Polishing bass strings

[Bec and John]

Hi fixpianos,

In addition to what Ron N. wrote, in Reblitz's book he says you can use 
a "fine, flexible, rotary brass brush" attached to a variable speed 
drill to clean them. He warns against using too much pressure in case 
the windings are loosened. I've never done it, just relaying 
information.

- John


>> Ok, you've had your fun. Now kindly lower yourselves to my level and 
>> respond to an honest question by an RPT with over 30 years of 
>> experience. Knowing my name won't help you answer my question.
>
> No, but showing up as an actual person with a real identity when you 
> are asking for help might just possibly give you some credibility and 
> validation you don't automatically have from behind the curtain. 
> Contributing, is the apparent implication that after 30 years, this 
> has just now come to your attention and become a concern. But perhaps 
> I judge too quickly.
>
>
>> I'm talking about new or new-ish strings with some discoloration due 
>> to someone's fingers straying where they shouldn't, as well as 
>> brightening-up those strings that don't need to be replaced yet.
>
> Thank you. That's helpful, and puts it in a specific category.
>
>
>> By the way, under my care is a Steinway "D" that came from the 
>> factory (in other words "brand-spanking new") with some sort of 
>> oxidation running across 6-8 strings. It looks as though someone took 
>> a sweaty hand and just wiped it across them.
>
> That's most likely exactly what happened. I've seen plenty of 
> instances of just this in dealers' showrooms, and in the new owners' 
> living rooms after the sale.
>
>
>> And who among us hasn't left fingerprints on a newly-installed set of 
>> bass strings?
>>
>> Or perhaps technicians at your level don't do that sort of thing.
>
> I haven't, as far as I know. This has nothing whatsoever to do with my 
> "level" as a technician. It has everything to do with my personal 
> bodily chemistry and the severe lack of moisture in the epidermis of 
> my digital appendages - a condition that has no acknowledged snob 
> value that I'm aware of, just nuisance value when my fingertips split 
> and bleed all winter.
>
> To answer your question, I don't typically try to polish wrapped 
> strings, so I don't have a fool-proof answer for you. I do, however, 
> question the assumption that scratching the copper is necessarily 
> undesirable. I can't see where it would hurt a thing unless you chewed 
> it up badly with something coarse and abrasive, or generated loose 
> liquid, dust, or fibers that would get into the wrap. So if I was 
> going to try and minimize big purple hand prints on new bass strings, 
> I'd scrub them down with a dry Scotch Brite pad and hope for the best. 
> If that didn't work, I'd learn to love big purple hand prints.
>
> My name's in the header. Who am I talking to?
>
> Ron N
>
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