which is in itself a poison and is used as a denaturant in some denatured alcohol formulations.

Yeah, no one ought to be trying to drink wood alcohol. I learned that in undergraduate toxicology. Imagine my embarrassment that I had brought in my favorite brand of methanol-containing windshield wiper fluid to drink in class that day. Of course I'd already started to go blind so I was spared the immediate shock of reading this information on the board.

[rickenbrother]

I used to wipe my strings with isopropryl alcohol on a cotton or chamois cloth. Lately I've been using naptha to wipe them down or if they have really lost a lot of the new sound, I'll dunk the strings in a can of naptha, then wipe them down. Cleans them even better than alcohol does.

[lucky]

When I first started playing the thing we poor young musicians would do was boil the strings,did'nt last longer though.

[cassius987]

I used to wipe my strings with isopropryl alcohol on a cotton or chamois cloth. Lately I've been using naptha to wipe them down or if they have really lost a lot of the new sound, I'll dunk the strings in a can of naptha, then wipe them down. Cleans them even better than alcohol does.

Isopropyl contains water unfortunately, so it will promote some string degradation as well as cleaning it. Water oxidizes most metals. That is why boiling strings is really not a good idea.

[rickenbrother]

I'd never boil my strings. I never thought doing that was a good idea. When I do use isopropyl alcohol, it's no less than 91% alcohol.

[lucky]

Rotosound strings are cheaper now than a few years ago,though here in the UK in the new year VAT (value added tax) goes up to 20% so I may buy a couple of packs before the new year.

[congerz83]

[You're talking about flats. The OP is talking about Rotosounds. Very different approaches to string aging with these, and between players.

I belive the name of this thread is "That NEW string sound". I could be wrong. My eyes may be going. Or I may have ****** monitors at work.

[cassius987]

You're right Richard, I've just noticed Rotosound players really obsess about new string sound, whereas you or I playing flats probably don't so much. So we'll have different opinions on it.

[congerz83]

My bad Josh. Didn't mean to come off abrasive. That "new sound" is very important to roundwound players. Not my cup of tea, but I understand.