What do you do with old strings?

[jess]

Hi everyone!
Do you find other uses for old strings, or do you just throw them out? Or can they be rewrapped/recoated? It seems like a waste to throw out strings that are worn but not broken.

Jess

[davidmdahl]

I am kind of a pack rat, so I tend to keep old strings. Occasionally I find a use for an old string, but that is pretty rare. A broken string goes in the trash. I have never heard of a service or process for fixing or reclaiming old strings. New strings are not very expensive, so there is little point to recycling. It might be worthwhile to keep a set or two of old strings around, in case you break one, but it is better to have new strings on hand. If you break a string just before a performance, a new string can be installed a lot more quickly.

Best wishes,

David

[jess]

Thanks for the response. I always have new strings on hand, so it is very unlikely I'd ever use the old strings again. But yeah, I'm also a pack rat and therefore have a collection of old strings. I wonder if they could be used in a dan tranh if all the coating was taken off?