Where Do You Store Extra Strings?

[Frank Johnson]

I like the pouch mandozilla had made. Thanks for the photo's! My "storage compartment" is basically an itty bitty 3 X 3 X 1.

[Tim2723]

I used to, too, until someone (OK, my guitar player, drunk and wrong most of the time but right this once), pointed out that the change in tension throws the other strings off. So now I'll finish the song and then add a spare. Helps if it's near the end of a set. Easier and quicker than tuning the remaining seven strings, and that single string never sounds right against the others - esp. since it's almost always an E string, sometimes an A. I actually broke a G string once - ONCE - one of the proudest moments of my performing career. Must have really been gettin' it!

Oh yeah, nothing good happens when a string breaks on a mandolin. I stop dead, bow out, and re-tune before the next song. A guitar can barely limp through a tune with five strings, but a mandolin is dead in the water. Oddly enough, I almost always break G and D strings. Almost never A's and E's.

Since we play Irish folk, I'm almost always strumming open chords, so the missing string is less noticable.

[mandolooter]

Elderly's

[Frank Johnson]

Elderly's

[mandozilla]

Elderly's

HaHaHa

OK I'll play...I store extra strings at the Blue Ridge Pickin' Parlor.

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Shelf space hard to come by in your house or what? That sounds a bit daft to me.

I have lots of extra strings and don't change them as often as I should. So I put them in air tight bags and throw them in the freezer. It keeps them from corroding prematurely.

Daniel

[mandozilla]

Hey PanaDP and Daniel

Is it possible that storing them in the freezer affects the physical properties of the strings? You know like tensile strength, ability to stretch and bend? I dunno, I'm not an engineer ( well I am a type engineer but don't know metallurgy) but I'm curious.

Do you guys thaw them out before putting tension on them? SCHPROINGGGG! HaHa

[Chris Keth]

I have lots of extra strings and don't change them as often as I should. So I put them in air tight bags and throw them in the freezer. It keeps them from corroding prematurely.

Daniel

OK, that makes perfect sense. I thought you were going to suggest, like mandozilla mentions, that it somehow makes them sound better like the guitar strings that are supposed to be cryogenically treated. I think it's a load of bull, personally.

[Bertram Henze]

My OM case has two external pouches attached, which contain

1 full set of strings (to change if one breaks or to give to some poor guitar player who needs one),
tools for changing strings (winder, pliers etc.),
sheet music of tunes I can play to give away to others (sheet music of tunes I am learning is inside the case, under the body)

Bertram

[Tobin]

I have lots of extra strings and don't change them as often as I should. So I put them in air tight bags and throw them in the freezer. It keeps them from corroding prematurely.

Daniel

Uhh, I don't think temperature affects the rate of corrosion. In fact, by putting them in the freezer you may be creating corrosion problems when they are taken out (humidity will condense on the cold metal).

If you're worried about corrosion, I would just keep them in an airtight bag with a dessicant pack. But I honestly don't think keeping them in the freezer does anything for corrosion protection.

I thought you were going to suggest, like mandozilla mentions, that it somehow makes them sound better like the guitar strings that are supposed to be cryogenically treated. I think it's a load of bull, personally.

Actually, cryogenic treatment of wire does indeed change the crystalline structure of the steel if done at the correct point in the manufacturing process. It's not that different in theory from "quenching" metal after it's been tempered/hardened. As for whether cryogenically treated strings sound better, well, that's a matter of opinion. But the treatment does indeed change the character of the metal. Of course, putting strings in the freezer wouldn't be anything like that treatment...

[toddjoles]

I've only break E strings while playing, so I carry an extra set of E strings in my case in the paper sleeve not in the vinyl as vinyl destroys laquer. I usually keep 2 sets of strings in a basket in the area where I play at home. Also in the basket are misc.. picks, tuners, capo, glass slide, thumb and fingerpicks, nail clippers and wire snips.

Now if I could just come up with a centralized place for all the tab, chord charts and lyrics......

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Uhh, I don't think temperature affects the rate of corrosion. In fact, by putting them in the freezer you may be creating corrosion problems when they are taken out (humidity will condense on the cold metal).

If you're worried about corrosion, I would just keep them in an airtight bag with a dessicant pack. But I honestly don't think keeping them in the freezer does anything for corrosion protection.

Awww heck. Really? Please don't tell my wife. I kind of like keeping them in the freezer. It gets hot here in the summer.......

Daniel

[journeybear]

Awww heck. Really? Please don't tell my wife. I kind of like keeping them in the freezer. It gets hot here in the summer.......

Daniel

When you take them out of the freezer, uncoil them and whip them around your head till they warm up.
That should keep condensation from accumulating.

But best not do this in front of your wife. She might think you've finally lost it ...

[mandroid]

Crown Royal cloth bags for pint bottles are sized for packs of strings, do they still sell the stuff in those?
I got a couple at yard/jumble sales.

[journeybear]

Crown Royal cloth bags for pint bottles are sized for packs of strings, do they still sell the stuff in those?
I got a couple at yard/jumble sales.

And they're purple, always cool ...

Dang! I picked up a bunch of them - like 9 for a buck - at a yard sale a few years ago, then they hung around for years till I decided I hadn't found any use for them, so I chucked 'em. Now I wish I hadn't.

[Frank Johnson]

Crown Royal bags? What a great idea! I'll have to stock up on some!

[Capt. E]

Ditto above. But!

In the early 1970's the band I was in had a 2 year gig at a themed shopping mall. We performed at various locations up and down the mall so we left our instrument cases in the dressing room rather than cart them all over the place.

My, then future wife, who also worked at that mall, saw that my pockets were stuffed with capo, extra strings, picks, wiping cloth, not to mention wallet, smokes, lighter and what not.

She went to a leather crafter in the mall and had a belt pouch made for me large enough to hold strings, picks, capo, wiper and so on. It was cool it had the bands name carved on it and was extremely well made...very thoughtful of her wasn't it?



I use it to this day at festivals...It fits under the peghead in my case without any undue stress in the instrument...it's very handy.

Hey, a guy could sell those! Very Cool.

[JeffD]

Crown Royal bags? What a great idea! I'll have to stock up on some!

Anyone interested in this idea, I am willing to take those bulky bolbous bottles of evil night fluids that usually come with those bags off your hands, for free.

Keep the bag, send me the bottle.

Problem so solved.

[Chris Keth]

Anyone interested in this idea, I am willing to take those bulky bolbous bottles of evil night fluids that usually come with those bags off your hands, for free.

Keep the bag, send me the bottle.

Problem so solved.

Generosity and selflessness like that is rare these days. I salute you, sir.

[journeybear]

... Keep the bag, send me the bottle.

Generosity and selflessness like that is rare these days. I salute you, sir.

Indeed, indeed. I quite concur, sir. In fact, I shall now raise a glass in your honor, and drink to your health and well-being. And then when the bottle is done, I shall be glad to send it to you.

Oh, you didn't think I was going to send the full bottle, did you? I believe there are laws in this country concerning sending flammable liquids in the mail!