@ johnnyblaze: If your string's have a dead sound, no resonance, it's time to change them. I myself try to change string's approx. every 4 months's or so, but I play a lot.

Try washing your bow hair's in regular rubbing alcohol, I use 91% which I buy at the local pharmacy. There is a video on YouTube on how to do it.

If you have a wood bow, you need to be very careful not to get the alcohol on the wood stick.

Good luck.

Ken.