Boiling Bass Strings: Does it actually WORK? | SpectreSoundStudios TUTORIAL

[@johnboyle3297]

Try boiling the bass player for a true comparison

[@FalconBushcraft]

Lmao

[@kimdrawz3063]

Please don't-

[@moyushborah6606]

Guitar players have been roasting bass players for eons, so I see nothing wrong with this.

[@cameronjohnson3529]

Bass players are better when they're stewed. Hey-o!

[@albertoansaldo2958]

I was thinking the same!

[@Tjlax03]

"Use tongs to remove you bass strings" When you said that I pictured a bass player plunging his hands into the boiling water and grabbing the strings one at a time, screaming as he's doing it

[@ArmyBoiSweat]

i almost did that. normally most bassist are far too burnt out for coherent thought

[@chrism6952]

He forgot to remind them to take the strings off the bass first.

[@tobiasthy8140]

@@chrism6952 Bassist: *Slams Bass into giant pot and boils the shit out of it

[@Pablo-pk1qg]

I'm the only one thinking that is a perfect gag for Metalocalypse? ( Brutal )

[@Smung]

what about just pouring out the water first?

[@dmytrodobromusic]

as someone who was born and grew up in the soviet Union, I have that experience vastly used, and not only for bass strings but also for regular guitar strings. due to the fact that strings at that time were not available in regular commerce because of the Iron Curtain, and on the black market it was worth a fortune, we boiled strings regularly, and really took care of them to preserve them as long as possible. an alternative to that was washing strings in water with baking soda, brushing with a toothbrush and then rinsing and drying, which was believed among local musicians a safer way to make srings life longer and avoid strings quality degradation due to thermal treatment

[@dmytrodobromusic]

water should be warm by the way

[@mandu9520]

In Soviet Russia, strings boil you

[@michaelguzzi1]

I knew baking soda is great at removing rust from steel and iron, through electrolysis, but now you came up with something even more interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@ShawnJonesHellion]

In Russia bass string play you

[@STRATOHOLICRichman]

My bassist had the same exact experience. On top of that getting rock/metal music to listen to felt like meeting a drug dealer!

[@zimorog]

should you add some salt to the water? or maybe a potato?

[@Dad.................]

Zimorog Band Wouldn't recommend. However, you can get an ultra crispy sound by deep frying your strings instead of cooking.

[@ghillaye]

You do that and, baby, you’ve got yourself a stew going.

[@tylershockley4277]

Vodka!?

[@WarDimensionOfficial]

I didn't expect you to be here 😂

[@alvinwe8396]

This is an untraditional way to boil pasta

[@mandolinic]

After seeing this video I told my band's bass player of this idea, and he said he'd give a try. He's now come back to say that he'll be ready to play again soon, once his guitar has dried out.

[@shanemickeydeez5155]

Mandolinic 😂😂😂

[@Hankhill2112]

Hes so dumb

[@skinnyjeens5521]

Mandolinic I’m fuckin dead😂😂😂

[@CraigDouglasproducer]

Haha.😭😭😭

[@NiCadHeliPilot]

HAHAHAHAH! What a moron.

[@BobWilliam]

After eating so much nachos and fries while gigging my strings are so oily that the USA wants to invade them.

[@sirspongadoodle]

This is gold

[@Fr3akymet4l]

Instruction unclear, I ate 'em. Don't worry, i put the spaghetti on my bass. Best sound I've ever had.

[@exploatores]

Next time, boil them slow on low heat over night, with some cream and spices. they taste much better then :)

[@jasonswepston8686]

Works for Fieldy!

[@Footerismyname]

Those are some tasty licks!

[@tylerbailey9329]

Of course you did, you're a bass player.

[@mynameisvisutinnadda]

Don't forget a pinch of salt and olive oil

[@captainpiefox9133]

I used the same pot that I used to boil my strings in to boil water for tea, and I just took a sip and I swear to God it tasted like a dust bunny's arsehole

[@davecarsley8773]

This is a lie

[@romeomartinez5317]

The fact you know what a dust bunnys butt hole tastes like is quite concerning

[@repose6528]

@@kei1132 Western Cuisine

[@shuruff904]

You must be a bass player.

[@noahramirez6156]

@@shuruff904 you must be a dickhead

[@hfreed24]

What? This channel is about the production of metal music? I totally thought it was about the history of pre-1900s ballerina in the Ottoman Empire.

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

+A Metal Enthusiast and Giant shocking, I know!

[@legozach77584]

A Metal Enthusiast and Giant it's an easy mistake, since Glenn has so many videos about that. He should make a channel just for the metal production, I'd watch it

[@norigib6186]

Where there ballerina in the Ottoman Empire?

[@val-vishkatheenthraller]

Common mistake

[@kenm4544]

It's obviously a classical piano channel.

[@couchforsale3548]

Definitely a lot more treble on the boiled strings. Dead strings might actually sound kind of a nice in a jazz ensemble type setting.

[@yeetmeintotheabyss2893]

I have a pair of new ones, at least with a bit of sting to them for rock. For jazz i use a pair of halfwound strings to get some nice bottom end and a wee bit of high end so it sounds more upright.

[@plusmin09]

It always a lot easier to roll off the high end on your eq than it is to try to make it appear like it's there on dead strings

[@bullishgroup8304]

Tbh from a person who just been looking into guitars and basses for only a few days now the boiled strings sounded better it's that nice raw sound that makes it so good it slightly off but not to much to throw the sound unlike most songs are today were its perfect tones at perfect lengths on repeat

[@WilDBeestMF]

@@bullishgroup8304 The thing about the new string sound? It definitely won't get buried under a wall of guitars and double kick. That's why we need it.

[@ChristianIce]

Another method that works, and it's pretty quick, is to lose the strings and slap the shit out of'em. When re-tuned up, the bass sounds much more bright. Perhaps the boil + losing/slapping is something to try, because jeez if bass strings are expensive!

[@DatBoi-mo9vc]

Do you mean loosen the string?

[@ChristianIce]

@@DatBoi-mo9vc Probabilmente.

[@DatBoi-mo9vc]

@@ChristianIce ok

[@Zezezeze69]

@@DatBoi-mo9vc methylated spirits or alcohol hand rub is the best way to clean strings. Boiling makes the strings very brittle and prone to breaking whereas the alcohol evaporates and leaves u with super bright strings.

[@plusmin09]

@@Zezezeze69 By alcohol hand rub are you talking about hand sanitizer? don't use hand sanitizer because the other ingredients besides the alcohol stay on the strings and cause the same problems.

[@michaeldolin9760]

Another reason to replace old strings is for intonation. Frets will wear groves into the strings over time. Also, I found that ultrasonically cleaning bass string is easier and slightly more effective than boiling them.

[@BodhiSoftMobileApps]

Exactly, and those local changes in mass will make it so you no longer get the clean standing waves on the string that are necessary for the higher-order harmonics that make for a bright tone.

[@SleepSoul]

Week old > Brand new > Boiled > 15 year old in my opinion. 15 year old ones just sound really soft and dead, which makes the mix they're in sound noticeably weaker. The boiled strings have a bit more high end and width, same (to a greater extent) for the brand new ones. The week old ones don't have as much of a difference with the new ones as the difference between ancient and boiled, but there is a tiny bit of extra thickness which I quite like.

[@memebigboy1946]

I completely agree. The brand new strings sound very tinny and have no low end whatsoever. obviously the 15 year old bass strings sound like shit.

[@TheDerpsKast]

E x t r a T h i c c

[@mojolito]

Have no low end whatsoever? lmao ok. New strings have more pronounced treble and transients. This makes them a little sharper to listen to, but it's really easy to remove that sound by turnings knobs on your amp / EQ if that's what you want. However; it's harder to get a nice brightness/aggression out of older strings, and it can't be magically added in the same way. You only perceive less low end because of the high end. The increased magnetic pull of new strings actually gives a firmer representation of the fundamental notes of the bass. It also makes it more moldable, making it easier to use EQ and other processors to add or remove bass.

[@Anonyomus]

And if you use a quality bass, not cheap piece-of-shit Crestwood that sounds nothing even though you'd put strings more expensive than the bass itself, on it. Compare the strings with different ages with a Ibanez Prestige Bass, Warwick or Fender Jazz bass and the results would be much clearer.

[@jaime_abad]

Simon The Human there is nothing like brand new strings. They sound better and they are nicer to play. For both bass and electric guitar.

[@TheVince]

i was cooking pasta next to my bass strings. i accidentally ate my strings. now my voice sounds like a standard E tuning

[@edfire5777]

true fact. you can take the filthy shit that came out of the strings after boil them and mold it into a little living bass player.

[@dolphinboi-playmonsterranc9668]

Ed Fire True fact. Guitarists think they're hot shit until they listen to their own music without the bass.

[@nonperson9825]

probbably, our entire bodies are just piles of filthy shit anyway. you could make a bass player outta water trash.

[@yucatansuckaman5726]

And thats how Pete Wentz was born! 🤣🤣😂😂😂

[@a1guitarmaker]

I used to play bass 6 nights a week. When the strings got too dead I would boil them and get 3 or 4 more shows out of them, then I would boil them a 2nd time and try to get to music store asap. Your video to me demonstrates what I experienced. Boiling doesn't get them back to good as new, and each time you boil them they get farther from new quality.

[@TheYoo2b]

But how can bass players boil water when they still haven't discovered how to make fire?

[@vasilstefanov4112]

I just ask my parents to do it for me

[@williamharrison54]

Nice!!!! 👍

[@uwebaganz5144]

Bass players just blow bubbles in the water

[@clydebigsby4117]

use the stove.

[@vasilstefanov4112]

DrVinny654 what is a wheel?

[@komradenikolai]

my dad is a bassist/guitarist/drummer/keyboarder/singer/tuba and saxophone player/ 10 other instruments player, and he told me that his experiences in boiling bass strings actually weakens them. the coils around the bass strings actually open up and allow water to get in, causing rust to build up around the core of the string. it once almost put his eye out when he was playing. .

[@RyanWright]

Have to admit... the boiled strings sound a lot better than I expected they would. Cool to get to actually hear that effect, rather than just hear the "old wives tale". And as a bass player, bite me Glenn! Keep the content coming :)

[@finalscore2983]

**he says while holding an acoustic guitar in profile picture**

[@Lengsel7]

.......And then, after all is said and done...the bass player adjusts his amp to sound like the 15 year old strings anyways.

[@ArmyBoiSweat]

hush, don't knock the sound

[@noahramirez6156]

Also I'm betting you cant play an instrument worth a damn

[@saturniunyttech679]

Not gonna like because there's 69lmao likes

[@SomeJustice19k]

😂😂😂

[@sirspongadoodle]

American strings have the trebly attack of warcrimes!!

[@zula2505]

It may work better if you boiled the bass player instead

[@constanzar.2523]

Zula Oww.

[@commitdubs]

zing of the day

[@kimdrawz3063]

N o o

[@godzilla964]

Unfortunately boiling bass players in considered cannibalism or murder.

[@kingbobfatman]

@@godzilla964 r u a bass player? just asking from the england u speaker

[@knowbuddy6139]

Tried boiling my drumheads... didnt work as well as I hoped it would.

[@Fr3akymet4l]

The question is if it's cheaper to buy new strings or to buy new pots every 15 years...

[@archaos6714]

You are asking a real question here

[@mattmanbrownbro]

😂😂😂😂 Oh my God!

[@theoriginaldylangreene]

Simple calculations. An average set of cheap bass strings is about $10 US, a cheap ebay saucepan is also $10. If you are going to change strings more than once every 15 years, it's cheaper to buy the pot.

[@SOGothikka]

Dylan Greene dude, I've never seen bass strings dip below 25 dollars. I regularly pay 35 to 40 for a set of strings. Guitar strings on the other hand, a decent set can be had for like 7 bucks.

[@mattmanbrownbro]

Conley Collins try looking online at Amazon. I had found a set for about 15 dollars.

[@totallyfrozen]

I’ve tried it. Yes, it breathes a bit of new life into your strings-but the quality doesn’t last as long as it does with new strings. In other words, the boiled strings fade back into sounding muddy much faster than a new set will fade into muddiness. It’ll work to get your through a gig or a recording session, but you’re not fooling the laws of nature. You’ll still have to buy a new set of strings soon.

[@jeromeclemente3672]

That's right. It could delay the desperate need for new strings for when the next paycheck drops.

[@camtheham13]

The other risk of denatured alcohol is that it is putting a dangerous substance with alcohol on the label near a bassist, they could drink it :)

[@JTW_Music]

He did give a disclaimer to NOT DRINK IT.

[@MillicentOak]

Yes but sometimes there are bassists in the room...

[@JTW_Music]

Maybe that was WHY he gave the disclaimer......

[@MillicentOak]

Oh, without a doubt, I'm just saying I get the impression that sometimes bassists don't quite pick up on what he's saying...

[@JTW_Music]

So, how long have you been playing bass?

[@Mr6stringer1]

I can't take my eyes off of the amount of GR on the Distressor in the background, what a beautiful piece of equipment

[@captainpantaloons]

In my first band back in 2001 I was lucky enough to have a bass player with half a brain who tried the string-boiling trick, so I've seen first-hand how big a difference it makes! Certainly not quite as good as a brand new set imo, but if you're short on cash it's a great substitute!

[@triathlonSDhsp]

I have done it for the past 15 years - brings back the brightness. Don’t worry about using a different pot.

[@1972LittleC]

Aren't the pots you boil the strings in more expensive then new strings?

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

+Legendary Carlos you can use it Moe than once!

[@1972LittleC]

SpectreSoundStudios No shit, Sherlock...

[@xerospacious4024]

probably not

[@jandrem]

I think it's in reference to Glenn saying not to cook food in a pot you boiled strings in. But really, I can't see why it'd be any worse than some post-holiday caked on grime or something. Just wash your dishes properly and it shouldn't be an issue.

[@khronscave]

Maybe Glenn hasn't heard of washing dishes - ever considered that? :P

[@tajames68]

I boiled strings a few times in my roundwound playing days. They did liven the strings up considerably, but it was short lived -- back to dead within a week.

[@Sighbot]

As I bass player, yeah, denatured alcohol doesn't taste good. I feel kinda funny. Maybe if I cook up some soup in the pot I just boiled my strings in, I'll feel better.

[@deltasquad62]

Also doing a dab with alcohol not dried out all of the way very bad idea. Learnt from experience

[@lerevenantband]

I only started watching some of your videos here and there at first thinking who's this nutter? And in the end found that I was pointing at myself. I love your content, although I'm not a recording engineer and for my band's menial aspirations, much does not apply. There's still some very great advice and information across the board. Thank you for putting in the time to keep this channel going.

[@johntaylor7496]

You know this segment is made for bass players because he had to instruct the viewer to use tongs to get the strings out of boiling water.

[@nightflight81]

Very thorough and insightful, thanks! As for wiping down your instrument / strings after playing, I've found that it does work wonders for my guitars. I bought a couple "treated string cleaning cloths" (I believe from GHS) last time I visited the US. Strings last 4 - 5 times as much if I do wipe them down with these cloths every time I'm putting my guitars down. Not to say I'd use 5-month old strings to record something with, but living in a humid place (Costa Rica), at least I don't have to be changing strings on my practice guitars every couple of weeks. That's a lot of time and money I've saved, and after three years, I've only just recently gone through the first of two cloths I bought. Just one thing: the price you pay is "eternal vigilance". Forget to wipe your strings more than once, and you'll see rust and dirt build up on your strings immediately.

[@dopandasreadbooks6039]

Pro tip: If you want to get the strings to dry faster just throw them in the microwave for 15 seconds.

[@sinnerboy2576]

Trying to break your microwave ??

[@kyleegeep]

Instructions unclear, boiled microwave

[@boseifrit5480]

I...thought this legit for like 3 seconds. I need sleep

[@mranemone2517]

Thanks man an old tip that actually works

[@101AOK]

only 2x you should do that...4th of July and New Years....

[@dirtkicker177]

As a bass player I can get in over my head sometimes and start thinking im a good musician but this channel always puts me back in my place

[@staz3014]

Don't feel bad lol. Guitarist are just jealous that we sound as good pas them with 2 strings less (:

[@orbit951]

True story: I put brand new strings on for my first real recording session back in the early 90's. Did 9 tracks (in one or two takes each, thank you very much), then went back to correct a handful of mistakes. The difference between the main tracks and overdubbed parts were like night and day. I get it, new strings sound fantastic, but in my experience, that tone is gone after about an hours worth of playing. To keep that tone, I'd literally have to change my strings every hour. Sound practical? Of course I'll still change them for any serious recording, maybe break 'em in a little. Someone mentioned Elixir strings in another comment section. I tried 'em once, played a couple of rehearsals, then a show, where the coating started flaking off like dead skin. Worthless, at least for me anyway. So yeah, my 2 cents, take it for what it's worth (not much, right?). Keep being a funny, knowledgeable asshole. Fuck you!

[@JL-jj1oj]

Try coated elixir strings. Bright sound lasts for quite a long time

[@eds6889]

Two sets one on the bass, one boiled then soaked in methyl hydrate until needed, keeps them crisp and removes any chance of rust.

[@OTGSoxxy]

I've tried boiling my strings a few times. They never get that fresh set brightness, and they seem to get dull again pretty quickly. I find using Fastfret every time I play my bass is less effort and keeps the strings sounding decent for longer, but again, there is no substitute for a new set.

[@Fitheach81]

It's been a long time but your comment reminded me, I would notice the same thing. Whatever gains in clarity and brightness would decline rather quickly and you can only boil them so many times before you hit a wall and get very little benefit. That was my experience in the late 90s and early-mid 2000s; more string options today at lower costs too. The local music shop carried 2 brands starting at $45cdn for a set of four strings which was a lot when you're 16-18 and min-wage was $6.85/hr.

[@onpsxmember]

If you use Fastfret a lot, I got something for you. Go into your pharmacy of choice and ask for white mineral spirits. Buy a whole bottle and get some clean rags. Now you got a lifetime supply of Fastfret for less than one of those dipped wooden rollers they sell to you. You can either add the rag to a similar roll, or you use a rag directly and also reach under the strings. The white mineral spirits form the pharmacy are from higher quality (filtered multiple times) than the stuff used for fastfret.

[@OTGSoxxy]

Thanks for the tip onpsxmember, I'll give it a shot!

[@GandaPrakasa]

onpsxmember Tnx for the info, will give it a try!

[@RicePlaysBass]

Hey @spectresoundstudios I've boiled bass strings and done the denatured alcohol trick before. Boiling strings will get you a little extra zing for a show or a session, but it doesn't last particularly long. You can also keep boiling them but they sound progressively worse. After all that effort, I'd rather get new strings. Denatured alcohol is the better bet and can be hard to find. Its usually best to get it as a paint supply place or a big box hardware store since its a commonly used solvent. Get some PVC piping the same length as your bass strings and cap it off. Fill with alcohol and strings and cap off the other end. You're 100% right that you need to leave it 24 hours or longer. I like the sound of NEW strings but am not made out of new string money. When I was in college I had a whole bunch of tubes full of strings in my preferred gauges. Before every other gig, I'd swap out the set that was on my bass for one in the tubes. At the time I was gigging a few days a week for not much money, so this hack totally helped.

[@HeavyMetal257]

I was so surprised at how much better the boiled strings sounded vs the 15 year old strings. They were just so much brighter and had a much more defining sound. The new strings still sounded better but this experiment was extremely interesting.

[@CastIronRestore]

Waiting 15 years for this video is real dedication....

[@jamjunkies3639]

Don't know if it's true but according to people who have done this (KZbinrs and forum guys) the boiled strings go back to being dull quite rapidly. Within a matter of days apparently. Can we get a report on this Glenn???

[@autismspirit]

That's why he said that they shouldn't be used for more than one or two recordings

[@Hankhill2112]

He said a few days to a week tops

[@jamjunkies3639]

He actually says, "I can't guarantee any longevity however, nor if the strings will keep their life past tracking one or two songs." Also if you listen to his prior statements discussing results for the boiled strings he's speaking hypothetically. This is why he used words like, "might" in the context of 'to express possibility'. I'm asking for clarification once he's given the strings a good run out. :)

[@mitchfindergeneral]

Yeah, they go back to dull pretty quick. Still, depending on HOW DIRTY they were, it'll probably still extend the life of your strings pretty considerably if you don't care about perfection. I boiled my strings a few months ago and they still sound better now than they did before I boiled them.

[@jamjunkies3639]

Ta! :)

[@johnhodgson5313]

This video was exceptionally well done. Thank you! I know this is an old video, but I just ran across it. Your viewers explanation of dirty string effects is good and there is more. A string is a resonant device. Dirt in the wraps of the wire acts like shocks in a car suspension or a resistor in an electrical tuned circuit reducing the resonance of the string, thus the thud instead of a ringing sound. A lot of electronic shops in Canada carry MG Chemicals 824 isopropyl alcohol. It is very pure.

[@hectorwilliamson3437]

"Keep calm and blame the bass player"

[@themrtestdummy]

Man, I was breaking the cardina rule of not listening to these things on your phone speakers, and I still heard a difference!

[@motorwest]

I always thought boiling them was a myth, wow it works!

[@Stefan-]

It really does, very impressive results.

[@jspanos500]

Great video. My old bass player used to boil his strings to bring them back to life. While I am generally not a fan of the clickity-clack eq of metal bass, new strings are more expressive and give the engineer a better base to work with. Also, your bassplayer jokes never get old. They're comedic gold.

[@rjmcmooseknuckle]

Im sure the wife loved the 15 year old bass player smell hahah

[@maxscardanelli6185]

rjmcdade She’s probably used to it by now.

[@JRP3music]

I like to take the DI signal from the AMPEG SVT 200-T and send it into a Behringer Tube Mic preamp. I mic the cabinet and send that to the other channel of the Stereo Tube preamp. The amp has a bi-amped preamp section. The high/mids are compressed seperately and the lows are compressed as well, but these signals are recombined and only heard through the mic'd speakers. I love the sound of the DI and mic blended through the tube preamp.

[@Mr.Unacceptable]

Wouldn't an ultrasonic cleaner work better? I use surfactants and ultrasonic cleaner for PCB cleaning. I use it on many other things that surprise me that it works so well. In the end though isn't it cheaper to buy new strings? Brand new and a week old I can't hear any difference but the boiled ones are night and day.

[@heathbarnhart1092]

I think it would work as well or better. Not sure how practical it is though, as how many people have one of those. Not sure if the ones for jewelry would be big enough for bass strings either.

[@Mr.Unacceptable]

Heath Barnhart They are more than big enough. Practical not likely. It's 150 bucks for the cleaner and the chemicals are not cheap. Plus the risk of your bass player drinking them. How much for new strings? 30-50 bucks? Though a person could pay a jeweler $15 for a 15 min hot cleaning. But what's the chance of a bass player having $15 before a gig?

[@MrInitialMan]

This is about house-hold fixes, so ultrasonic cleaners are kind of out of the picture. And I agree--probably my computer speakers, but the week-old and brand-new strings are very subtle

[@farkenfigjam8732]

6:15 When I first started playing guitar back in I think it was 2014, my dad told me to always wipe the strings down with a hand towel when I'm done playing and I have done this religiously ever since. I even go as far as washing my hands before and after playing to get any sweat or grime off my hands. I usually get around 2 weeks out of a set of Ernie balls before they are dead and I usually change them when they start to rust or don't stay in tune which can be between 1 - 3 months+ depending on how often I play, how long I play, how hot/humid it is etc. I also change the towel out every couple of weeks to a month just so I'm not wiping any built up grime back on to the strings. Love the videos Glen 👍

[@williamharrison54]

This is constructive critism not shit talking: Tell the guitar player thats playing bass for this video to pick inbetween the pick up and bridge and he will get better tone. As a bass player i have boiled strings before, it does make a difference but the effect wears off quicker.

[@williamharrison54]

Toxic Potato it does give you more treble, which is a good thing when your playing bass in a metal band. It helps you cut through the mix and be heard. Less treble is one of the reasons old bass strings sound dead. Picking closer to the bridge also evens out your picking (kinda like a compressor would, using a lighter pick does this too) because the string is a little tighter feeling closer to the bridge (or nut, this holds true to any stringed instrument....the string has more movement in the middle), this makes it so the larger strings dont fart out as easy when your picking hard/fast. These things make your tone better in my opinion, i dont claim to be the authority on metal bass tone but watch some vidoes of metal bass players, most of them play closer to the bridge (especially in faster parts) because it has benefits like those. Watch the nolly prayer position playthrough, that guy has fucking awesome technique, pay attention to where hes picking. Dont believe me, just pay attention to bad ass metal bass players and you will see

[@Ramones-bc7xm]

William Harrison .. that's exactly what I noticed! Sometimes I'd boil mine b4 I gig to get that new bright sound but it does not last long

[@davecarsley8773]

Tell the dummy who wrote this comment that "tone" is COMPLETELY subjective, and that intelligent people know that a tone _they_ happen to prefer isn't any better or worse than a different tone that someone else prefers.

[@tomaszawrentiuk7126]

Dear Glenn, Though I myself do play a bass guitar, I'd say that the boiling is just a pretty short-term solution. You can find that a good way to clean the strings is using just a bit of white spirit or petroleum ether on a microfiber cloth, as it should dissolve any residue better than alcohol, and it does not leave any new residue when it's dried up (technical alcohol can do that) - just remember to protect the body of the guitar as it can react with the finish. And, of course the best way to keep clean and groovy strings is to just change them once in a while :P (I know I'll get a lot of negative opinions for that, but whatever). Keep on the great work, I love your chanel! Cheers from Poland!

[@The_Absurdistt]

The Reek of Putrefaction!!! Glen, been listening to Carcass lately?

[@lukerenno6108]

I did this for about 23 years and it certainly works. Then I tried something that turned out much better. I don't know about other brands, but Dr Strings Black Beauties have been the best strings I've ever owned. They are coated, so skin cells, oils, and other crap can't get in there. It's been over three years and they never change tone and never go dull. Sound like the day I put them on. No need to boil or get new strings.

[@chrisarias4055]

I'm surprised bassists know how to boil water.

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

+Chris Arias me too!

[@Will-qv6es]

FYI I'm boiling water now Jk, I'm a guitarist

[@2TUFSS]

top comment

[@lumptaviousshadows453]

so, strings on the stove first then the water? when do we put the pot on the stove? I'm so confused I think I may have boiled my bass.

[@KaiDown]

3 years of Kraft Mac and Cheese every night is enough experience

[@robbieheyde]

Try adding vinegar to the water when boiling. The vinegar gets in between the creases of the bass strings and makes them a bit more vibrant. My drummers dad has been playing bass for 30-40 years, takes great care of his bass, but has used this boiling technique since college. I was really surprised. Love the video!

[@sissihirvitys]

I think the old unboiled strings have this "muffled" noise that I love!

[@WilDBeestMF]

Sure, many "love" it. The issue is that it doesn't work in metal.

[@dvsntt]

Worked perfectly! Used on acoustic bass strings boiled for 15 min added baking soda, Thx

[@ZethKeeper]

I said it under original "15 YO strings" video, but I say it again, cuz I think it's true (IMHO): I think bass player should use new strings on any record, not only the metal. If you need that dead muted sound you just can mess around with live or mixing processing (and why the hell else do you need that tone knob on your bass, huh?), so the new and clean strings are more versatile.

[@lindsaymobil22]

Thank god someone else gets this, it's shocking how many bass players in these comments can't grasp the concept of using new strings then adjusting the tone as necessary, or even using something like flatwounds.

It's better to get as much of the tone you want as possible from the instrument itself, and less of it screwing around with the amp/DI/post-processing. If you start with a certain tone and change it to something completely different at the end you will take too much out of the sound ending up with a weak result. Brand new strings are a tool for achieving a specific result, not quite a universal tool. A tone knob, if used carefully is also a good tool.

[@AndreasR86]

You don't get the same results from having barely broken in strings with tone wide open and brand new strings with the tone partially down. With the broken in strings you have a sort of natural high pass shelf above 3000hz or so. There's still something going on above that range but it's not overly present in the mix. Brand new strings though have a lot of harshness above the 3000hz range though, and for those who can still hear the higher frequencies these can cause ear fatigue fast. Especially if you also distort the signal. Now you can remove this information with the tone knob, but this just makes it so that all information above a certain range is removed completely. It's essentially just a low pass filter that cuts out the frequencies completely. Now whether you do or do not want anything going on up there for bass is entirely up to you and your engineer, but point is, the tone control can not make new strings sound the same as broken in strings. You can approximate the sound with some more expansive EQ work. But generally I find that the less you have to process a signal the better.

[@ZethKeeper]

I think you missed that was just my humble opinion =) Anyway, besides the tone knob you have a different types of basses themselves - jass, precision, active bass with it's own EQ onbboard. You can use those knobs as well, and it's not a processing, but the instrumnt itself. Also, precision bass sounds softer tha jass bass, for example (IMHO as well).

[@AndreasR86]

Keeper While it's on the instrument it's still an active EQ system. Not much different than adding an EQ pedal, using the knobs on the amp, or EQing in a DAW. Only possible difference is that it's in front of all other effects, but that's mostly an issue when playing live with some manner of distortion. And while I get that you're trying to say that different basses might sound differently, even a P will have added harshness from new strings. A jazz, assuming you use the bridge pickup, will have even more highs. You're also the first person I've ever seen that calls a P softer than a jazz. If anything the added mids make it more ballsy. Maybe I just interpret the word soft differently.

[@daleonov]

I tried that method several times, never worked for me. Tried it both on year-ish-old strings and week old strings. They might become less dull, but that's noticeable and the are still not fresh anyway. Wiping and using string care products doesn't help either. But in my case I consider strings dead after a few days of active use or 2 weeks of barely using. In Glenn's video the difference is quite noticeable though. They're still old, but now have some extra low mids so the bass sounds nicer. Thanks for the A-B, Glenn!

[@adnap]

The title of this video should have been: Bass strings: “15 Year Old Strings Vs Boiled 15 Year Old Strings, being played with the treble rolled off.”

[@BillonBass]

I’ve been a session bassist for 45 years. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called in to fix metal bass parts. A lot of it just had to do with the bassist not having new strings. Some music requires a deader sound like Motown. I toured with the Miracles and occupied Jamerson’s chair for a few years. Older flats was the sound. But not metal! New rounds always when you do a metal session. Also make sure you wipe them down with rubbing alcohol between takes. And always retune - especially with new strings!

[@AsSheFelliSmiled]

Week old was my favorite. I felt that the boiled strings actually cut through the mix a little too well, didn't blend properly with the guitar. And, while the new strings did have a better attack, I felt that the week old strings had a sort of brightness and smoothness to them that the new strings didn't. Overall, the week old strings just sounded best in the mix to me. Out of mix, I'd probably give it to the new strings, because that attack makes for a more engaging tone. I would only want new or boiled strings for a truly fantastic bassist, the kind that leads the group more than the lead guitar does, Flea or John Deacon.

[@carlover7971]

i gotta say man your videos are awesome you've taught me more about recording in a week than I've learned in a year

[@scottstoker3143]

Crumbs balls, it makes me laugh every time i here it. Must hear where this comes from....plz

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

Crom was the god of Conan the Barbarian. As an athiest, I figure if you're going to cry out to a myth, why not have some fun with it!

[@Metalframey]

Bass player here bought new strings ill be using this trick to get the band bits on bobs on cash saved in the future cheers Glenn now to go practice :)

[@BozKiller]

"Pure distilled bass-player putrefaction" - that made my day :D :D :D

[@seanlavin6701]

I'm a guitarist not a bassist (but i have played bass guitars before and they are fun, I'm actually saving up for my first bass) but I can tell you for sure I have always loved the sound and feeling of new bass strings!

[@finalscore2983]

I have an I.Q. of 144 and think 3-year old strings sound better. Not that I.Q. tests mean anything... In all seriousness, I can't help noticing he's playing with a pick. If you finger it, you get more of a meaty thump which is what I like about older strings. As bass is a rhythm instrument, having that meaty attack would, to me, seem like a better option. I would be interested to know what your view is on pick vs. fingers. (I do regularly use a pick, I just prefer fingered.)

[@1stfloorguy59]

Internet IQ tests are fake

[@davecarsley8773]

Thinking that fingers are "better" than pick or vice versa is a sure sign of an inexperienced musician.

[@larrytaylor5222]

May I recommend using GHS Fast Fret for cleaning your strings after each play session. Fast Fret comes in a small round tin container and inside there is a black handle with a thick round cloth like material that has white mineral oil soaked deep into it (it’s not dripping wet so don’t worry). On the container it is recommended that you use it before and after each play session but I mainly using it after I’m done playing. You just slide the applicator up and down the strings from the bridge to the nut making sure you get it on every string then in the container there’s a cleaning cloth to get any excess oil off the strings. You’ll notice how nice it feels to play after you use it, the strings and fretboard feel so smooth, you don’t have to worry about it feeling slippery. It cleans and lubricates the strings so it feels as though you freshly conditioned your fretboard every time you play. It only costs around $5.00/$12.00 depending where you pick it up and can last months at a time depending on how much you play. Also, it can be used on any stringed instrument from acoustics to bass guitars.

[@StatischBenutzer]

100% the bass players that complained listened through their phone speakers. I mean they're too cheap for strings so why would they waste their beer money on actual good headphones/speakers

[@splatbats]

Chase Sutherland I have shitty $20 headphones and I can easily hear the difference

[@Manoloutti]

BlackCommie they wouldn't spend 20 bucks for new strings, why would they spend 20 bucks for headphones !

[@khronscave]

Well, that's if they had much hearing left, to begin with... If they're too cheap for strings, you really think they'd bother with any ear protection? :P

[@Champ1993]

Even through phone speakers, the difference between old, new and boiled is enormous.

[@gearheadproductions3236]

Real question: if they can't buy new strings, Why would they waste their beer money on a phone?

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Awesome. Great depth. Went beyond old vs boiled.

[@Mitskienthusiast]

Later today at the store: My mom: need anything Me: yeah Mom: what? Me: a pot we will never need again Mom: what???

[@deltasquad62]

Bet that's a great conversation

[@joeblakeukeman]

My method works too. Use contact cleaner, you can get it at an automotive store. Coil the strings together and put them in a suitable sized plastic container, such as an empty, clean yoghurt tub. Now spray the contact cleaner onto the strings, turning them while you spray. Let them soak a while, agitating the tub until they are well “shaken, not stirred”. Empty out, blot the strings individually with tissue paper or toilet paper, coil them and put them back in, this time for a soak in WD40. Same deal. Now, when you put them back on, pull each string hard and let it slap hard against the frets, to shake out anything left behind. That’s it!

[@AnotherAnon]

Next Up On The News: A Bass Player Has Accidentally Killed Himself By Drinking Denatured Alcohol After Boiling His Bass Strings In It. While The Liquid Was Still Of Boiling Temperature.

[@anirudhviswanathan3986]

Why would this be news if it is common occurence? Oh.....

[@davecarsley8773]

Little long for a headline, yeah?

[@ihaveriffs8261]

I'm actually really impressed and wish I'd known about this years ago. I can't imagine how many strings I've tossed out that I could have boiled.

[@riffdude]

Boil the bassplayer and he'll play faster and in time 😂

[@xxlocobassistxx]

As a bassist who plays mostly rock, funk, and R&B, this entire video was basically a personal attack on me, all the way down to the shirt you wore! 🤣 Still enjoyed it though, glad to see the couple times I chose to boil my strings instead of replacing them wasn't a complete waste of time.

[@intraterrestrial5035]

STEEL PANTHER \m/

[@GraemeSheridan]

Cheers Glenn, I still prefer new over boiled, and one week old over boiled, but glad you certainly did find out what I knew. Certainly brings the sound back, but eventually due to tension and playing stretching one or more of the strings will eventually snap. And thanks also for providing an evidence of what happens Video, as many just don't believe what happens.

[@thrashrockerpunk]

In LGBT the B stands for Bass players. Bass players are a marginally oppressed minority therefore Bass Player Exclusionists from LGBT community are Bigoted. Also Bass players are all gay. Of course not in any derogatory way.

[@AtomicBoogaloo]

(Beatles 'Hey Bulldog' voice) You got it dude, YOU GOT IT ! BwaaaaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaaaaaa !!!!!

[@hiephoi058]

I tried this last night. Great taste! Thanks for the recipe

[@geoffreyboener]

Drummer here ready to be hated on. I like the sound of the 15 year old ones. They're really soft, and don't seem to rattle as much against the frets. Again, I'm a drummer, so don't shoot me. I also don't play metal. But, I think that 15 yr old sound definitely has a musical application.

[@plutoha6267]

I agree. I play bass and guitar. And, the old strings sounded the best here. Honestly, there doesn't seem to be a huge difference in this recording, other than a little rattle in the high notes of the new strings. In real life, the difference is profound (re new, old, boiled, week old). It just doesn't come through here. Maybe it's my stereo settings.

[@redgeoblaze3752]

Wait, rattling against the frets is a string problem? I just thought I was bad at playing, and I'm getting better.

[@AtomicBoogaloo]

Funk Brother (Motown Legend) James Jamerson would agree with you (dont thik he EVER cahnged 'em lol) - but he wasnt trying to be loud or metal he was just this deep groovy foundation... Seriously, depends on the style - if you wanna be Lemmy, have 'em shiny !

[@BatEatsMoth]

I started boiling strings in the early 90's when Les Claypool mentioned it in an interview. But I put the strings in when the water is cold, add some white vinegar, then add some more when it starts boiling, then boil for 10 minutes. I also try to change and boil strings every 3 months at maximum. Longer than that, it's hard to get a boiled tone that sounds like new strings. I also discard a boiled set after using it 3 months, because reboiling them doesn't make a substantial difference at that point. So basically, I make 2 sets last a whole year. But my music puts the bass in the forefront; tone is everything for me because it's not going to get covered up in the mix. This is particularly true for me because I make heavy use of distortion, echo and chorus, and old, dirty strings don't sound so good with those effects. If I could afford to, I'd swap out strings every month. I also break in new strings for a day before recording, and I don't record for more than 2 weeks with a new set of strings; they lose too much of their tone beyond that point to be useful in critical recordings. When I tuned 440, they would only last a week; the only reason they last 2 weeks now is because I tune 430. Lower tension on the strings seems to make them last a lot longer. I imagine this is true as well for bassists who use lower tuning standards.

[@derogren]

Does your act ever wear you out? The intensity feels toxic.

[@jmpsthrufyre]

It worked for me with roundwounds. So did spraying them with an aeresol degreaser cleaning product made specifically for cleaning filters and parts for gas/battery powered nail guns.

[@jesse_cole]

I kinda wanted to hear that comparison, but I had to stop the video when that incredibly stupid song came back to haunt me again. Seriously, guys? The “Lady of Pain” song again? The one that sounds like an 8th grader wrote it? Stoppppppppp

[@whyunodye5759]

I don’t understand why people think that old strings work in metal. To be, old strings are dull. They have no grit, no attack. I’m a jazz musician but I love metal too. From what I see, old strings are A lot like Flatwound strings. The roundwound strings are a must for a great metal tone. The newer they are, the more bite they have. Change your strings, don’t be lazy! Glenn I admire how you have to deal with this shit on a daily basis. Good work man.

[@whyunodye5759]

What I mean about being a jazz musician is that the strings I use don’t have much Attack, that’s on purpose. You guys think the old ones sound good but they don’t unless they are jazz or classical.

[@MarioVerkerk]

Great video, thanks! Seems a suitable solution for the average DIY-home-recorder to me.

[@johnnyq1233]

Back in the 80s I used to boil my strings every 2 weeks when on the road. Struggling musicians doing the bar circuits, you know! I used to buy the D'Addario nickel wounds and they lasted quite a while. I always kept a fresh bass on stage for that moment when the inevitable happens. Only happened once and it was the dreaded A that blew..lol!!!! If you were getting bored with the material and this happens, well, you get a real surge of reality and wake up fast as you plan your way through the song without fucking up!

[@traceyzebra3528]

I was passed on the advice to boil my strings when I was 16 and in my first band by another bassist at a jam session in about '93 I think and it's a habit I got into after that, especially for the 3/4 scale bass I had as they were not in fashion at the time so strings were really hard to come by. 2 or 3 years later when I had a P bass and was working and gigging I still boiled the strings as they were damn expensive back then. This is mid 90s and most r'wound strings were £18-£25, the same price I'm finding them for today! I'd probably invest in an ultra sonic cleaner or similar if I started playing regularly again but for jamming around at home just keeping the basses clean and strings wiped after use keeps them going long enough. I'm quite pleased this is method is getting an airing again at a time when many people struggle to afford things and recycling/ reusing is (should be) forefront in our minds.

[@JebusJeeb]

I have a set of bass strings on a Squier bass (my first bass) I have not used in over 10 years, it lives in a cupboard at my parent's house. If I were ever going to use it the first thing I would do would be to replace the strings. I don't even know if I could make strings last 15 years without breaking them, either through natural wear and tear or sheer rage. I will say this though, the track with the 15 year old strings does say a lot for Glenn's production/recording techniques. It didn't sound as good as new strings or the boiled strings but it also didn't make me rip off my ears and then stick both thumbs in my eye sockets. Respect where respect is due, not the worst bass I've ever heard.

[@DarkShaman667]

Wow! The boiled strings were really nice! Never expected the result being that drastic.

[@ryanc9195]

Just one small gripe with this video. 6:24 Don't use "an old rag or shirt", cough up the $1.50 for a microfiber cloth and wipe your strings down EVERY time you finish playing. Your strings will last SOOOO much longer.

[@cursedcliff7562]

my strings have been made in czhekoslovakia, have been through 3 pairs of hands, and look like they are made of shit, and sound like shit, and i dont know how they survived to this day

[@dsnodgrass4843]

I learned this trick about the same time Glenn did; and have used it once or twice to freshen up old strings. The only thing he misses here (it seems) is, while they're boiling, you need to SKIM the surface of the water of oil (3-4 paper towels folded together will do that. Or use Dawn to drive the oil to the edge. Otherwise, you are only re-coating the strings more thinly with oil as you remove them. My beef with new strings remains unchanged; they won't hold tuning for at least a month after installation. Boiled old strings still will, if wrapped at the peg correctly.

[@hankrogers2959]

Cool, I think the 15 years old string are not too bad, I have mine for more than a year now, so I can play them another 4-5 years, then boil them and use them again another 4-5 years. Amazing tipp, thanks a lot mate. Thumbs up

[@abomb9299]

I’ve boiled bass strings for 15 years (not the same set). It really does work well. They won’t retain their tone for as long as a new set, but at $20+ a pop it’s worth a try.

[@trevwings9438]

Hey man, bass player here that loves your content. Have you heard the trick of loosening the strings 2 or 3 whole steps and pulling them up hard and slapping them against the frets? Basically loosening the string caused the dead skin and dirt too loosen from the gaps in the round wound string and pop out when the string slams against the frets, causing the string to sound more fresh.