How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

Noisembryo

Noisembryo

New member
I think I have alien acid sweat...I put on a new set of Dunlop Reverend Willy G 7-38 set and after 15 seconds (YES! you read that right...15 seconds) non wound strings started to go dark. Now it gets even better...I was playing yesterday for 3 hours, basically just practicing some licks and same strings are now completely corroded and by corroded I mean brown-red-ish rust. Needless to say that strings are pretty much unplayable (some parts of them).

I used before Earnie Balls 10's and same thing happened...

This is really getting annoying and I've been looking into possible solutions and input from any of you guys that have same problem. I really enjoy playing super light gauges like 8-38 and 7-38 and I'm really limited by this. I've been looking into coated strings and most of them start at 9-42 except Earnie Ball coated titanium which has 8-38 set. I'm willing to change gauges if it will actually help my problem. I also always wash my hands before playing.

So my question is...do this coated strings help? What brands have you tried and which ones you have best results with?
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

I use fender pure nickels on my jazzmaster and NPS bullets on my strat. In both cases, guitar strings lose that new zing after about 2 or 3 days and if I don't wipe them down the plain strings will begin to rust in a week and be needing a change in 3 weeks.
I now use dunlop string cleaner and wipe the things down after playing and I can get another week or two out of them.

Do you drink a lot of coca-cola? I have always wondered if that has something to do with my acidic chemistry. I probably drink too much of that delicious crap.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

I have much more subdued problem. I use daddario and swear that I used to get more life out of them 4 years back. Now after about good hours play plain strings go darker on places I played. Even after rigorous wiping the dark stain never really goes off, and if not wiped off properly before long it will start to rust. If dad'strings are still made the same way I can only think of my sweat chemistry as being the cause and that it has changed from what it was.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

kramersteen said:
haha
Click to expand...

Incredibly useful post...

FuseG4 said:
I use fender pure nickels on my jazzmaster and NPS bullets on my strat. In both cases, guitar strings lose that new zing after about 2 or 3 days and if I don't wipe them down the plain strings will begin to rust in a week and be needing a change in 3 weeks.
I now use dunlop string cleaner and wipe the things down after playing and I can get another week or two out of them.

Do you drink a lot of coca-cola? I have always wondered if that has something to do with my acidic chemistry. I probably drink too much of that delicious crap.
Click to expand...

No, I don't drink any soda's or eat junk food. I keep my diet in check since I work out and trying to be in shape.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

As for cleaning solutions, I start with plain cloth at the beginning and once the strings get that thin rust layer I use aftershave applied on the cloth. Once the rusting has begun the plain strings gets slinkier with each apply of the aftershave wipe
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

I got rust on all my strings too. i live in a moist environment tough
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

I used to use cleartones and elixirs and they can go longer without being so rusty that they are dead,
but since I like the tone of new strings so much I went back to what I'm using now and since they are cheaper I can change them more often. Coated strings last me longer but they still get that broken in feel and sound at about the same rate for me. Plus, cleartones etc just don't sound like pure nickels.

Wipe your strings and your hands off between songs. Use a string cleaner often, before and after playing.
Do try cleartones and elixirs and see if one or the other gives you some more string life.
Or just get the cheapest strings you can find, buy in bulk, and just get used to changing them often.

I've noticed that my palms sweat even more when there is tension in my hands. It might not make much difference but try to use a light touch with your left hand and stay relaxed.

Some guitarists have got some awesome tones with old rusty strings. I'm sure you'll find that you can work with some level of rust and grime.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

Wash your hands before playing with hot water and soap , make sure you do it properly and spend a few minutes in the water. I keep a towel on every guitar I own and everytime I touch it I wipe it off when I set it down. I use Cleartones 10s and I don't think they make anything smaller then a 9 for guitar. I think there is a fundamental flaw with strings that light , besides breaking easily they don't sound as good.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

I have some GFS straps that were rusty right out of the package

May have been NOS



*(Sent from my durned phone!)*
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

Mine do not rust not even 2 years. But that's me, and my hands do not sweat. My son sweats a lot, we need to carry a tank to hydrate him with water! So it depends on the person. Also it depends on the human liquid itself. Mine is more oily, not so rust-friendly, my son's is like water.
Anyways, 8s are too light. Recently i went regular top, heavy bottom beefy slinky 11-54 and it feels great, + work out your hands better.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

Mine never rust. I rotate which guitars I play, and no single one gets heavy use. Even then, my strings can go years and not rust.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

I can go months without changing strings and I have only a couple guitars. If the band has a gig on the schedule, I'll always change them a couple-three days before the gig.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

I've never rusted strings on guitars from playing. I had a banjo that sat in the case for 35 years and it had rust on it's strings.

15 seconds sounds like something seriously wrong to me. If it were me, I would at least consult a dermatologist to find out if there is anything really wrong, or just something that is known for a smaller percentage of the general population. Then I would get advice from them on what options/habits could be employed to avoid the issue with contacting metal strings. In the meantime, I would use teflon coated strings, which work, last, and sound pretty good - though the coating will wear off from hard strumming/agressive playing.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

You can't do anything about it in the larger sense. Your body chemistry is just harsh. Some people are just like that. You can clean them off well after each time you play, hope for the best, and that's about it. Buy strings in bulk and change them often. Also, lower your standards for what amount of tarnish is acceptable. Your strings don't need to be 100% crap free at all times to play the thing.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

Mine will last years without issue. I'm fairly certain my PRS has the same strings on it as when I bought it 10 years back. It doesn't get played often, but it does get played.
 
Re: How long does it take for you to rust your strings?

What brand soap do you use to wash your hands op? I'd suggest stainless steel strings. Do any of your guitars have corroded parts, like the bridge saddles or screws?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

IMENATOR
How to choose a 5 string bass for a better B string sound?
Replies
13
Views
1K
donaldr
donaldr
belensky
The Humbucker Archive: DiMarzio, EMG, BKP, Suhr & Duncan Tested – My Notes & Comparison Samples (Long Read)
2
Replies
35
Views
3K
Artie
Artie
A
Replacement for PRS 58/15tm (not the LT)
Replies
16
Views
2K
Mincer
Mincer
G
Which guitar you own is your favorite
3 4 5
Replies
92
Views
3K
BTMN
BTMN
treyhaislip
Suggestion - Build or Buy
2
Replies
24
Views
840
treyhaislip
treyhaislip
Back
Top