Hey Dave: i've been getting ur post about cleaning strings and want to help I have a method that works much better then boiling but i have a few questions b4 telling so holler at me, I play the 5-string Stanley Clarke model,this method is so much better then boiling...

I've been cleaning dirty strings in the dishwasher for years.Just coil them up so they don't snag on anything.It'll even dry them for you too.It really does work!.

Email sent Wylie.

Boiling water an metal strings are not a good combination,have u noticed the more u boil the less the string seems to hold the notes that's because Hot water n Metal don't mix,never have n never will

Hey Jimmy, I also have a set of superwounds on my homemade fretless that were put on in 1996 and still sound the same (not that the bass has seen much action since I bought my fretless rogue). They were obsolete even in 1996 but my local guitar shop in Worcester (where I lived for about 4 years) had a 'special' relationship with james How and had a batch made up specially. I really liked these strings as they were a 'half-round' profile that was ideal for my style of fretless playing, allowing my fingers to slide easily. I recently strung the rogue with D'addario chrome flatwounds and absolutely hated the feel - my fingers were 'sticking' as I tried to play a sliding vibrato - so they came straight off after the first gig and I've gone back to the DR red devils.
 
Graeme

wylie j..metal and hot water don't mix..how do you cook???
The idea of hot water or any heat on metal is that it re anneals it.
The lemon oil acts as an emulsifier/lubricant/detergent an removes any old oil residue.
It is the same as heating up a sump washer from the sump bolt on a car and plunging it into cold water, it 're aligns' the crystal structure in the metal. And of course I am not advocating taking a blow torch to your strings as this too severe(although I may have a go on a real old set!)
Obviously it won't take the fret dents out from the coils but it does dissolve all the sweat residues from the windings.
It is not a permanent fix but it does work if you are short of money and want that zing back in your strings.
Wylie j..what is your method..would be interesting to know an alternative??

Ive been boiling my strings years.

I only boil eggs and potatoes. Everythng else gets steamed ;-)
 
Graeme

I boiled  strings a few decades ago but they did not  go good with my
Rotkohl  ,_____  I love  Rotkohl ! ( red cabbage).  
 
        Really it seems to work once in while as far as the grime  ,but what to do for the Harmonic loss and fret marks ?    Seasoning! YES _____!

can you get ELITES in america ive used these for about 20 years, my last set have been on for abuot 6/7 years, and although i dont gig anymore, i play usually every day.. i get these strings from.the bass centre,in london..www.basscentre.com.

I recently purchased my first Alembic.  It is a 1992 4-String Essence.  The guys at Guitar Center told me the strings on it were Ernie Ball Half Rounds, and my ear told me that they were pretty dead and rather boomy and muddy sounding for my taste.  I put on DR Lowriders that I have been using for quite some time.  The sound is now way too bright.  Anybody have suggestions as to what strings to use for a happy medium between muddy and too bright?

Aaron,
 
D'Addario Chromes and TI Flats seem to get a lot of use by people on this forum.
 
My own personal favorites are Chromes and DR Sunbeams (which are a nickel plated roundwound).  I think the Chromes are the *zingiest* flats and the Sunbeams give what I consider to be the warmest roundwound tone.

+1 on the Sunbeams. I had random strings on my SI long scale and then tried some Sunbeams on it and it sounded like the bottom octave all of a sudden came back. They also last quite a long time for me.
 
YMMV, etc.

On my  91 Essence 4  I like Dean Markley Blue Steel # 2670 XL 40-95.
Same  on my Distillate 4 & my fretted & fretless Fender Jazz with  Bartolini's
 On My  Series II Standard Point Cocobolo I like  Pyramid Gold Flats and the same on My modified Guild Starfire & fretless  Fender Precision.

I bounce around quite a bit, DR Fodera Ernie Ball Dean Markley GHS D'Addario LaBella 45-130 usually. But I bought a bunch of Alembic sets for my 5's and 6's. So I'm using up my old stock and restocking with Alembics. I love the sound of new strings! Time to change a few of the babies come to think of it. Never boiled a set yet, brightened up a few with lemon oil though. I also use fingerease and fastfret . Seems to help my style of playing.