<HTML>In a message dated 5/9/03 9:26:10 PM Central Daylight = Time, jajones2@facstaff.wisc.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Bass strings had coffee or soda= spilled on them several years ago and they were dead as a stone.  No money for replacements.  Becoming frustr= ated listening for a pitch I decided to try a final fix.   I began by pounding the key and lowering each string about 1/2 turn<B= R> until it was slack.  Continuing to test blow the key a dozen times whil= e slack and continuing pounding I then pulled the string up to pitch.   Presto the string had a live, full sound.   However, I'm wo= ndering: 1.  What happened to the string to cause it to revive??? 2.   Will this be a short term fix and the strings become dead aga= in??? Anybody experienced this bass string revival? Joel Jones Retired UW tech in Madison </BLOCKQUOTE> The coffee or other drink probably had sugar in it, That is what caused the = string to be dead. By lowering the tension, and beating on the string, your = probably dislodged the sugar, and maybe even some of the rust. I'm wondering= , though, if it was the lowering of tension, or the constant pounding, that = loosened up the sugar? Wim </HTML>