"All string brands are made by the same 2 or 3 manufacturers, anyway."

[davelowell2]

I just heard this at a music store. I wanted some DR's and got some GHS Boomers, because that's all they had, and the above quote.

Now, what the heck is going on?

Is this really true?

I searched but couldn't get past the three letter word rule.

Thanks, Dave.

[Kwesi]

bull schnitzel

[PSPookie]

I've heard this before as well, but I suspect it is one of those oft-propagated myths like underpowering your cabs.

It would be great to hear from someone in the know.

Then again I like the strings I like so it probably doesn't really matter anyway

BTW DRs are some of the strings I like.

[davelowell2]

I REALLY thought this was BS. I mean, how can that be true? Are we all just a bunch of dummies, anyway?

Keep 'em coming!

Any string employees out there?

[jgroh]

Hmmmm...I dunno...the differences between strings make me think thats not the case. I recently came into a bunch of free strings from some of the biggest manufacturers (Fender, DR, Rotosound, etc) and they all look and feel different.

[nicfargo]

I've heard the same thing, and to some extent it makes perfect sense. RAM for computers, panels for LCD screens, etc are all made by 2 or 3 different manufacturers and then sony, samsung, and others just slap their name on them. The same could easily be done with strings as well. Wouldn't surprise me one bit. They're all probably wound by the same manufacturer to different specs, and that's why we have different sounding, different looking strings.

[LilRay]

They may be made in the same places but they are at least different specs. I used GHS for over 15 years, then I tried DR. Night and day difference. At this point I wouldn't buy the GHS if that was infact all the store had. I'd order DR online and wait a couple days.

DR's are a completely different animal than GHS. I'd prefer DR 10 to 1 over GHS.

IMO, YMMV ETC.

God Bless, Ray

[mvw356]

i've heard this too from a store owner (not a good source). i do think that some of the big manufacturers do make some white label stuff and sell them off for cheap. it's done like that in every industry, why not strings. there are so many string brands out there that makes it hard to belive they all have their own manufacturing facilities.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by nicfargo

They're all probably wound by the same manufacturer to different specs, and that's why we have different sounding, different looking strings.

This, Carvin strings, and Sadowsky, for example, are made by LaBella, and D'Addario do a lot of other companies strings.

[LilRay]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

This, Carvin strings, and Sadowsky, for example, are made by LaBella, and D'Addario do a lot of other companies strings.

So does DR make theirs, or sub them out?

God Bless, Ray

[rhino333]

I've heard this for years from various sources including a friend that owns a music store.

What will happen is the manufacturer will take on "run jobs" for other strings companies and will make the strings to the specs of that company. It's a normal practice in many production businesses. Food manufacturers do it all the time. This is where "off brands" are created (eg: the "store brand" of ketchup/catsup versus the national brand like Heinz).

This is a way for the manufacture to use their facilities and keep their people working during times when their stock is sufficient. Instead of shutting down shop, take on a few jobs for others.

[honestjohnny]

Originally Posted by LilRay

They may be made in the same places but they are at least different specs.

There are only a few factories that have the equipment and personel to mass produce strings for electric instruments. However, the companies that contract the factories have their own specs and QA associated with the product that recieves their label. Some may be made by hand in smaller facilities, but you'll be able to tell by the price and marketing. This is true for most mass produced products. It doesn't mean that the end product is the same, though.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by LilRay

So does DR make theirs, or sub them out?

God Bless, Ray

As far as I know, DR make their own, I've heard another company does the coated strings for them though, Aurora Strings, or somesuch.

Rotosound definatly do their own.

[markdavid]

Originally Posted by davelowell2

I just heard this at a music store. I wanted some DR's and got some GHS Boomers, because that's all they had, and the above quote.

Now, what the heck is going on?

Is this really true?

I searched but couldn't get past the three letter word rule.

Thanks, Dave.

This is complete rubbish , its the music stores way of getting you to buy a different brand of strings as they did not have the DR's you wanted

[greenboy]

Original premise though ("All string brands are made by the same 2 or 3 manufacturers, anyway") has largely been correct. But as some have said, there's still room for different OEM specs. That's largely a matter of core-to-wrap wire changes, wire formulation from available selections, and stepping up to a thicker core earlier or later as one increases gauge across the neck... but sometimes it's mainly just gauge selection and re-packaging, with no other changes.

But there are a few more smaller companies now actually going further by formulating their own specs and sometimes with alternate wire sources, and even buying and modifying winding machinery for their own unique needs.

[lunarpollen]

"All string brands are made by the same 2 or 3 manufacturers, anyway."

Taken at face value, it is a false statement. It suggests a false dichotomy of either that:
(a) All string brands are made by the same two or three manufacturers
or
(b) Every string brand is made by a different manufacturer

In actuality, the statement is merely an deceptive exaggeration. It is true that a large portion of the strings out there are made by only a few manufacturers. But it is false to say that all of them are made by just two or three. There are dozens of string makers out there. Some make huge quantities of different lines of strings in different quantities to be sold under different brand names as well as under their own brand name. Some mass produce all their own and only their own strings. And some handmake smaller quantities of boutique strings. Etc.

[stingray69]

Originally Posted by rhino333

I've heard this for years from various sources including a friend that owns a music store.

What will happen is the manufacturer will take on "run jobs" for other strings companies and will make the strings to the specs of that company. It's a normal practice in many production businesses. Food manufacturers do it all the time. This is where "off brands" are created (eg: the "store brand" of ketchup/catsup versus the national brand like Heinz).

This is a way for the manufacture to use their facilities and keep their people working during times when their stock is sufficient. Instead of shutting down shop, take on a few jobs for others.

Originally Posted by honestjohnny

There are only a few factories that have the equipment and personel to mass produce strings for electric instruments. However, the companies that contract the factories have their own specs and QA associated with the product that recieves their label. Some may be made by hand in smaller facilities, but you'll be able to tell by the price and marketing. This is true for most mass produced products. It doesn't mean that the end product is the same, though.

Originally Posted by greenboy

Original premise though ("All string brands are made by the same 2 or 3 manufacturers, anyway") has largely been correct. But as some have said, there's still room for different OEM specs. That's largely a matter of core-to-wrap wire changes, wire formulation from available selections, and stepping up to a thicker core earlier or later as one increases gauge across the neck... but sometimes it's mainly just gauge selection and re-packaging, with no other changes.

But there are a few more smaller companies now actually going further by formulating their own specs and sometimes with alternate wire sources, and even buying and modifying winding machinery for their own unique needs.

I agree with all these these comments. That's the way big business industry is done. You've got a small handful of big factories tooled with highly ($$$) specialized equipment running client order "runs" as per the client specs (number of winds, types of steel...nickel, etc.)

A very long-time friend of mine who is a great mechanic in general & who specializes in fork-lift repair & maintenance was dispatched to a large oil-packaging/distributing plant on a job. They took him past or into the main production area & he told me he witnessed the end of one of these runs happening. The plastic quart oil bottles with one name brand on it had just finished, followed immediately (and without stopping the production line) by another major label's oil containers getting filled with the exact same oil. I'm inclined to believe him - again, just big industry.

[jgroh]

here what I found on Webstrings.com:

http://webstrings.com/how_we_do_it.html

Says the same thing you said in the original post.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by stingray69

The plastic quart oil bottles with one name brand on had finished, followed immediately (and without stopping the production line) by another major label's oil containers getting filled with the exact same oil. I'm inclined to believe him - again, just big industry.

This is buisness, I worked for a year in one of the biggest companies in Europe, exact same deal, exactly.

[MadModBassist]

No need to delve into it that much, lunarpollen. It's an exaggeration. Of course there aren't just two or three main manufacturers. Nice FLCL avatar, though.

Instead, what I think he meant was, that a central company produces several different line of strings, which is highly likely. A central company owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC, but those three restaurants are nothing alike. Likewise, at the pharmacy, many name-brand medicines and store-brand are the exact same, with just different labeling.

I don't know for sure, but I don't doubt that the same case is with string manufacturers.