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VIEW FULL LIVE VERSION : How has your luck been ordering strings over the net?


Dolan
07-10-2000, 07:42 AM
I was just wondering how anyones luck has been ordering strings over the net.I ordered a few sets June 26th and to date,no strings.I also emailed them asking if the order has been shipped or when it will be shipped but no reply.But guess what?They sure charged my credit card.What has your experience been with this and is there a good place to order that has a good selection and turns there orders over quick?

Andy Daventry
07-10-2000, 07:58 AM
I have bought strings from juststrings.com and also the old mostly strings. Both have been great. I live in Turkey and so have no option when it comes to getting anything out of the ordinary (which means anything not Fender or D'Addario). Answered my e-mails, didn't screw up the special orders, everything arrives intact and in good time. Excellent stuff!

Andy

Dolan
07-10-2000, 08:15 AM
Andy,

I was thinking about givimg them a try.There not that far away from me(Maryland).I just dont like the fact that this company got payment right away but wont return emails.Deduct from my card the day they ship is what I think companys should do.

bertbassplayer
07-10-2000, 09:07 AM
I always order mine from Musicians friend, and I always get them really quickly (like 2 days using UPS Ground shipping)

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"What do you mean there is too much bass?"

Spike
07-10-2000, 09:33 AM
I used a company called allstrungup.co.uk for the first time a few weeks ago and my strings came in 3 days.
The only problem is that you have to order at least 3 sets, but prices are good and postage is free worldwide on orders over £20.

michaeln
07-10-2000, 10:31 AM
I've had two bad experiences with "The Tuning Peg" www.tuningpeg.com (http://www.tuningpeg.com) and many good experiences with www.stringsforcheap.com (http://www.stringsforcheap.com) and www.juststrings.com. (http://www.juststrings.com.)

Unfortunately, Strings For Cheap is going out of business, so I'll be doing business in the future with Just Strings.

Never EVER will I do business with "The Tuning Peg" again.

Dolan
07-10-2000, 10:54 AM
Tuning Peg are the ones that I am having a problem with also.What happenned with your order from them?

Chris A
07-10-2000, 08:19 PM
Dolan et al.

I live near Juststrings. They are based out of Nashua.( Hi JMAVRO, brewer9, Wil, and anyone else in Nash that I forgot). They are all really cool people. Everytime I've gone in there wanting to try some new strings they've been very patient with me. Looking things up and finding if they are in stock or not, and they have most everything in stock that's on the site.

Chris A. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

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"I have all my own teeth!"--Jenn Scott Poulin

Dolan
07-10-2000, 08:36 PM
Chris,

Thanks for the info.I just wished I had knew about them before.Its kinda frustrating dealing with people who take the money but wont reply to your emails.Its funny how they process that credit card right away but cant give you the decency of a return email.

Where I live you dont have much choice of what kind of strings you can buy.I went in a local music store the other day and they had two brands to choose from for 4 strings and only one for 5 strings.I asked the guy can you order these and he said what do you need and before I had a chance to say anything he went off to the guitar player who was trying to figure out some effects pedal.I paid for a couple of sets and walked.I will try your freinds next time.

Peter McFerrin
07-11-2000, 02:08 AM
I've had problems with The Tuning Peg. They are very, VERY slow. I ordered a set about April 20th and didn't get them until May 15th. JustStrings is a bit spendier, though.

Andy Daventry
07-11-2000, 02:42 AM
Let me tell you about my LaBella adventure with JustStrings. I order a set of 760N black tapewounds for my Rob Allen fretless. However, the E string was too short when it arrived. I e-mailed JustStrings, and complained. They said that the Rob Allen needed a custom E string owing to the particular style of through body stringing, and that if I had told them it was a Rob Allen I was buying for they would have got back to me about this before shipping.

This was the first time I had changed strings on this bass (I had bought it 2nd hand), and I didn't know this.

Anyway, while I was wondering what to do, I got an e-mail from LaBella, who JustStrings had got in touch with, offering to replace the string if I returned it with a custom one...

I took up the offer and the string came.

I have NEVER been more impressed by any retailer/producer relationship ever.

Andy

[This message has been edited by Andy Daventry (edited July 11, 2000).]

Bruce Lindfield
07-11-2000, 04:58 AM
I can heartily and unreservedly recommend Sheet Music Plus for buying strings. I have been doing this for the last year or so, since I discovered them. They claim to have the largest selection of strings on the Web and I believe them!! Huge selection!

Although they are US-based and I live in the UK, the strings have always come within a week and there have been no problems with any orders - they are well-packed and about half the price of anywhere in the UK that I can buy strings - a great deal!!

I have had problems with other companies that won't ship outside the US, although they don't tell you until you have been all through their ordering process (Musician's Enemy http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/mad.gif ). I have also bought books and sheet music from SMP and they have packed all of it together with my regular strings order and I saved on postage.

Go to the "Musician's Store" from the home page - you won't regret it:

http://www.sheetmusicplus.com

And, no I don't work for them or any subsidiary (!) I just like to say it, if I get great service!


[This message has been edited by Bruce Lindfield (edited July 11, 2000).]

Dolan
07-11-2000, 06:30 AM
Thanks guys for your reponses.Nice to know I have other options.

Brad Johnson
07-11-2000, 08:16 AM
I've had a bad experience with the Tuning Peg also, my second order. Strings weren't shipped, several emails were ignored. I won't use them again.

michaeln
07-12-2000, 08:24 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dolan:
Tuning Peg are the ones that I am having a problem with also.What happenned with your order from them?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Here's what I posted on usenet:

I buy a lot of strings for my electric basses. I had been doing business
with the folks at Strings For Cheap (http://www.stringsforcheap.com/), and
they always shipped promptly and had great prices. Unfortunately, they're
going out of business.

I also had good experiences (at somewhat higher prices) with Just Strings
(http://www.juststrings.com).

I discovered a new one, "The Tuning Peg" (http://www.tuningpeg.com) also
known as (http://www.getstringscheap.com), and decided to give them a try.

That turned out to be a mistake.

My first order with them was placed earlier this month. I filled out the
order form, submitted the order, and was rewarded with an immediate email
verification of the order. So far so good.

I waited a week, and the order had not yet been charged to my card, so I
emailed them. They responded that they were out of stock on the strings I'd
ordered, but were expecting more in in a few days. I didn't want to wait "a
few more days" (stringsforcheap always got them to me within a week) before
they'd even ship, assuming they came in, so I emailed them back immediately
and said "OK, well if they aren't in stock, then let's cancel the order
immediately".

No response at all from them.

About a week later, the strings showed up, and they'd charged them to my
credit card, in SPITE of the fact that I asked them to cancel when the
strings had not yet even arrived at their site. They should have honored my
request, but they didn't. I didn't like this much, but decided to give them
another chance.

That was my second mistake.

I ordered again on Wed, 21 Jun 2000. A different brand and set of strings
this time. In the "special instructions" area of the order form I wrote:

"If this order is not in stock or will otherwise be delayed,
please email me immediately.

Thank you."

This text even shows in their emailed order confirmation.

I waited. And waited. The charge didn't show up on my card. On Tuesday
the 27th of June I emailed them to check on the order. No response.

On Wednesday I emailed them again, this time pointing out that they had
screwed up my previous order and that I was now a week into this one and
still unable to find out the status of the order.

Today, Thursday, still no answer from them (and I am unable to find any
phone number to call on their website). I emailed them again and told them
that I'd be posting to usenet about my unsatisfactory experiences with them,
hoping to save some other fool from dealing with them.

So, that's the story. Still no strings, still not charged to my card. I
fully expect that in a week or so they WILL charge the order to my card and that sometime after that the strings will arrive at my door.

But I do business a LOT on the internet, and the bad experiences have been
truly few and far between. This place has a lot to learn about doing
business on the internet, and I wanted you to know. *I* will certainly
never do business with them again.

Looks like it's back to "Just Strings" for me.

Michael

PS: The strings finally did arrive, and they've never responded to ANY of my emails.

Wil Davis
07-12-2000, 10:48 AM
I get most of mine from JustStrings.com (I live just down the road) and I've had really great service from them. I had an "E" from a brand new set of Pyramids break as I was tuning-up, and returned it to them, and they replaced it no questions asked. They're very helpful, and knowledgeable. The only thing that grates just a teeny-weeny bit is the left-handed (!) arch-top in their logo!

- Wil

Wil Davis
07-12-2000, 10:51 AM
I got a really good deal on some Pyramid Golds on eBay, but other than that, I get all my strings from JustStrings.com (see other post...)

- Wil

Dolan
07-12-2000, 11:36 AM
Man what is up with them people at The Tuning Peg?I have my own buisness and return calls asap.These people will not be in buisness very long I do believe.I guess I will just have to get nasty.I'm sure that will get a reply pretty quickly.I just want a reply saying either were out of stock(which then I will tell them to forget it)or tell me they have been shipped.I have had good dealings also on the net but these people aint one of em.

Bruce Lindfield
07-12-2000, 11:58 AM
I would switch to SheetMusicPlus - and quick! Vote with your feet!

Thye are always very prompt and always keep me in touch with emails about the progress of my orders. They definitely have the largest range, compared with the other sites mentioned here.

michaeln
07-12-2000, 05:10 PM
Actually, they don't. They don't carry
Gore Elixers, which is what I use on my Lakland fretless, and they don't carry the D'Addario Slowwounds in the current models. For instance, I use the SW2000-5 Slowwound set. The only five string slowwound sets they list are the old series 5000 and 7000 which don't have the tapered B and aren't even manufactured anymore. Perhaps they have old stock.

But they are 0/2 for what I need.

michaeln
07-12-2000, 05:16 PM
I stand corrected. They do carry the Gore Elixir 14200 set, at $52.95, but they aren't in stock. JustStrings sells the same set for $45.67 and they ARE in stock. But the set I need is the super long ones, and they don't sell those. JustStrings does, for the same $45.67 price.

So they are still 0/2 for my needs.

Bruce Lindfield
07-13-2000, 04:10 AM
By coincidence, I have just got a set of Slowwounds for my 5 string with a tapered B from SheetMusicPlus (SW2000-5). It came in the last week or so and I have put the set with the tapered B on my Tobias. I used the last Super Long set of SlowWounds I got from SheetMusicPlus on my Fender Roscoe Beck, as I was stringing through the body, but the Tobias doesn't need the extra length.

As to prices - I am taking into account shipping to the UK, which most of these companies won't do in the first place, but if they do are usually prohibitively expensive or take for ever. SheetMusicPlus are very good at this and I am reluctant to switch to another comapny that might be less reliable, although I obviously don't want to pay more than I need to.

So maybe I'll try Just Strings for my next order and do a direct comparison and post the details here.

[This message has been edited by Bruce Lindfield (edited July 13, 2000).]

Brooks
07-13-2000, 04:30 AM
Bruce, I live in the Middle East. Ordered a bunch of strings for both my basses and guitars from JustStrings. First, AFTER taking my order, they refused to ship them on my account with DHL or FedEx (???????). They refused to ship them via these and charge me. They sent them parcel post. I got them 9 weeks later. I am now looking for someone who can properly handle international orders. By the way, people like Bass Alone, Bass NorthWest & The Bass Palace do a great job with international orders, but being stores, are too expensive for strings.

Bruce Lindfield
07-13-2000, 04:33 AM
Following my last post, I went to Just strings website and tried ordering the 5-string D'Addario SlowWound set. First impressions are that I don't like the interface as much as SheetMusic Plus and that you have to register before they will tell you how much shipping is - anyway I did it.

Secondly they don't seem to have as many sets. Sheet Music Plus has over 1400 different sets and for D'Addario SlowWounds they gave me the option of Soft or Mixed sets, but Just Strings only have the soft option. But this was what I ordered last time anyway, so I followed the procedure. However, this set is priced at $27.88. whereas SheetMusic Plus is priced at $24.39 for the exact same set!

So I cancelled the order and I think I will be staying with SheetMusicPlus!

PS. Brooks - go with SheetMusicPlus - only a week delivery time to the UK and cheaper than JustStrings!

[This message has been edited by Bruce Lindfield (edited July 13, 2000).]

Dolan
07-15-2000, 12:37 AM
Well the strings finally arrived.They even threw in a guitar pick in each pack,imagine that?I decided to go the local music store route and ordered 'em through them.They cut me a good deal and just went ahead and ordered a couple of box's.Again,thanks everyone for your input.

Sammy Camden
07-16-2000, 07:13 PM
Hey Guys! One of the wonderful things about using a credit card is that you can go back to the credit card company with the complaint and get the charge put into a dispute. They will investigate and if your complaint is valid, you will get the charge removed and the credit card people go after the deadbeat! Check it out.

Keep Thumpin'! Sammy!

michaeln
08-03-2000, 04:56 AM
I was looking this week for a La Bella 760M set for my 62 Precision Reissue. These are the "54 Fender / Jamerson" set. Just Strings has them on order, but none in stock, $26.25.

Sheet Music Plus said $26.29, 2-3 weeks.

This is apparently a set that isn't commonly kept in stock.

Then I remember that Bass Northwest says on their website that they carry a wide variety of strings and normally sell them for 50% off.

I called them, they had them in stock, shipped same day, $25.00. So I think in the future I'll be using them for my string needs. 50% off is a good price, and having stock is important to me. I'm not interested in waiting.
http://www.bassnw.com ... I've had great dealings with them on other stuff too. I bought my Sadowsky PJ5 and my Kern IP-777 from them and both of those deals went very smoothly. Great folks!