Steel wooling your strings?

Regor · 07-12-2007, 02:04 PM

Anyone here ever clean the gunk off your strings with 0000 steel wool? I just tried it with a piece wrapped in paper towel, so as not to have steel wool leavings sticking to my pickups, and it worked great. I hate the sound of new strings, and there's nothing wrong with these, but they got some finger gunk on them. So I figured I'd clean them up a bit, and it worked like a charm.

OzzyC · 07-12-2007, 02:10 PM

What kind of strings are you using that you don't like the sound of them when new?

Regor · 07-12-2007, 02:16 PM

Any strings. I don't like that sharp metallic ringing to them. I like dull sounding strings.

Drew · 07-12-2007, 03:02 PM

Yikes, that absolutely CANNOT be good for your strings.

What strings do you use? D'addarios are awfully bright, something duller might work a bit nicer for you. Elixir Polywebs spring to mind, for one, but if you REALLY want dark-sounding strings, have you ever tried flatwounds?

Jason · 07-12-2007, 03:11 PM

It's harder to do pinch harmonics of flatwounds tho..

newamerikangospel · 07-12-2007, 03:13 PM

Dr Keyser string cleaner on a rag will make your strings sound nice. Steel wool is removing gunk AND string material, hence weakening your string.

I have since switched to ghs fast fret, but the keys to keeping your strings singing longer and naturally is washing your hands before you play. Use a soap that doesn't have any type of oil based "moisturizers" or any of that girly crap, and wash just before picking up your guitar. Unless you play for 3-4 hours, your skins oil will be at a minimum and you wont have stuff that you have touched previously on your strings (pizza, hotwings, pepsi, your mom (0_0) )

Regor · 07-12-2007, 03:30 PM

Well if it's harder to do pinch harmonics on flatwounds, I absolutely won't be trying those.

No guys, I think you're getting me wrong. I'm not grinding the string down. 2-3 passes with 0000 steel wool, just to remove gunk. I hardly think that's going to wear away strings to the point where the structural integrity is compromised.

Jason · 07-12-2007, 03:33 PM

Rog I would say try a set BUT don't be suprised if you hate em

newamerikangospel · 07-12-2007, 03:39 PM

If you pulled .0003 from a string, you just removed a third of your high strings mass. I would advise against it, but if it works for you, good.

Regor · 07-12-2007, 03:50 PM

Umm... that makes no sense dude. My high E is a .009... a third of that would be .003, not .0003. That's 1/30th of the string mass.

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07-12-2007, 02:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
Regor M.U.S.C.L.E. Join Date: May 2005 Location: Detroit Rawk City Posts: 3,602 Real Name: Mr.Luxury Yacht Main Seven: Ibz RG2127X (The Japanez) Rig: TriAxis/G-Force/2:90 Thanked: 52	Steel wooling your strings? Anyone here ever clean the gunk off your strings with 0000 steel wool? I just tried it with a piece wrapped in paper towel, so as not to have steel wool leavings sticking to my pickups, and it worked great. I hate the sound of new strings, and there's nothing wrong with these, but they got some finger gunk on them. So I figured I'd clean them up a bit, and it worked like a charm. *Metal... Nuff Said!!* NEXT SHOW: Summer Hiatus Website: www.justdefymetal.com MySpace: myspace.com/justdefymetal

07-12-2007, 02:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
OzzyC :ubersquint: Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 3,324 Real Name: AntonioPetrucci Main Seven: RG1527RB Main ERG: I can has ERG? Rig: GNX3000 Thanked: 16	What kind of strings are you using that you don't like the sound of them when new? poof

07-12-2007, 03:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
Drew Fear the Polo! • Super Moderator • Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 28,953 Real Name: Call me Ahab... Main Seven: 1991 Ibanez UV7PWH Main ERG: Sherman 5-string bass Rig: Mesa Recto-verb 50 Thanked: 137	Yikes, that absolutely CANNOT be good for your strings. What strings do you use? D'addarios are awfully bright, something duller might work a bit nicer for you. Elixir Polywebs spring to mind, for one, but if you REALLY want dark-sounding strings, have you ever tried flatwounds? "...and everything under the sun is in tune, but the sun is eclipsed by the moon."

07-12-2007, 03:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jason This One's For Your Warden! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Here and there.. Posts: 9,045 Real Name: Jason Main Seven: Esp/Ltd H207 :D Rig: Nadda Supreme Thanked: 76	It's harder to do pinch harmonics of flatwounds tho.. http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/gea...brand-new.html "I wish TV had a knob so you could turn up the intelligence. The one marked Brightness doesn't work." Gallagher

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07-12-2007, 02:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Regor M.U.S.C.L.E. Join Date: May 2005 Location: Detroit Rawk City Posts: 3,602 Real Name: Mr.Luxury Yacht Main Seven: Ibz RG2127X (The Japanez) Rig: TriAxis/G-Force/2:90 Thanked: 52	Any strings. I don't like that sharp metallic ringing to them. I like dull sounding strings.

07-12-2007, 03:13 PM	#6 (permalink)
newamerikangospel HA HA!...Avatar! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,172 Real Name: lepsognakiremaw Main Seven: Schecter Gryphon Rig: GNX>H&K4x12-Hrtk2x15 Thanked: 13	Dr Keyser string cleaner on a rag will make your strings sound nice. Steel wool is removing gunk AND string material, hence weakening your string. I have since switched to ghs fast fret, but the keys to keeping your strings singing longer and naturally is washing your hands before you play. Use a soap that doesn't have any type of oil based "moisturizers" or any of that girly crap, and wash just before picking up your guitar. Unless you play for 3-4 hours, your skins oil will be at a minimum and you wont have stuff that you have touched previously on your strings (pizza, hotwings, pepsi, your mom (0_0) )

07-12-2007, 03:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
Regor M.U.S.C.L.E. Join Date: May 2005 Location: Detroit Rawk City Posts: 3,602 Real Name: Mr.Luxury Yacht Main Seven: Ibz RG2127X (The Japanez) Rig: TriAxis/G-Force/2:90 Thanked: 52	Well if it's harder to do pinch harmonics on flatwounds, I absolutely won't be trying those. No guys, I think you're getting me wrong. I'm not grinding the string down. 2-3 passes with 0000 steel wool, just to remove gunk. I hardly think that's going to wear away strings to the point where the structural integrity is compromised.

07-12-2007, 03:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jason This One's For Your Warden! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Here and there.. Posts: 9,045 Real Name: Jason Main Seven: Esp/Ltd H207 :D Rig: Nadda Supreme Thanked: 76	Rog I would say try a set BUT don't be suprised if you hate em

07-12-2007, 03:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
newamerikangospel HA HA!...Avatar! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,172 Real Name: lepsognakiremaw Main Seven: Schecter Gryphon Rig: GNX>H&K4x12-Hrtk2x15 Thanked: 13	If you pulled .0003 from a string, you just removed a third of your high strings mass. I would advise against it, but if it works for you, good.

07-12-2007, 03:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
Regor M.U.S.C.L.E. Join Date: May 2005 Location: Detroit Rawk City Posts: 3,602 Real Name: Mr.Luxury Yacht Main Seven: Ibz RG2127X (The Japanez) Rig: TriAxis/G-Force/2:90 Thanked: 52	Umm... that makes no sense dude. My high E is a .009... a third of that would be .003, not .0003. That's 1/30th of the string mass.

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Steel wooling your strings?