Ottawa - Holy Grr! (5 string tapewound content)

newbold · #1 12-08-2009, 08:23 PM

So here I am in the Ottawa area in need of a new set of strings. I currently have a set of nickel roundwounds on my JazzV and I went all over the city looking for a 5 string set of flats or tapes anywhere.

I'm pretty much stuck with online orders, as few bass players play 5 string let alone anything but roundwound strings.

Nothing at Steve's Lauzon's or Lonnie's...I'll either be calling around every tiny store or biting the bullet and ordering my strings online (I like supporting stores)

anyone have any similar experiences anywhere else?

sub~waver · #2 12-09-2009, 08:52 PM

I hear you about the lack of flats in Ottawa. I've recently switch to a set of Fender flats for my jazz. Luckily enough, they had a set at Steve's that are the exact gauge I was looking for. I was playing Rotosound Swing Bass 66s for a while then wanted to finally give the flats a whirl. "Wow", is pretty-much all the review I can give on them. I think I will be sticking with flats for quite some time. Try different brands for the sake of experimentation, but these Fenders are so amazing to play...and ultra high tension, which is fine for me because I really like to dig in when the song calls for it.
So, flats and tapes are hard to come by, even more so for 5-stringers. Either the strings are really popular here in Ottawa, or there is not enough demand. Either way, my next trip to Steve's will entail purchasing multiple sets (if they have them) just in case I get stuck in the future.

jasper383 · #3 12-10-2009, 04:35 AM

Flats and tapes are pretty much a niche item, especially in sets other than four strings.

newbold · #4 12-11-2009, 12:57 AM

That's like saying that effects pedals are a niche item and it's easy to find a bunch of those in any music store. Strings come in small packages and give people access to different tones without batteries.

So what if they're 'niche'...that kind of approach to this problem is akin to waving a white flag.

I had to go to eBay to get my strings. Glad that these strings take years to die.

jasper383 · #5 12-11-2009, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbold

That's like saying that effects pedals are a niche item and it's easy to find a bunch of those in any music store. Strings come in small packages and give people access to different tones without batteries.

So what if they're 'niche'...that kind of approach to this problem is akin to waving a white flag.

I had to go to eBay to get my strings. Glad that these strings take years to die.

Stores stock what is in demand. If your store has a bunch of pedals, that's because people come in a lot looking for pedals.

No flag waving, just supply and demand.

newbold · #6 12-12-2009, 02:23 AM

Of course, not at all suggesting that you're at all incorrect Jasper383, but it is also partly the age old 'what kinds of strings do you have' question never being answered with the 'there's this and this and this and this...what kind of tone do you want to try to get with a set of strings?' answer/question for many factors that include:

Few bass players proportionally work in music stores, and of those few few stray from the standard consumer of bass products.

putting the extra bit of effort into strings doesn't pay off with big commissions

More musicians see other musicians playing with pedals but probably don't notice flats/tapes on the bass they've been eying all night.

I'm looking forward to my package arriving.