Isopropyl alchohol as a cleaning agent

A. B. Traynor · Post by **A. B. Traynor** » 13 Apr 2010 2:52 am

Is it safe to use isop. toget rid of gunk on strings?

Allen Kentfield · Post by **Allen Kentfield** » 13 Apr 2010 10:05 am

Absolutely. I bottle a bottle for a dollar yesterday. Should last a couple years. I've used nothing but for about 30 years.

Allen Kentfield
Austin, Texas

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 13 Apr 2010 12:29 pm

This is no joke.
Vodka is better it leaves no residue and you can always drink what is left over.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 13 Apr 2010 6:02 pm

I've heard of steel players using a Blitz cloth (from an army surplus store or available online). Personally I have never found a need to clean my strings on a steel!

Allen Kentfield · Post by **Allen Kentfield** » 15 Apr 2010 8:26 am

I meant to say I bought a bottle. That's a toungue twister. Sounds like I've been drinking it. Not recommended.

James Marlowe · Post by **James Marlowe** » 15 Apr 2010 4:28 pm

I was in a music store several years ago asking about string cleaner. The man said we have it and I'll sell it to you, but you're better off using rubbing alcohol. I agree with Bryan and don't see much use for the psg strings, but it works well on steel bass fiddle strings. And it's a lot easier than taking them off and boiling them!

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 16 Apr 2010 9:56 am

There are a couple steel players in this area that constantly wipe their strings, after every song, just wiping away. It gets agravating to me to watch them. I'm along with Bryan, only time I ever wipe my stings is if I spill something on them. If they get bad enought to clean, I replace them. However, there are certain people that have a body chemistry that when they touch a string, hair is growing on it in about an hour. Those do need to wipe or clean their strings.

Peter Lindelauf · Post by **Peter Lindelauf** » 16 Apr 2010 10:25 am

Call me a wastrel but if I felt my strings were in need of cleaning, I'd be putting a new set on because they'd probably be dead, too. I always wash my hands before I play and change my various instrument strings often enough to keep them sounding bright. And tunable.
At $7-8 a set for lap steel strings, that's a minor cost for major sound quality.

Reminds me of a guy in a train station who really wanted to try playing my (at the time) herringbone Martin D-28. This just after he wiped fried chicken grease off his fingers and onto his jean jacket. Don't think so.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 16 Apr 2010 11:59 am

"All Performers Must Wash Hands"

Richard Paul · Post by **Richard Paul** » 16 Apr 2010 3:19 pm

Cleaning the strings, would that remove the mistakes too?

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 17 Apr 2010 4:36 am

Hey Henry,
We also know a guitar player that has a "wiping" rag hanging out of his back pocket.

Peter Lindelauf · Post by **Peter Lindelauf** » 17 Apr 2010 8:45 am

Bryan, you can play my guitars whenever you want.

Ray McCarthy · Post by **Ray McCarthy** » 18 Apr 2010 1:49 am

You can get a box of 120 individually packaged alcohol swabs at Rite Aid. It's easy to throw a couple in your pocket for the gig.

John Coffman · Post by **John Coffman** » 19 Apr 2010 7:26 am

I keep a spray bottle next to my steel. I also clean my bars with it. Hand oils are hard on stings. Since I live near Houston moisture is always an issue. It is nice to have it near by when I change strings. I seem to always get a stick from the end of a string.