Has anyone tried First Act strings? ($1.99/pack blowout)

pudgychef · #1 09-20-2010, 07:36 PM

tried to search but it kept eliminating 'First' and only searching 'Act'

anyways I was on the site and noticed they were clearing out strings for $1.99

http://shop.firstact.com/PublicStore...W-OUT,193.aspx

figured I would try some but curious if anyone had any experience with them

thanks
adam

hinklegm · #2 09-20-2010, 08:11 PM

Seems to me like the price is low enough to try them, at least.

edit: obviously I didn't read the rest of your post, otherwise I would have noticed you already mentioned that. Be sure to update with how they are.

pudgychef · #3 09-21-2010, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hinklegm

Seems to me like the price is low enough to try them, at least.

edit: obviously I didn't read the rest of your post, otherwise I would have noticed you already mentioned that. Be sure to update with how they are.

will do!

Stingray5 · #4 09-21-2010, 09:09 PM

wow for $26 shipped I could get 10 sets of strings. Surely these must be garbage.. ?

Pilgrim · #5 09-21-2010, 09:12 PM

They make basses at different price points, and not all of them are Wally World cheapos. Might be worth a try. What do you have to lose? Less than the cost of a mega-latte.

pudgychef · #6 09-21-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingray5

wow for $26 shipped I could get 10 sets of strings. Surely these must be garbage.. ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

They make basses at different price points, and not all of them are Wally World cheapos. Might be worth a try. What do you have to lose? Less than the cost of a mega-latte.

well I did just notice this in the medium gauge description

"American Made Eletric Bass Strings

Nickel Plated Steel
.045, .065, .080, .100
Stainless Steel
.045, .065, .075, .095
Stainles Steel
.045, .065, .085, .105"

we shall see.....I ordered a few sets.

NKUSigEp · #7 09-21-2010, 09:55 PM

Wow...keep posted - $1.99 is hard to pass up for strings!

trayner1 · #8 09-21-2010, 09:58 PM

Hmm...this looks interesting.

bassyRyan · #9 09-22-2010, 12:32 AM

Not to sound like a snob, but I wouldn't let these strings in the same room as my basses. Strings are the one thing that so many people take shortcuts on while it should be the last (IMO). It's a good price for an emergency set or for a downright beater bass to wear and an absolutely great price for those on a budget (right, kids?), but not for me. Wish they were around when I first started playing. I just hope any players that do a bit of prolonged playing don't consider these a bargain because I'd bet all of my basses that these strings change into a bronze-like colour wherever your fingers are in contact, have a high likelyhood of breaking while tuning and sound like absolute crap in two weeks.

Strings are such an important factor when considering the proper functionality of an instrument and if there is ANY advice I can give to new or younger players, it's that you get what you pay for...don't feel bad about using strings that are a third of the price of your bass (just remember: every manufacturer says THEIR strings are the best).

puddin tame · #10 09-22-2010, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassyRyan

Not to sound like a snob, but I wouldn't let these strings in the same room as my basses. Strings are the one thing that so many people take shortcuts on while it should be the last (IMO). It's a good price for an emergency set or for a downright beater bass to wear and an absolutely great price for those on a budget (right, kids?), but not for me. Wish they were around when I first started playing. I just hope any players that do a bit of prolonged playing don't consider these a bargain because I'd bet all of my basses that these strings change into a bronze-like colour wherever your fingers are in contact, have a high likelyhood of breaking while tuning and sound like absolute crap in two weeks.

Strings are such an important factor when considering the proper functionality of an instrument and if there is ANY advice I can give to new or younger players, it's that you get what you pay for...don't feel bad about using strings that are a third of the price of your bass (just remember: every manufacturer says THEIR strings are the best).

have you tried these strings?

dmusic148 · #11 09-22-2010, 01:02 AM

I haven't, but if they're anything like Webstrings, which go for about $10, they are absolutely horrible.

totallyfrozen · #12 09-22-2010, 12:57 PM

I would try to find some user reviews online before I bought any.
$1.99 is a little too cheap for bass strings...even on clearance. I'm really suspicious of the quality of these strings. To imagine that the store can sell them for $1.99/set and still make some profit should make you wonder about the quality.

pudgychef · #13 09-22-2010, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmusic148

I haven't, but if they're anything like Webstrings, which go for about $10, they are absolutely horrible.

I don't mind the Webstring Flats.

AcidFripp · #14 09-22-2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddin tame

have you tried these strings?

Have you tried eating a deep fried dog turd covered with vomit? No? Then how do you know it's not absolutely delicious?

Of course I'm playing Devil's Advocate here! I'm sure that these strings do have a chance of being OK, I guess you never really know. But still, it's basic instinct, just looking at that price and the fact that it's First Act (not a very good instrument company).

NKUSigEp · #15 09-22-2010, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcidFripp

Have you tried eating a deep fried dog turd covered with vomit? No? Then how do you know it's not absolutely delicious?

Of course I'm playing Devil's Advocate here! I'm sure that these strings do have a chance of being OK, I guess you never really know. But still, it's basic instinct, just looking at that price and the fact that it's First Act (not a very good instrument company).

Not a very good instrument company because they have a dirt-cheap budget line? Ever check out the rest of their line? Astounding if you ask me...and a large amount of rock and metal bands in recent history! A Delgado is high on my GAS list.

As for the strings...for $2 it wouldn't hurt anyone to at least try them. Sure, the price wouldn't indicate anything even remotely decent but neither would the SX basses and those seem to be a great bang for the buck. I'd just wait to reserve judgement until I actually read some reviews or tried 'em myself.

How do you go from n00b to snob so quickly? I thought only the jaded veterans got to play the high-dollar cards around here.

LOL

totallyfrozen · #16 09-22-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AcidFripp

...Of course I'm playing Devil's Advocate here!...looking at ...the fact that it's First Act (not a very good instrument company).

They sell First Act instruments at Wal-Mart. Honestly, how good can they really be? I guess for $1.99 you're not taking much of a risk but it seems like a waste of time to me, personally. Why bother?

totallyfrozen · #17 09-22-2010, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

Not a very good instrument company because they have a dirt-cheap budget line? Ever check out the rest of their line? Astounding if you ask me...and a large amount of rock and metal bands in recent history! A Delgado is high on my GAS list...

We're not talking about their Delgados or "the rest of their line". We're talking about ultra-cheap $1.99 budget strings.

I don't care if someone tries them...I'm just sayin'.

dmusic148 · #18 09-22-2010, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

Sure, the price wouldn't indicate anything even remotely decent but neither would the SX basses and those seem to be a great bang for the buck.

Oddly enough, it's actually a lot easier to make a decent bass or guitar cheaply than it is to make decent cheap strings. String manufacturing is EXTREMELY demanding. Unlike a cheap bass that might need fretwork or whatever, you can't fix a defective string- you throw it away. But hey, somebody try a set!

pudgychef · #19 09-23-2010, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

They sell First Act instruments at Wal-Mart. Honestly, how good can they really be? I guess for $1.99 you're not taking much of a risk but it seems like a waste of time to me, personally. Why bother?

yeah but people say that about webstrings too....I have played 400 gigs on webstrings in the past, recorded two CDs with them...no complaints and was called back multiple times to that studio..for a few bucks and 10minutes to ch angestrings...doesn't seem like much time to waste...hell some of you likely spend that much time deciding on a witty facebook update....

Quote:

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

We're not talking about their Delgados or "the rest of their line". We're talking about ultra-cheap $1.99 budget strings.

I don't care if someone tries them...I'm just sayin'.

but they are the strings they ship on their $1500 plus basses.....

NKUSigEp · #20 09-23-2010, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

They sell First Act instruments at Wal-Mart. Honestly, how good can they really be? I guess for $1.99 you're not taking much of a risk but it seems like a waste of time to me, personally. Why bother?

Quote:

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

We're not talking about their Delgados or "the rest of their line". We're talking about ultra-cheap $1.99 budget strings.

I don't care if someone tries them...I'm just sayin'.

These posts seem to contradict each other.

In any event, the ones at Wally World and the ones from their shop are two different animals. They play, sound, feel, and look as good as anything else in their price range ($1k-$2k). There's a bigger gap between them than say a US Fender and a Squier, but still no different a concept than the Fender version.