Sweaty strings & fingers?

[Sea Chief]

Hi- as a kid I played the flute. Yup, pretty cool huh? NOT. The turgid embarrassment was driven home by the fact that the others (girls) flutes were shiny, silver plated. Mine was nickel-plated, dull & smudgy.. it was a disgrace. I think my sweat made it like so, my alien-like extrusions making it all go like Sweaty numnums innit.

Now guitar strings are the same nickel plated, & every guitar I have I seem to suffer from the top strings not 'ringing' they always dull up asap.

Anyone else get sweaty numnums? SC

[eschertron]

Some players changes their strings after every show, maybe every day. Sweat and whatever else - coffee, beer, tobacco - will kill the 'zing' and 'ring'.

You know they say "tone is in your fingers"? I think that is what they mean

[Sea Chief]

But I don't do a show every day. I just play for 1/2 hr & put gtr back on its perch. I was really talking about the chemical thing between sweat & nickel plate: definitely a reaction there for me/ my flute as a kid teels me so. Or the oils in my hands.

--------------------------------------------------

Since when can big_teeee edit what I damn write??!

[No mods- I don't like this whatsoever.. it smacks of censorship/ fascism. Nomeanso/ Wrong]

Please do not do it again.

[eschertron]

Some players changes their strings after every show, maybe every day.

OK, amend that to read "after every time they touch the strings". The point being: some people are so toxic the strings don't last a day. Understand that the chemical reaction between strings and whatever's in contact with them doesn't take a break just because you do. If you've got the anti-Midas touch, you may be doomed to change your strings every time (or every few times) you play the guitar, however often that is.

There may be applications, think WD-40 (do you even have that across the pond?), that can stop or slow the tarnish. You may have to find what works for you by trial.

[g1]

Now guitar strings are the same nickel plated,

They make stainless steel strings which are more resistant to corrosion. Have you ever tried them?

[Chuck H]

Laughed out loud on this one. I was last seat french horn in JHS band. My horn was the most beat up, neglected turd they could have handed me and looked like it (badly dented and oxidized). About halfway through the school year (and many complaints from me) the school ponied up to have my horn serviced. Whether it was the horns tone or playability that made the difference I don't know, but I got moved to first seat within a month. (I told you my horn wasn't working right Mr. Simmons!!!)

As for guitar strings...

I had a friend that had your, uh, condition. He always wanted to play my guitars and I always made him WASH HIS HANDS immediately before playing them and then WIPE THE STRINGS when he was done. First with a dry paper towel and then with a spray of "Finger Ease" on the strings. I don't know if they still make that stuff. That was thirty+ years ago! But I'll bet a similar product is available. The idea is to oil the strings so that they aren't exposed to oxygen (because that's what makes them oxidize!!!). I was a teenager then myself so my hands weren't much better and I changed strings all the damned time. AND...

They make coated strings. They have a coating on them for the express purpose of keeping them from oxidizing. Sure, the finish wears off fast where they meet the frets, but only there. For sweaty use I expect they would still last longer than uncoated strings.

[galaxiex]

GHS Fast Fret...

https://www.long-mcquade.com/1623/Gu...ng_Cleaner.htm

[tedmich]

see:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/034...becc9dc546.pdf

Many humans have sweat that is particularly corrosive to metals, while others do not. Might have to do with diet, or microbiota or some other factors.

Solution is probably to coat one or both; strings or hands. The Elixir coated strings might fix it for some, or just SS plated. I prefer nickle or better EB Cobalt strings but I am only verbally (not manually) corrosive!

There's also this stuff,

a variety of which was marketed to lab workers: left your hands feeling all siliconized and nonstick

[Chuck H]

I prefer nickle or better EB Cobalt strings but I am only verbally (not manually) corrosive!

I sympathize. LOL

left your hands feeling all siliconized and nonstick

Ever get that grease they provide with new headlamps on your fingers (to treat the contacts before connection, it sometimes comes in the box)? Wow! I don't think I was able to hold onto anything for two days.

[Sea Chief]

Yes I do have fastfret ghs stuff. But my oils soon negate this.. I'll look into alternative coated strings then. I had no idea they existed tbh.

Yes we do get wd40 here! its as common to have as you. But I don't want it on my strings/ fretboard/ fingers though.. petrol based solutions are a definite no-no.

[Sea Chief]

see:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/034...becc9dc546.pdf

Many humans have sweat that is particularly corrosive to metals, while others do not. Might have to do with diet, or microbiota or some other factors.

Solution is probably to coat one or both; strings or hands. The Elixir coated strings might fix it for some, or just SS plated. I prefer nickle or better EB Cobalt strings but I am only verbally (not manually) corrosive!

There's also this stuff,
[ATTACH=CONFIG]56009[/ATTACH]
a variety of which was marketed to lab workers: left your hands feeling all siliconized and nonstick

crumbs that pdf spiel is definitely the long answer! cheers though. What exactly is the ghost glove other stuff tho I can't enlarge it much.

[g1]

What exactly is the ghost glove other stuff tho

It's NOT this (musicians practice glove)
https://musicianslive.org/

[Sea Chief]

I thought I was sooo uncool with my sh*tty flute, but using a glove I think actually pips it. Its creepy & weird & I dont like it one bit.

Imagine you go to impress your ladydate; you 1st smear ghost gubbins on your hands, then slip on 'the glove', pick up your 'axe'.. she's 200yds down the fkn road already.