Hi, has anyone come across the problem of strings getting rusty after it has been changed for few days? One of my students has this particular problem, her E string on the violin gets rusty in just few days after it is changed. Thus, she has changed a lot of E strings but still the same problem occurs. Can anyone help? By the way, her palm sweats when she is playing the violin, but that doesn't sound like the problem since her other strings didn't get rusty?

Thanks.

The different strings quite often have different metallurgical composition, therefore will not necessarily react the same way to oxidising conditions.

What make of string(s) are on the violin? Are these also used on your other students' instruments?

E strings are usually made of plain steel, or are steel spun over plain steel. Since you mention that your students hands sweat when she is playing, a rusting E string indicates that her sweat is very acidic and corrosive. In engineering professions she'd be known as "a ruster" and wouldn't even be allowed near a piece of steel equipment without wearing gloves to protect the artefact from her hands.

The A, D and G strings are usually spun with aluminium, or even silver, neither of which are metals that corrode in normal everday use - and hence why these three strings remain in good condition.

Pirastro make a Goldsteel E string. That is, gold plating over steel. Yes the gold plating will wear off eventually, if the string hasn't broken before then, but, the gold will not corrode like a plain steel. Although the goldsteel strings cost a bit more than plain steel, they should still last far longer and therefore be a saving in the long run.

Sorry, had disappeared from this post for quite a while. Just started to have lesson with this student of mine agan after 1 month long break!

Storini, my student is using Piramid string. Yes, when she came back for lesson, the E string has broken off without her realising it! (she only knew the string was broken when she opened her violin case to take out violin for lesson!) She is now using a very cheap China brand string, just for substitute. Before this, she is using another brand of China made E string, but none of them last more than 3 weeks. I had told her to find a way to get a Pirastro Goldsteel E string, since it is not available in my country, might need to hunt for it in Singapore. Thanks Amandal for your suggestion.

I guess last time her string doesn't get rusty so fast because she doesn't practice quite a lot. But after her gd3 exam which she scored a distinction, she increases her practice time which made her string rust faster!

I don't know about violins, but for guitar's there's a string cleaner for steel strings that helps with this kind of problem. And presumably just the basics (washed hands, no hand cream, cleaning of the strings with a cloth after use) would reduce some of this problem. I have very acidic hands too, so she has my sympathies (all the letters wear off my computer keyboard after about 2 months, and the numbers have long ago disappeared off my sky remote! Weird problem, really).

Dominant do them as well, though I don't think they're commonly sold in the UK. We get them from a US wholesaler.

Liz

Yeah, she had done all the basis (washed hands, no hand cream, cleaning of the strings with a cloth after use), but her hand can't help but sweat! Meerket, I really do sympathy with you and my student

Something funny though, the letters had also wear off from MY computer keyboard, but that is after 2 years. I can type without looking at the keyboard (sort of memorize them like i memorize the piano keys ), but when my friends come over, they complain about me not changing the keyboard. Finally they give me a new keyboard as my birthday present 1 years ago Never thought it has something to do with acidic hands though! But my fingers do not sweat normally, unless I am nervous. But so far I had no problem using cheap strings or Daddario and Dominant strings.

Maybe Dominant string can try solve her problem? I have to check whether it is possible to buy just an E string separately for now So hard to buy separate strings over here. Most are sold in whole sets.

This actually reminds me of a friend I had at school who used to rust needles when she sewed because the sweat in her hands was so acidic! I think its just something that some people suffer from and therefore can be a real pain when doing anything which brings your hands into contact with metal on a regular basis.

It may just be a question of finding which are the best type of strings for her - if she can afford it, getting the more (or most!) expensive ones MAY help (I have found that Dominant strings last for ages and I never have any problems with them, whether it be rusting, or fraying, or wearing thin, or snapping (things that E strings have done to me over the years!). Also, the gold plated ones that AmandaL suggested sound a good idea.

If it is a case of acidic sweat, I feel very sorry for your student because I remember how embarrassed my poor friend used to be when our (insensitive) Home Economics teacher used to shout out "Oh we can all guess who's been using THIS needle!" and tell her she should wash her hands more!!!!!!!

I wonder how professionals cope with this sort of thing. Can people with rusting" hands get any sdort of treatment - tablets or lotion or anything - to make their sweat less acidic?

I think she can afford an expensive E string, but the problem is WHERE to buy it individually. Well, just had a lesson with her yesterday, she said she is now taking some chinese herb medicine, which is suppose to help her overcome it, according to a chinese practitioner. But, she said the herbs are so bitter Will have to see the effort in a long run though. Chinese medicine doesn't cure that fast.

The largest shopping mall in the world - the internet! I'll send her one if no-one else will.

Liz

If Dominant sells them, there are quite a few places in Singapore that sells Dominant. My strings are all Dominant. I bought them from Music Essentials in Singapore. It's located at Meridien Shopping Centre, near Plaza Singapura. Or yes, you could always use the internet. You're sure to find something!