Why NOT to polish bass strings.......

[richard.ucci at att.net]

what about steaming, and then blow drying to remove dirt etc.?

-------------- Original message from Stéphane Collin <collin.s at skynet.be>: -------------- 


> Hi Gordon. 
> 
> Indeed, any liquid/chemical mean to polish the bass string will unfavourably 
> alter the tone of the bass strings. I don't understand why this is. My 
> guess : it is the minute shocks between the brass windings that make the 
> high partials of the tone. Anything in between the windings (dirt, paste, 
> and all) will damp the minute shocks, thus the high tones. 
> While we are there, may I just mention again what did work for me and what 
> didn't, in order to bring back some brightness in the tone ? 
> Mechanical rubbing of the brass (scotch brite, steel wool) does improve the 
> look, but not the sound. 
> Removing the string from the hitch pin, making a large loop in it and 
> running the loop back and forth along the string has mixed results : 
> sometimes some brightness comes back, sometimes not at all. 
> Removing the string from the hitch pin and twisting it in the direction of 
> the winding before putting it back on the hitch can bring some of the 
> brightness back, certainly with many turns, but it also affects the 
> inharmonicity of the string, and after three or four twists, the sound of 
> the string becomes objectionnable. 
> Removing just the tension of the string, leaving it in place, and banging it 
> hard with heavy hammer strokes works great, nice results, but one every 4 
> strings so treated breaks when pulled back to tension. 
> Replacing the strings with new ones works like wonder, assumed that you wait 
> until the strings have settled. 
> 
> I heard that guitarists who can't afford buying a new set of strings (the 
> majority of those) have good results boiling the strings in boiling water. 
> I never tried this with a piano string, but am wanting to hear comments from 
> those who did. 
> 
> Hoping to raise some more comments. 
> 
> Best regards. 
> 
> Stéphane Collin. 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "gordon stelter" 
> > Was it what I used, or will ANY polishing of bass 
> > strings harm the tone ??? I won't do any more, until 
> > certain. 
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