DR Strings? 2 separate problems!!

[littlebooner]

As far as how frequent people post DR problems, it might have something to do with the price they are compared to D'Addario for example. Much easier to feel jipped when you paid more. On the other hand, the posts here are anecdotal and there's no way to quantify people's experiences in that way.

[One Drop]

All strings have occasional bad runs and defective batches and singles. Start a similar thread about any of them and you will end up with a long thread detailing people's problems. Judging quality by general impression of anecdotal posts is not the way forward, IMO.

Nothing but good experiences for me, I have used and loved Lo Riders over the years with zero problems.

[ewe2]

I've been using roundwounds of different brands for years and this is a typical problem with them. But I've rarely had an issue: I think the last problem set was D'addario over a decade ago. I just put some DR Neons on without a hitch. Maybe its just the way I do it.

[cfsporn]

I have never had DR return any of my emails for any of the many DOA string sets I have bought. As Rotosound, La Bella, Dunlop, and Ernie Ball can be bothered to answer my emails, they get my business. Plus, no other company (besides La Bella) has such a poor bad strings/strings bought rate. I guess strings are something that should be made on a machine…

That said, I have heard they respond a little quicker to demands filed by a distributor, so you may have a bit more luck there.

[woolysock]

Been using DRs for years and years, never a problem. Never.

[MysticMichael]

Longtime DR user here. I love the strings - stainless steel Lo-Riders, Fat Beams & Hi-Beams - and have rarely had any problems with quality. On those rare occasions when I've experienced string breakage upon installation, a quick phone call to DR quickly secured me the required replacement string(s) - no questions asked.

MM

[maurilio]

never had problem with DR emails or calls. One only time with a broken string and they took care of the issue lightning fast.

M

[G3Mitch]

only problem i've experienced was a strange E string on one set i got a few months ago. it sounded dead on the 3rd and 5th fret, which was very wierd. being from nz, bit of a hassle getting replacement strings from DR. so i got another set and was fine. been using Hi beams ever since. great strings.

instructions need to be followed. i find i need to push down the strings at the bridge as well.

[dave_bass5]

Ive just put my first set of new DR Black Beauties on (replacing an old set i got used off another forum) and the G string is dead. All other 3 strings have that new "zing" to them but the G sounds like the year old G i just took off.
I have contacted DR via email and have contacted the place i got them. Waiting to hear back from both.
I loved the old set but im a bit weary now of DR stings. Ive heard of others having the exact same issue, more than once.

[Lorenzini]

Originally Posted by dave_bass5

Ive just put my first set of new DR Black Beauties on (replacing an old set i got used off another forum) and the G string is dead. All other 3 strings have that new "zing" to them but the G sounds like the year old G i just took off.
I have contacted DR via email and have contacted the place i got them. Waiting to hear back from both.
I loved the old set but im a bit weary now of DR stings. Ive heard of others having the exact same issue, more than once.

I've had the same issues with Dunlops, too.

I don't think any string company is perfect in this regard, though D'Addario is probably one of the best.

[black lake]

First set of DRs I bought was missing the B, and I spent the next month and a half trying to get a replacement out of them. Tossed the whole set in the garbage. Not worth the run around I got from their customer service. Never had a problem with any other brand before or since, and I buy lots of strings each year. To each his own, as there seems to be lots of folks who got prompt replacement of their defective strings. I won't be wasting any more money on their strings.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Originally Posted by black lake

First set of DRs I bought was missing the B, and I spent the next month and a half trying to get a replacement out of them. Tossed the whole set in the garbage. Not worth the run around I got from their customer service. Never had a problem with any other brand before or since, and I buy lots of strings each year. To each his own, as there seems to be lots of folks who got prompt replacement of their defective strings. I won't be wasting any more money on their strings.

This does not sound like a problem that is common at all. Unless the strings were purchased directly from DR (they do not sell to the public so it rules that out), the strings were in the hands of another company. DR string sets are NOT sealed in any way so it is possible someone pulled a B string out to take care of someone else and did not follow through on completing the set with a new single or who knows what else could have happened.

In short, the fact that the string set was out of DR's hands and then in the hands of another company, and then going through customs most likely going from the US to Canada, there is a better chance the string went missing after it shipped from DR.

NOT saying it's not a possibility of a missing string from any manufacturer I have seen it happen before (even in sealed sets), there are too many factors in this one...

[sunbeast]

A common cause of the overtone or dead string issue is a twisted string- usually caused by wrapping the string around the post by hand rather than holding it straight and wrapping it mechanically with the tuning peg. This seems to be especially sensitive with round-core strings in my experience (which are a good portion of the DR catalog), I guess because they are easier to twist.
Another problem, especially common with B strings or other large gauge strings, is a bad focal/speaking point at the bridge saddle- depending on the saddle design, you might need to gently bend the string at the point where it leaves the saddle to create a non-moving speaking point or else your intonation will move slightly depending on where you are on the neck. That is super common on string-through-body basses, as the sharp angle out of the body makes the connection with the bridge saddle more awkward than when strung through the bridge itself.

Not saying that either of these common issues are what are happening here, but given my years of using almost all DR strings without a single issue I am surprised to hear of people with many!

[ewe2]

Originally Posted by sunbeast

Not saying that either of these common issues are what are happening here, but given my years of using almost all DR strings without a single issue I am surprised to hear of people with many!

Agreed, this isn't really a specific DR issue, its simply the case that you have to be careful stringing roundwounds. Don't cut too short, maintain tension on the string while winding and pay attention when you're stringing through the bridge. If you get this right, its often the case you hardly need to tune at all except for temperature issues.

Craven shoutout to SLaPiNFuNK: the DR Neons are awesome, having a lot of fun with them!

[dave_bass5]

Ive been playing for over 20 years so how i wind the string is not a problem. Ive also never had any string dead out of the packet from any other company.
While im sure its not just DR that has problems they make a big deal out of their strings being hand wound so i would assume this is supposed to be a positive thing, not negative. Seems maybe its not.
I emailed Dr 4 days ago and not heard anything so im not holding up much hope fo them helping me. Im in the UK so will have to go through the dealer here but its a shame that my fist experience with the company is not a positive one. Even an acknowledgement would have been nice.

Love the strings though but maybe ill need to find something else to use next string change as i dont want this hassle again.

[sunbeast]

Originally Posted by dave_bass5

Ive been playing for over 20 years so how i wind the string is not a problem. Ive also never had any string dead out of the packet from any other company.
While im sure its not just DR that has problems they make a big deal out of their strings being hand wound so i would assume this is supposed to be a positive thing, not negative. Seems maybe its not.
I emailed Dr 4 days ago and not heard anything so im not holding up much hope fo them helping me. Im in the UK so will have to go through the dealer here but its a shame that my fist experience with the company is not a positive one. Even an acknowledgement would have been nice.

Love the strings though but maybe ill need to find something else to use next string change as i dont want this hassle again.

I trust that you know what you are doing, but to be honest I have showed many an older bass or guitar player how to do basic things like string an instrument correctly, set intonation or set neck relief or action, so time in itself means little. If it was your first time stringing a set of round-core strings, then you might have unexpected complications.

As mentioned here- email is probably not the fastest or best course of communication (and obviously they aren't going to reply after closing on Friday night or over their weekend). I have emailed DR in the past about non-pressing questions related to their product line and did recieve replies within a couple days, which seems standard for the MI industry.

I had multiple issues with Rotosound strings before ever trying my first DRs years ago, and I found their response to be great despite being overseas. I actually accidentally sent an email to the UK the first time I actually tried to do something about a bad string (they also have a US contact, which I didn't know at the time), but I ended up with a new set of strings as well as a replacement for my dud in a week all the way from the UK. The guy I talked to asked me to send him my batch # from the packaging and explained what the potential issues could have been with that batch. I can't say for sure whether DR will go to those lengths, but it goes to show that bad strings are not isolated to one company and that sometimes you might actually walk away happy from a potentially bad experience. So I didn't stop using Rotosounds because of quality or lack of customer service, but because I had heard about DR Hi-Beams/Black Beauties!

For me, after trying many sets of strings, the DRs do something for me that other strings never did, so they are well worth it if I did ever have a problem or two (knock on wood).

Good luck!

[dave_bass5]

Yeah, I do know what im doing but I understand you asking.
I do all my own setups etc, and ive put this bass together from parts so its all set up and working exactly how I like it. Just saying im aware of the issues.
Ive had the string off twice to make sure it was wound correctly, as these strings are a bit stiffer than most that ive used.

I know email can be quite slow. To be honest I wasn't expecting DR to do much, as over here in the UK our sale agreement is with the seller, not the manufacture, so its down to them to correct this, not DR. I thought I would give DR the chance to reply to my issue, and maybe they would offer help, who knows, but I did think an acknowledgment email back, if nothing else, would be nice.

Maybe they are busy etc, but after 4 days and a duff string I don't think I see the great CS others are seeing.

I had a gig last night and ended up putting the old G string back on, as it had more life in it.
I do agree that these do have something ive not had with other strings (and ive used a lot over the years) so I really dont want to give up on them, but also don't want to take the risk that this will happen again.

Thanks for the reply, im sure all will be well soon.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Dr switched email servers last week so their email was down Wednesday night - Friday morning. So it is possible your email was in that window.

[black lake]

I don't have a problem that the string was missing, just as you have said Slapinfunk, that could have happened at any point. I was more concerned about the grief I got when I contacted DR customer service.

First call, promise to send out a replacement, and nothing done. Second call, unaware of my first call, but another promise to send out a replacement. 2 weeks went by and someone finally got around to sending out a replacement. You be the judge, I am just saying life is too short to put up with that nonsense. I buy strings from the states and domestically all of the time, and I have never had a problem. Just a one off I guess.


Here is the link to whole story: Great DR customer service experience

[Lorenzini]

I don't know why, but I have begun to think this thread lives under a bridge somewhere.