Strange question about Fremont Low G

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Counter

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Does yours smell?

All but one of my ukes have a Fremont Low G and I have never noticed it until now but they are all starting to smell very metallic after playing. I'm positive they never used to. They range in age from a few weeks to about 6 or 7 months old and all have the same whiff of old corroded metal. They all look and feel perfect though, not worn at all.

Maybe it's just me?
 
Should just add, my hands aren't sweaty and I always wash them (and dry them) before I play :)
 
Counter said:
Maybe it's just me?
Click to expand...
Probably! :D

Seriously, I've never noticed any smell, strange or otherwise, from my Fremont Soloist strings.
 
I use Freemont Soloists for low G, and have never noticed an odor.

Maybe there was a particular batch of strings that have some odor? Not mine, though.
 
So of the three ukes that have the Fremont, one came from the US, one from the UK and one I strung myself. That's three different batches. Just sniffed them all and none are smelling now - it's only after I've played them for a while. And it's only been since lockdown, weirdly enough, I'm sure it's only been the last month to six weeks or so. I don't think it's the antibacterial handwash ;)

Maybe one day I'll find out.
 
No, I haven't noticed a metallic smell on my Fremont Soloist.
Some questions:
Where do you store the strings before using?
Is the humidity high in the cases or room where you keep your instruments?
Are any brand new, or have you had them all for a while?
Did you get them all from the same seller, or multiple places?

Finally, there may be some metal component in the bronze alloy that you are sensitive to. For example, some people have a nickle sensitivity. Bronze is made of copper and tin plus other possible alloys of aluminum, manganese, nickel or zinc, phosphorus and other elements.

We can all smell iron as it oxidizes to rust. Many people can smell copper under the right circumstances.

My mother couldn't wear watches for very long. Her skin reacted with the stainless steel on the backs. Gold & silver, no problem. So it could be the minute amount of oils and perspiration on your hands, reacting with the metal. Or the coating on the strings.

Try wiping the strings down after you play and see if it goes away.
 
Where do you store the strings before using?

In the case

Is the humidity high in the cases or room where you keep your
instruments?

No, around 45% these days.

Are any brand new, or have you had them all for a while?

The oldest is from last November, the newest is less than three weeks old

Did you get them all from the same seller, or multiple places?

One from HMS, one from SUS, one set from ebay

Odd thing is this has never happened before. I've been using the Fremont Low G for years and never noticed this before. I know it is more likely to be something new I am using which is reacting with the string but it will take a while to narrow it down. I've inspected the strings very closely under a bright led light and there is nothing wrong with them and no difference in look or feel the whole length of the string.
 
I was just sniffing mine to check it....when my wife walked in....
 
Nickie said:
I was just sniffing mine to check it....when my wife walked in....
Click to expand...

I've already sniffed my wife's guitar strings on each of her three guitars to see if I could detect anything and I was caught doing that too! :D :D
 
HA ha! I'm not alone!
I sniff the innards of my Cocobolo Ukulele all the time. When people look at me funny I just roll my eyes back in my head and moan slightly.
 
Counter said:
So of the three ukes that have the Fremont, one came from the US, one from the UK and one I strung myself. That's three different batches. Just sniffed them all and none are smelling now - it's only after I've played them for a while. And it's only been since lockdown, weirdly enough, I'm sure it's only been the last month to six weeks or so. I don't think it's the antibacterial handwash ;)

Maybe one day I'll find out.
Click to expand...

I notice a metallic smell on my fretting hand after playing one of my ukuleles, but not when playing my others. However, the smell must come from the frets themselves as the strings are Worth Clears.
On a personal note, I have noticed that my sense of smell has improved since the lockdown, presumably due to the decrease in exhaust fumes from traffic and pollution from manufacturing.
 
I think this may be connected to my keyboard now I am working from home and will occasionally reach for a ukulele in between emails. And it has been warm lately. I'll keep some antibac in between my keyboard and my Kamaka and see if that helps :)
 
Counter said:
I think this may be connected to my keyboard now I am working from home and will occasionally reach for a ukulele in between emails. And it has been warm lately. I'll keep some antibac in between my keyboard and my Kamaka and see if that helps :)
Click to expand...

Here are a couple thoughts. You state it starts to smell after you have been playing a while. Energy creates heat which will release scent/aroma. I had a conversion with Luis about the smell of redwoood and cedar increasing as I play. He explained it using the energy-heat analogy.

Another contributing factor could be the hand sanitizer, this is a new addition to your normal life routine. Coupled with your more frequent time on the key board. Always look for the addition of something different when things have changed. You said this did not happen before.......we will rule out you are going crazy :p
 
Counter said:
I think this may be connected to my keyboard now I am working from home and will occasionally reach for a ukulele in between emails. And it has been warm lately. I'll keep some antibac in between my keyboard and my Kamaka and see if that helps :)
Click to expand...

Y'all do know that "antibacterial" does not work on a virus? You need "anti-microbial" or "Hand Sanitizer" with 65%+ Alcohol content.

If it was just shorthand for "Hand Sanitizer," my apologies and back to the regular thread ...

There is a residue left on the hands after using a hand sanitizer. Even soaps can have scents and moisturizers that remain on the skin. Not to mention any moisturizer creams used to keep the skin from cracking after all that hand washing.

As DownUpDave has mentioned, what is different in your routine? What new variable(s) can be interacting with the string and causing the odor?
 
Kenn2018 said:
Y'all do know that "antibacterial" does not work on a virus? You need "anti-microbial" or "Hand Sanitizer" with 65%+ Alcohol content.

If it was just shorthand for "Hand Sanitizer," my apologies and back to the regular thread ...

There is a residue left on the hands after using a hand sanitizer. Even soaps can have scents and moisturizers that remain on the skin. Not to mention any moisturizer creams used to keep the skin from cracking after all that hand washing.

As DownUpDave has mentioned, what is different in your routine? What new variable(s) can be interacting with the string and causing the odor?
Click to expand...

Yep, just looked and we only seem to have hand sanitizer in this house.

So i tried an experiment yesterday and did not pick up a ukulele once. After a few hours of work my hands still smelled of metal. The root of this lies somewhere on my little home office set up. There is a metal runner under the slide out keyboard shelf on this cheap Ikea office desk. As I am constantly adjusting that throughout the day, I strongly suspect that is where it is coming from.

End result - a Fremont Low G string does not smell. Hands do :music:
 
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