rusty strings

[ax2x3m]

hello, its very dusty where i live and not because i dont clean but its just dusty all around, i think thats the reason why even though i buy new strings they beging to rust overtime, or atleast lose their slickness

is there anything i should do or anything i could buy to prevent the rust from my strings? i hate buying new strings every month!

[snipeguy]

Keep you axe in the case and wipe it down after use. I used to use Finger-Ease and it seemed to work.

[timmerman]

All of the above or you could use GHS Fast Fret, this makes your stings feel like "new" again, you know, that slinky feel...............

Here is a reference to the stuff: www.axesrus.com/stringsect.htm

Or try finding GHS's website on more info about Fast Fret

Cheers,

Eddie

[Dani Pace]

Rust is caused by oxidation. The only way to prevent this is to keep air away from your strings. A good wipe down and lightly coating the strings with oil will help but will not prevent it totally. I use lemon oil, mainly because 1 it cleans as well as coats, 2 it lubricates just a little, 3 its good for the fingerboard (rosewood) and 4 if i get any on finished surfaces it dosen't appear to do any damage. By the way, don't complain about changing strings monthly, me and a lot of others do it weekly if not more often.

[timmerman]

Originally Posted by Dani Pace

By the way, don't complain about changing strings monthly, me and a lot of others do it weekly if not more often.

Really Dani? Is the air that humid in your area? Well I am glad I can get by with just "changing them after 1 month" and sometimes even longer, it may all depend on how much I used that guitar as humidity is not really a problem here in England.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by timmerman

Really Dani? Is the air that humid in your area? Well I am glad I can get by with just "changing them after 1 month" and sometimes even longer, it may all depend on how much I used that guitar as humidity is not really a problem here in England.

It totally depends. If I am gigging, I change my strings a lot more because they are getting hours of use every night. Doing the home recording thing, I can go once a month. Mainly because I don't drink when I record, and I always remember to wipe my strings down. I do the lemon oil thing, but not very often.

[cellardweller]

I haven't had a rusty string in years, and it gets pretty damned humid in Illinois during the summers. I'm also a clutz, who is prone to spilling/sweating/drooling all over his strings
I can usually go a month or better between changing strings.

How about Elixr (sp?) strings? Does the "coating" make them last longer?
I have a set, but haven't put them on, as I still have several GHS sets laying around....

[apl]

Originally Posted by cellardweller

How about Elixr (sp?) strings? Does the "coating" make them last longer?
I have a set, but haven't put them on, as I still have several GHS sets laying around....

Yes. The coating also eliminates squeaking from moving your hand up and down the neck.

They're the bomb.

[Codmate]

Yeah - some strings are much better at not rusting than others.
Ernie Balls are real rust-magnets IME.

Wiping down your strings with a cloth after playing is always worth doing too

[cellardweller]

Originally Posted by Dani Pace

I use lemon oil, mainly because 1 it cleans as well as coats, 2 it lubricates just a little, 3 its good for the fingerboard (rosewood) and 4 if i get any on finished surfaces it dosen't appear to do any damage.

Lemon oil, Sclemon oil.
Real men use WD40.

Actually, I used to do this, until someone told me that it is basically kerosene

[apl]

Originally Posted by Codmate

Yeah - some strings are much better at not rusting than others.
Ernie Balls are real rust-magnets IME.

Wiping down your strings with a cloth after playing is always worth doing too

Back in the day I really tried hard to use Fender Bullets, but something in my body chemistry corroded them like a '72 Datsun.

[gasal69]

I hate the sound of new strings especially on acc-guitar.
Just kill me but I hate this metal sound. They sound nice first after
a couple of days or, let me see , after 4-6 playing hours.

[altiris]

Iv'e noticed that my strings rust faster than others. I have sweaty palms. Theres nothing i can do about it . I think if you have sweaty palms you can cause your string to rust fast. My fingers end up green all the time. I've used blue steel. My cousin like them cause they sound nice and last longer. but it doesnt have the long lasting effect with me. I clean them after playing too.

[timmerman]

Originally Posted by cellardweller

Lemon oil, Sclemon oil.
Real men use WD40.

Actually, I used to do this, until someone told me that it is basically kerosene

Heh Cellardweller you are a real joker eh I like those kind of comments! Keep them up man

Eddie

[timmerman]

Originally Posted by altiris

Iv'e noticed that my strings rust faster than others. I have sweaty palms. Theres nothing i can do about it . I think if you have sweaty palms you can cause your string to rust fast. My fingers end up green all the time.

Well when you have sweaty fingers, hands or palms there are a few things you can look into:

Perhaps you use more pressure than you really need for pressing the strings down. The lighter your touch the better [I am not talking about digging into your strings as that is a different matter really]

Perhaps you may be nervous or.................

I used to have sweaty hands when I started out playing the guitar and my strings used to rust too, I used talking powder and washed my hands a lot ect.

The talking powder "trick" does work, also wipping down your strings, using GHS fast fret ect. But what has really helped me is getting better, achieving a much lighter touch and playing a lot.

The whole playing experience is a process, and you will get better at it over the years and all the little problems, like sweaty hands, will hopefully disappear.

Eddie

[altiris]

Im not nervouse but I do press down hard. I dont know why. My hand starts to hurt if I play in the key of F or Bb. Its more on the wrist. Maybe because i dont have long fingers and its the way im holding the guitar. But my hands sweat all the time even if im just doing nothing. even now as im typing they are sweaty.

[cellardweller]

Originally Posted by cellardweller

Lemon oil, Sclemon oil.
Real men use WD40.

Actually, I used to do this, until someone told me that it is basically kerosene

I once played such a scorching lead, that my guitar erupted in flames! That where Jimi and Ace Frehley stole that burning guitar thing from.

[timmerman]

Originally Posted by cellardweller

I once played such a scorching lead, that my guitar erupted in flames! That where Jimi and Ace Frehley stole that burning guitar thing from.

Did you stay ancored to the ground? Did your hands start to sweat as you were hitting those notes? Did your teeth come out of your mouth from exitement or........................??

Eddie

[Dani Pace]

Gawd!!! I wish Zippo made strings, after all they are guaranteed not to "rust, bust, or gather dust." So far I haven't found any strings that can make that claim.

[timmerman]

Perhaps we are all in the wrong trade here....................

Oh well it is never to late to become a fireeater who just plays airguitar, so not dust or rust or................. blue fingers

Eddie