sticky strings any advice u know u have some mmmhmmmm

[Jslegacy]

i live in super humid grosse pointe mich. and my strings get sticky because of it and i can't move my hands up and down the neck as fast on my js1000wh (best guitar ever) and this is frustrating as hell when trying to do legato. i've tried washing my hands with soap before playing and even putting moisturizing lotion on my hands before i play. anyone have any miracle solutions to help me out because i know alot of u that live in humid climates have the same prob. Or not and i'm just having a bad day.

[littlegreenman]

quite using lotion, all your doing there is adding gunky **** to your strings. Best thing to do is, clean your strings regulary with rubbing alcohol on a rag (but be very careful not to touch the body, the alcohol will dull the finish) and wipe it after every time you play.

[Al M]

I have those exact same problems. i fixed it by using fast fret. great stuff!!!

some people swear by it and some swear at it. You will just have to see which catigory you fit in!

[Kev Brigden]

WE LOVE YOU FAST FRET.. WE DO! WE LOVE YOU FAST FRET WE DO!!! WE LOVE YOU FAST FRET WE DO... HEY! DONT PLAY WITH STRINGS OF DOGGY DOO!!!... hehehe can you gues I just thought of that Seriously... (if I ever can be serious) fast fret is the dawgs knackers and if you can get hold of the stuff use it... I have a feeling you are like myself mon amigo in the US... You may not have sweaty hands but your strings just die... I'm thinking of switching to ernies and seeing how they cope...

[mike777]

Try wiping down your strings with a clean, dry, untreated cloth after you finish playing. Also, keep your guitar IN the case at all times when you are not using it for a while. Some people also have good luck with Elixir brand strings. The tone is different from other strings sinceit has a coating sitting on them but considering that, they don't sound all that bad (I use Blue Steel and occasionally use Rotosound on my strats). The only thing is that the plain (Elixir) strings are untreated.

[GuitarLunatic]

Mike777 beat me to the punch. Try Elixir strings. They are coated and don't feel as sticky as uncoated strings can. I swear by 'em, I just wish they weren't so expensive.

The only tonal difference I've noticed is that they don't start out as bright as a normal set of strings. However, a normal set of strings loses that brightness very quickly and then goes dead after a while. Elixirs start out less bright but don't ever go dead, at least as far as I can tell. I only change my strings out of guilt these days! :-)

I've never used the string goo to make them feel faster so can't comment on that. Definitely DON'T use hand lotion - that will just make matters much worse and kill your strings fast.

G

[Cniht]

I find that if i first rub off the sweaty grime you leave after playing for some time with a cloth and then rubbing the stfings with Fast Fret will make them feel quite faster and slinky. washing your hands before playing is a good thing too. After washing themwith soap, the hands usually get drier than before, so you get that silky feel.
Don't try using fast fret if the strings are dirty. It will end up getting your FF stick brown with your sweat and it won't remain good for long. I had to decapitate a part of it!![/quote]

[kent]

Cniht is right about washing your hands. You can also get those pre-moistened towelettes to use if your hands get really bad while you are playing and you need to have plenty of dry cotton towels around. Clean and dry is the key. I live in south Texas so I know all about humidity. One of the jobs of our road crew is to keep multiple packages of anti-bacterial towelettes available to use at all of our shows to keep our hands clean for playing and to keep ourselves healthier. I love meeting people, but the last thing me and my fragile "singing" voice needs is catching every other person's cold.

K

[mike777]

Yeah, you have to remeber that the strings are metal and will often corrode and/or oxidize when you introduce salts, acids, and water. Sometimes the mixture of sweat with other materials can be a more corrosive mixture so keeping you hands clean and giving them time to dry before you play can really help. this can be difficult at gigs sometimes when you are shaking hands with a lot of people before the show.

[Bozz]

Oh yeah, definately go with Elixer strings! They're amazing! Feel like silk, last about 3 - 4 times longer than most strings, sound awesome (and thick), and sustain well! Corosion and stickiness with them has never been a factor for me.

[Jslegacy]

Thanks alot guys youve all been a big help i've taken all recomendations into consideration and use. Talk to u next time i have a problem.

oh yes and the fred is the best pick up ever mmmhmmm.

[jeff l]

I have a buddy who pours baby oil on his fingers before he plays. I tried it using his guitar and it makes slides *very* fast and that little bit of friction between the sides of your fingers is GONE. Of course, it makes things a bit greasy but he's been doing it for years and his string last *forever*. LOL

Anyhoo, as a less radical approach I'd recommend the fast fret/ wiping down the strings method.

[CQ7String]

Originally Posted by Al M

I have those exact same problems. i fixed it by using fast fret. great stuff!!!

some people swear by it and some swear at it. You will just have to see which catigory you fit in!

I just picked some of this up the other day. It's really good stuff.

Plus, ever since I started using it, my shredding has reached Yngwie-esque proportions! Whenever I need to play some killer parts, I just slather on more Fast Fret and go!

(sorry, couldn't resist.. It is really good stuff though..)

[CQ7String]

Originally Posted by Bozz

Oh yeah, definately go with Elixer strings! They're amazing! Feel like silk, last about 3 - 4 times longer than most strings, sound awesome (and thick), and sustain well! Corosion and stickiness with them has never been a factor for me.

^^ What he said. They're expensive, but DEFINITELY worth the extra coin!

[Beavis]

WD40

Works wonders, my friend always uses it and he is too damn good.

Beavis