You probably heard the old saying that boiling guitar strings can make your guitar sound better. Many people believe that to be true. Even many accomplished guitarists admitted to doing it in the past. But does boiling guitar strings help, or is it just a myth?
Boiling guitar strings can help clean it of grime and dead skin cells. This deep cleaning does have a noticeable effect on the tune. But does that make them sound as good as new strings? The multiple factors need to be considered before answering that question, which will be explained in detail in this article.
Who Popularized the Boiling Guitar Strings Myth?
The whole trend of boiling strings started with bass guitar players and was later adopted by acoustic and even electric guitarists. One of the prominent figures that made this myth popular was Eddie Van Halen. This American songwriter and guitarist claimed to have boiled his guitar strings for a better tune.
Eddie was an extremely popular musician. So, after his claim, many people started adopting this technique. His claim was not entirely baseless. Boiling guitar strings is a suitable solution if you have a few dead strings lying around. It can make the dead strings sound much better but at the cost of its lifespan.
Does Boiling Strings Improve Tone?
There is a fair bit of physics behind this. When you boil the light electric guitar strings or acoustic guitar strings, it gets exposed to heat. The heat then makes the strings expand beyond their original form.
The first reaction of boiling guitar strings is the cleaning process which makes it release all the accumulated dirt and grime, which leads to increased tone and playability. If you have never boiled an old guitar string before, the suggestion is that you can go ahead and try now. You will see so much dirt in the water and start to consider how they got there.
After that, the string contracts when the temperature drops. This contraction process makes the strings tighter than before. The strings then become usable for a few more days, and they don’t sound bad either. The only issue is that they will turn back into dead strings after a few days again. And no amount of boiling will prevent that.
So, boiling guitar strings can be a decent choice if you are running on a budget. But do not expect to do it over and over. Sadly, boiled strings having a better tune is a complete myth. Boiling guitar strings can make them functional for a short while, but it won’t be anywhere near as good as a fresh string.
Side Effects of Boiling Guitar Strings
Boiling might get you bright electric guitar strings, but they won’t last at all. There are numerous reasons why you should never boil new guitar strings. At best, they can make your dead strings play like normal. But they will never make them better than new ones.
The boiled strings have increased brittleness so that they can snap easily. Heat can also damage the chemical structure of the minerals present in the string. So it will have significantly lower durability. The heat will also remove the coatings that protect the string from rust.
If you want tone improvement so badly, then take care of your guitar. Regularly changing strings is an easy way to keep your guitar in shape. Clean the fretboard from time to time. Dirty strings can damage your fretboard, which will ruin the tone.
Temperature is also a terrible thing for guitars. Excessive heat or cold will ruin their tone. Excessive moisture will also damage your board. Check out the Alice AE530 if you are looking for an affordable yet high-performance guitar string. It’s a plated-steel string with good strength and timbre.
How to Improve Your Guitar Tone?
The most standard method of improving your guitar tones boils down to two practices. These are:
- Regular String Maintenance
- Regular String Replacement
String maintenance is quite easy. Wipe down your strings before and after use with a dry cloth. Don’t use water as that can rust the strings. You can use a good guitar string cleaner for better cleaning.
String replacement is unavoidable if you want the best tone possible. Strings will wear down as you use them, and cleaning cannot bring them back to shape. For moderate to heavy users, replacing them every 3 months is a must.
Consider Buying Durable Strings from Alice
If you want the best tone for the longest period of time without the hassles of excessive maintenance, buy good-quality strings like the Alice AE530.
The hexagonal steel core and nickel alloy winding provide them with ultimate strength. Also, they prevent wear and tear for the longest duration possible. And the lesser wear your strings experience, the longer they will be able to hold on to their true tone. So, if you are in need of new strings, consider a quality one like the Alice AE530.
Conclusion
Alice is a research-based manufacturing company for musical instruments and associated accessories. They make strings and accessories from a wide range of materials. Boiling guitar strings does not have to be your only option – Alice offers you affordable strings for any instrument.