If you restring wrong, do the strings rust faster?

[Electric_Sunshine]

I find they do. I suck restringing.

I got D'dario (how do you spell it?) 10-47s for my accoustic... 2 days later a little bit of rust on the B and high E string. Top strings no rust, my last set came with the guitar and they were pretty old... no rust.

I got Fender Nickel Plated Super Bullets for my electric... 5 days later rust on the B and high E strings. Top strings no rust, my last set when I took the guitar out of my case... rust convered my hands as soon as I held the neck (those were 3 month old strings).

I sweat allot when playing standing up, but that has nothing to do with it since my accoustic strings (which i have played for 5 months, and when I played I played for about 30 minutes - 2 hours) were fine... until replaced.

I don't believe that sweaty hands or overplaying causes rust. But the way their strung.

Andrew

[dennistruckdriver]

Dude....???
How can the method of installing strings make a difference as to how much they rust?

[Electric_Sunshine]

Originally Posted by dennistruckdriver

Dude....???
How can the method of installing strings make a difference as to how much they rust?

I don't know... it's just what happens

[Skynyrdpicker]

Dadarios rust within a few days for me too, but I have very sweaty hands. Just look for the right string for you, although installing them wrong won't change how quickly they rust.

[Jason]

Corrosion (rust, in this case) is an electrochemical reaction. The only things I can think of that will increase the corrosion of your strings are:

1. oxygen
2. water
3. salt, acid, or other corrosive chemicals
4. electricity
5. sitting in direct contact with a dissimilar metal (such as aluminum)

And obviously, different brands are made of different metal alloys and may have different corrosive properties. If corrosion is a bad problem for you, you might want to look into coated strings like Elixer Nanowebs.

[Electric_Sunshine]

Well teh fact that I'm 5 - 10 kilometres from the sea dosn't help the salt problem does it lol. What kind of Ernie Ball strings are long lasting?

[Jason]

Originally Posted by Electric_Sunshine

Well teh fact that I'm 5 - 10 kilometres from the sea dosn't help the salt problem does it lol. What kind of Ernie Ball strings are long lasting?

Yeah... that's not gonna help. These are expensive but they're supposed to last an outrageously long time:



Try a set!

[dennistruckdriver]

Originally Posted by Electric_Sunshine

Well teh fact that I'm 5 - 10 kilometres from the sea dosn't help the salt problem does it lol....?

Does the method of stringing the guitar make the distance to the sea vary at all?

[Electric_Sunshine]

I'm not worried about accoustic strings since I've been told by 20+ people my accoustic sucks balls. I'm thinking if strings are even worth the price anymore, my tuning pegs suck and send them out of tune in about 20 minutes and I suck at restringing.

But Jason did you see where I put my old accoustic strings lasted about 5 months and never rust, I don't think it's the salty air.

[Electric_Sunshine]

Originally Posted by dennistruckdriver

Does the method of stringing the guitar make the distance to the sea vary at all?

nope.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by Electric_Sunshine

I'm not worried about accoustic strings since I've been told by 20+ people my accoustic sucks balls. I'm thinking if strings are even worth the price anymore, my tuning pegs suck and send them out of tune in about 20 minutes and I suck at restringing.

But Jason did you see where I put my old accoustic strings lasted about 5 months and never rust, I don't think it's the salty air.

Well, I guarantee you 100% it's not the way you strung it. It could just be that you used a different brand of strings. Or, if the old ones did eventually start to corrode, there could have been some residual rust powder on the neck and/or in the case from the old strings. That's another thing I just remembered that can speed up the corrosion process. It wouldn't even take a whole lot, it might not even be enough to really see.

[xsouldriverx]

Originally Posted by Electric_Sunshine

Well teh fact that I'm 5 - 10 kilometres from the sea dosn't help the salt problem does it lol. What kind of Ernie Ball strings are long lasting?

i live only about 2-3 miles from the ocean and it doesnt really affect things unless you routinely get that salty sea breeze blowing in at where you live. the only way i can ever see how you string strings effecting rust is if you string them so tight that the air gets tot he core of the sound strings. but even then it would have to be so tight its out of tune anyway.

try different strings and wipe down after you play.

[xsouldriverx]

Originally Posted by Electric_Sunshine

my tuning pegs suck and send them out of tune in about 20 minutes and I suck at restringing.

make sure the nut isnt binding and type the strings so they lock upon themselves when you tune up and turn the peg.

http://www.uncletim.com/images/bob2.jpg

using this method helps a lot, (i didnt believe it would until i tried it myself) but you may have to use a different method on the unwound strings if your using a non angled headstock.

[MrRhoads]

Originally Posted by Jason

Corrosion (rust, in this case) is an electrochemical reaction. The only things I can think of that will increase the corrosion of your strings are:

1. oxygen
2. water
3. salt, acid, or other corrosive chemicals
4. electricity
5. sitting in direct contact with a dissimilar metal (such as aluminum)

+1 I´d say that´s it´s the salt in your sweat.
Have you ever heard that when it´s hot and you sweat alot it´s god to eat extra salt because the body needs it?
You could also taste the sweat from your hands, just touch the tung and see if you can taste any salt.

Also are the strings vaccum sealed?
I`ve encoutered one dealer before who sold old strings which weren´t vaccum sealed and they were rusty in the package

[tomaseriksson]

I sweat a lot as well , my tip is to wipe the strings with a towel after each session. Makes the string last a lot longer.

[Hamtone]

wipe strings use that dunlop string conditioner. I use it every time I put my guitars away.

So the answer is no to your original question.

I use d adderios exclusively except acoustic strings, I use martins. I never have a problem with either. I get rust problems from boomers though

[diceman]

Originally Posted by Jason

Yeah... that's not gonna help. These are expensive but they're supposed to last an outrageously long time:



Try a set!

this.

[H.E.L.Shane]

I don;t know if its WRONG or not, but sliding the string through your fingers as you string the guitar will expose more of the surface of the string to oil and acids from your fingers, causing it to oxidize in more areas fater than normal....

Alchemy's last a long time, but ther are a bit salty

If you wipe your strings down with a string conditioner, they'll last longer

[stinger]

There is no way that stringing your guitar wrong is gonna make the strings rust. Sweat and skin oils can and will create problems for strings. More for some people, less for others.

As others have said: Wipe the strings down after playing!!!

[Atomic]

Originally Posted by Electric_Sunshine

I find they do. I suck restringing.

I got D'dario (how do you spell it?) 10-47s for my accoustic... 2 days later a little bit of rust on the B and high E string. Top strings no rust, my last set came with the guitar and they were pretty old... no rust.

I got Fender Nickel Plated Super Bullets for my electric... 5 days later rust on the B and high E strings. Top strings no rust, my last set when I took the guitar out of my case... rust convered my hands as soon as I held the neck (those were 3 month old strings).

I sweat allot when playing standing up, but that has nothing to do with it since my accoustic strings (which i have played for 5 months, and when I played I played for about 30 minutes - 2 hours) were fine... until replaced.

I don't believe that sweaty hands or overplaying causes rust. But the way their strung.

Andrew

everyone.. we really should stop giving out false information.....

the short answer Andrew is YES stringing your guitar inappropriately CAN cause rust. fortunately however with just remembering a few simple things, we can minimize the effects of Restringing Oxidation.

1) avoid restringing your guitar underwater. your strings are mostly made of steel. as we all know, water + steel = bad. the problem with this however, is that water is EVERYWHERE!! even in the air! so how do you avoid it? you cant.. BUT there have been scientific studies that have proven that if you call water by its scientific name "Hydric Acid" it causes your strings to rust instantly!!! so just avoid saying Hydric Acid out loud, and you should be ok.

2) do not lubricate your strings with sulfuric acid. this also causes severe oxidation. as we saw in the previous item ACID = BAD! this can also be detrimental to your skin and nails over time.. so lets avoid anything with "acid" in the name. this includes:

3) Vinegar. do not pass your strings through pickled olives on their way to being tuned. vinegar contains Acetic Acid!!! again.. acid = bad.

D) use only full synthetic 10w-40 weight motor oil to lubricate your fretboard. the more the merrier. avoid people that say "too much oil attracts dirt and will get sticky." everyone knows oil isnt sticky. they are STUPID!

f) use only DOT approved muffler bearings and blinker fluid at every string change. this is CRITICAL to getting the maximum mileage from your guitar.

and last but not least:
7) NEVER EVER restring your guitar naked. unless youre a girl and really hot. but even then be careful.. because some guitars are prudish and dont like nudity.


so follow these simple steps, and your strings will last virtually forever!!!!!!!1!

[jonesy]

Wow, I learn new things here all the time

[stinger]

Originally Posted by Atomic

everyone.. we really should stop giving out false information.....

the short answer Andrew is YES stringing your guitar inappropriately CAN cause rust. fortunately however with just remembering a few simple things, we can minimize the effects of Restringing Oxidation.

1) avoid restringing your guitar underwater. your strings are mostly made of steel. as we all know, water + steel = bad. the problem with this however, is that water is EVERYWHERE!! even in the air! so how do you avoid it? you cant.. BUT there have been scientific studies that have proven that if you call water by its scientific name "Hydric Acid" it causes your strings to rust instantly!!! so just avoid saying Hydric Acid out loud, and you should be ok.

2) do not lubricate your strings with sulfuric acid. this also causes severe oxidation. as we saw in the previous item ACID = BAD! this can also be detrimental to your skin and nails over time.. so lets avoid anything with "acid" in the name. this includes:

3) Vinegar. do not pass your strings through pickled olives on their way to being tuned. vinegar contains Acetic Acid!!! again.. acid = bad.

D) use only full synthetic 10w-40 weight motor oil to lubricate your fretboard. the more the merrier. avoid people that say "too much oil attracts dirt and will get sticky." everyone knows oil isnt sticky. they are STUPID!

f) use only DOT approved muffler bearings and blinker fluid at every string change. this is CRITICAL to getting the maximum mileage from your guitar.

and last but not least:
7) NEVER EVER restring your guitar naked. unless youre a girl and really hot. but even then be careful.. because some guitars are prudish and dont like nudity.


so follow these simple steps, and your strings will last virtually forever!!!!!!!1!

I stand corrected!

[Ermghoti]

Top-wrapping reduces string corrosion by 24%, according to scientific surveys.

[River]

Well done, Atomic. You just saved me a whole bunch of thinking and typing.

[River]

Originally Posted by Electric_Sunshine

<snip>I don't believe that sweaty hands or overplaying causes rust. But the way their strung.

Andrew

Any movement on this front? If not, I'm gonna need the email addresses of the persons responsible for your education.

[cynic79]

You're in the middle of Spring right now in Australia, correct? Could the changes in humidity have had an effect on the strings? Winter does tend to be pretty dry.

[bigdaddy]

I am now dumber for having read this thread.

[killaconrad]

I am familiar with this problem. I recommend taking the strings off every couple days or so, and then putting them back on the guitar rotated 180 degrees, so that the part of the string your fingers were touching previously are now facing the fretboard. Also, I find that folding a strip of toilet paper or soft fabric around the end of the strings, on the part wrapped around the tuning pegs, really helps prevent premature rusting.

Good luck!

[AngryHatter]

Originally Posted by stinger

There is no way that stringing your guitar wrong is gonna make the strings rust. Sweat and skin oils can and will create problems for strings. More for some people, less for others.

As others have said: Wipe the strings down after playing!!!

You eat meat, you secrete sodium along with acids.

[axepilot]

Originally Posted by killaconrad

I am familiar with this problem. I recommend taking the strings off every couple days or so, and then putting them back on the guitar rotated 180 degrees, so that the part of the string your fingers were touching previously are now facing the fretboard. Also, I find that folding a strip of toilet paper or soft fabric around the end of the strings, on the part wrapped around the tuning pegs, really helps prevent premature rusting.

Why not just change the strings? Heroic efforts to save a five dollar set of strings makes no sense. When the strings are beat, they are beat...................just change them.

We spare no expense on guitars and amps here..................why scrimp on the strings?