$8 Guitar Center strings

NickInMesa · #1 02-05-2009, 07:15 PM

I saw they had baskets full of these $8 bass strings and $5 guitar strings at Guitard Center.

When I ask the snotty a-hole at the accessory store how good they were, he replied "affordable" (***?)

Seriously how good/bad are they?

Thanks!

shaolinwhat · #2 02-05-2009, 07:16 PM

i used to buy $20 5-packs from samash when i changed my strings a lot on tour, no complaints. strings are strings as long as they dont break. when theyre new they sound good.

martyman5000 · #3 02-05-2009, 07:16 PM

Its a trick they are made of gold and will make your bass sound amazing.

DeepCalls2Deep · #4 02-05-2009, 07:22 PM

Gotta love sarcastic remarks to a genuine question

I live to far away from a GC to snag a set, and I am an EB man all the way regardless. But, it's $8.. snag a set and put them on. (save your old strings) Let us know how they sound...

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaolinwhat

strings are strings as long as they dont break. when theyre new they sound good.

No offense, but that's complete nonsense.

jaywa · #5 02-05-2009, 07:35 PM

Those $8 GC bass strings are cr*p. Sorry that's just the fact. My guitarist bought me a set thinking he was doing me a favor. Granted he got me the wrong gauge (super light) but even with that I could tell they weren't very good. They wouldn't stay in tune for anything. I don't know how long they last cause I didn't leave them on long enough to find out.

stanger503 · #6 02-05-2009, 07:42 PM

yea...strings are not just strings... strings shape someones sound, no...strings shape EVERYONES sound. their just as important as your amp and the bass itself. but i can understand where your coming from on that when money is short and you need something. even cheap strings are better than broken strings

mrkreuzschlitz · #7 02-05-2009, 07:45 PM

A LONG time ago I got some weird named $5 at GC.

They sounded a lot better than dead strings. Pretty much on par with D'Addario's too,
but I hate those...

To each his own.

BigOldHarry · #8 02-05-2009, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

I saw they had baskets full of these $8 bass strings and $5 guitar strings at Guitard Center.

When I ask the snotty a-hole at the accessory store how good they were, he replied "affordable" (***?)

Seriously how good/bad are they?

Thanks!

he was being honest. You get what you pay for.

Sub5ound · #9 02-05-2009, 08:40 PM

If you play them long enough, they change colors.

chicago_mike · #10 02-05-2009, 08:51 PM

The GC string story: We did a couple of grnad opening in chicago a looooong time ago and the gc brand strings were there. But as soon as the Opening was over a week later, they got boxed up and put into GC's main storage warehouse...to be shipped from store to store whenever they need them for some event.

the strings when we got them were alreay years old. spend your money wisely, not cheaply.

NickInMesa · #11 02-05-2009, 11:44 PM

Alright, I got it.

But then again, you find great strings for $15, for instance Ernie Ball's stainless steels are pretty good, at least to me.

GC strings could be somebody else's stainless steels sold in a generic package, a bit like OTC drugs.

I know... I know... All I need to do is spend $8 and then I'll know. String a bass, tune, stretch, retune, practice one hour, test tuning, retune, forget bass for a few days then test tuning again, and I'll know.

Bongolation · #12 02-06-2009, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickInMesa

GC strings could be somebody else's stainless steels sold in a generic package, a bit like OTC drugs.

That's almost certainly true, but if they're stainless rounds any money you save on the strings you more than lose back in hideous fretwear.

I got a bunch of Danelectro bass strings once at GC on sale and -- being the usual Danelectro crap -- they couldn't be bothered to say what they were made of. The salesguy said nickleplate, but they weren't. They turned out to be stainless fretkillers and I wound up throwing all six sets of them out.

Those cheap stainless rounds are always false economy.

Live and learn.

BloozBass · #13 02-06-2009, 07:46 AM

Given the relationship between GC and MF, I wouldn't be surprised if those were the 'Musicians Gear' strings you can get from both websites. Full price is $7.99 for the 4 string set and $9.99 for the 5 string set. They're nickel plated, and not too bad for the money. I'm a stainless kind of guy, mainly because my hands can turn nickel black in 5 notes or less, but I've used a couple of sets for specific needs over the last few years, and I don't have any problem with them. I never left them on long enough to reach end-of-life, however, so I can't vouch for their longevity. As always, YMMV.

Blooz

xgator4u · #14 02-06-2009, 08:06 PM

YUP, you get what you pay for, IF you are lucky...Often you get less than you pay for and more than you bargained for. Buy the kind of strings you like, and know you will use, wait for your strings to go on sale, and stock up.

shaolinwhat · #15 02-07-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepCalls2Deep

No offense, but that's complete nonsense.

well i guess i did make a pretty blanket statement yes, but my point is that when you change your strings every other night on tour, its not worth paying $20 a set. they get the job done as far as providing a bright tone for my eq section to work with. sorry if thats nonsense too