Hartke Strings

dragoon419 · #1 01-23-2008, 09:41 PM

Hey. I was wondering if anyone plays Hartke strings. That, and if anyone has any pictures of Hartke strings, cause I hear they have coloured ball-ends similar to D'addarios.

KrispyJones · #2 01-24-2008, 02:36 AM

i played them and propably will someday again!
they sound pretty close to the rotos to me but cost only 10€ per set !
to me they dont die faster than most strings or so !
and yes, the have the same ballends than daddarios

dragoon419 · #3 01-24-2008, 01:47 PM

Has anyone else used these strings?

John Wentzien · #4 01-24-2008, 01:53 PM

I got a free pack in the mail when they first came out. I took them off 5 minutes after I installed them. About the worst strings I have ever tried in 35 years. Just my opoinion.
They are cheap...try 'em if you want...

Phalex · #5 01-24-2008, 01:58 PM

I didn't think they sucked that bad.

They start out pretty bright and tone down fairly quickly.

rdmjazz · #6 01-24-2008, 02:12 PM

I have been using the xlight Hartkes for several years and I get great tone with them. I heard they are seconds from the D'Addario factory or something. I haven't found enough difference to justify the cost of more expensive strings.

Ian Perge · #7 01-25-2008, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wentzien

I got a free pack in the mail when they first came out. I took them off 5 minutes after I installed them. About the worst strings I have ever tried in 35 years. Just my opoinion.
They are cheap...try 'em if you want...

+1 - absolutely horrid!... and I never waste strings, I'l deal with a set that's not my particular sound for a few months, but much like John I took mine off within 15 minutes and restrung with trusty D'addarios.

I even told it to Larry Hartke when their ads were running his number for people to call and talk "shop" with him. He took it well as I was polite about it, but still let him know strings perhaps weren't Hartke's line of business.

**251** · #8 01-25-2008, 09:34 AM

I bought 10 sets on closeout. They're OK. They seem to last about 4 to 5 months compared to the 6 or more months I get from other strings.

Judging by the way they blacken my fingers, I'd say they're nickel plated.

Ball ends are; E - gold, A - red, D - black, G, silver. The A is paint while the others are anodized. There is no thread wrap.

Frankjohnson · #9 01-25-2008, 09:58 AM

I bought them to try beacuse they were cheap. They were absolutely cheap.

Think of a rusty ice pick in the freezer being jabbed into one ear, as a replay of Quint scratching his nails on teh blackbaord in the movie Jaws is played thorugh a huge amplified full surround system, while someone clamps vice grips onto your left testicle, while the other is manually pulled completely off.

Yep - they are that good !

dragoon419 · #10 01-25-2008, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frankjohnson

I bought them to try beacuse they were cheap. They were absolutely cheap.

Think of a rusty ice pick in the freezer being jabbed into one ear, as a replay of Quint scratching his nails on teh blackbaord in the movie Jaws is played thorugh a huge amplified full surround system, while someone clamps vice grips onto your left testicle, while the other is manually pulled completely off.

Yep - they are that good !

So, I take it they're not your cup of tea?

Frankjohnson · #11 01-25-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragoon419

So, I take it they're not your cup of tea?

Other than that..........yeah - they were ok.......

:{I)>

John Wentzien · #12 01-25-2008, 02:07 PM

I think they are made in CHINA also...

jasper383 · #13 01-25-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wentzien

I think they are made in CHINA also...

No, not Chinese.

I think they are D'Addarios, made to Hartke's specs, much the same way Sadowsky strings are made by La Bella to Sadowsky specs. The colored ball ends are a giveaway.

Not to say I liked them when I had them, but they felt more like D'Addarios than other strings I have tried.

Similar to the GHS strings you can get at Walmart; a little rougher, a little cheaper, a little shorter lasting.

projectMalamute · #14 01-25-2008, 03:26 PM

I don't care for aluminum strings.

Lorenzini · #15 01-25-2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasper383

I think they are D'Addarios, made to Hartke's specs, much the same way Sadowsky strings are made by La Bella to Sadowsky specs. The colored ball ends are a giveaway.

Sadowsky strings are made by R. Cocco, not La Bella.

jasper383 · #16 01-26-2008, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzini

Sadowsky strings are made by R. Cocco, not La Bella.

That's right. I had the wrong parent company.

R Cocco also makes La Bella, correct? I guess what I'm trying to say is that Hartke falls into the D'Addario family the way La Bella and Sadowsky fall into the R Cocco family.

Sadowsky · #17 01-27-2008, 09:44 AM

Richard Cocco Jr. is the president of E. & O. Mari Inc. They make LaBella strings. R.Cocco was the brand of his father, who had no connection with E. & O. Mari for over 20 years. R. Cocco made strings on his own until his death several years ago. The brand was acquired by an Italian company. There is no connection with this current company and E.& O. Mari/LaBella.

Roger