Ripped off???

Knifedge · #1 04-25-2009, 08:48 PM

One time, playing a 5 nighter in Halifax, Canada, I went to the local music shop for some strings before the gig. I normally get D'Addario XL's, but the dude (well respected musician) recommended these Dean Markley Elixers (they were a brand new product at that time) and swore that they would hold their brightness for a good long time. I was hesitant, the strings were $110 per pack, but I though, why not....

I get on stage that night, E string snapped 2nd song in the first set, and I didn't own a second bass at the time..

Of course, I took them back, got my money back for them, and bought what I always get, no problems..

Anyone else have a similar experience?

hanx · #2 04-25-2009, 08:56 PM

my new bass came with Elixers, they are ~$90 australian from what i hear, and come highly recommended, they sound and feel ok so far, but i haven't put them through much punishment.

two fingers · #3 04-25-2009, 08:59 PM

I used to work at a guitar shop. Elixer made a bad run of acoustic guitar G strings. They broke ALL the time. There were guys oedering packs of G strings.

Knifedge · #4 04-25-2009, 09:02 PM

Yea, they are quite expensive. I was really disheartened when that string broke.. it was only the first set of the night and I wasn't playing hard at all (I do towards the end of the night). I stretched the strings like I always do (routine) I did nothing different. It may have been a faulty batch, who knows.. it did make me realize that if something works well, keep it. It was worth a try, but at that time, where music meant my rent, it sucked when that string broke. It was cool of the music store to take them back though.

Knifedge · #5 04-25-2009, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by two fingers

I used to work at a guitar shop. Elixer made a bad run of acoustic guitar G strings. They broke ALL the time. There were guys oedering packs of G strings.

I heard about that. I didn't try elixers for any of my Les Paul's or Kramers, but a few fellow guitar players have told me that they stopped buying them because of the G string breaking prematurely. I get D'Addario's for all my guitars and basses now... and I am not changing.

SundanceChile · #6 04-25-2009, 09:05 PM

$110 a pack?

Yeah. Yeah...uhm...yeah.

ErebusBass · #7 04-25-2009, 09:15 PM

They cost $40 in the USA.

Knifedge · #8 04-25-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SundanceChile

$110 a pack?

Yeah. Yeah...uhm...yeah.

Well, they are about 60 bucks a pack up here now... that incident happened in/around 1998 when they were first introduced. They were much higher back then, but I thought that if I spent a little more, I wouldn't have to worry about them for longer than my regular strings. I was wrong... but again I stick to the strings I am accustomed to now.

Blind Rat · #9 04-26-2009, 04:26 AM

I got a st of them on an Ibanez SR500 the web started to peel off in about a week no change to the sound and the feel is not as slik as new.
I emailed the company and they said it would be ok because the coating is still in the gaps they are still on the bass.

Luckydog · #10 04-26-2009, 06:48 AM

I never heard of Dean Markley Elixers. Elixir (sp) strings are made by W.L. Gore and use someone else's strings (believed by many to be D'Addario nickle) which are then coated with their patented Gore-tex coating. The current model of the Elixir strings are called Nanoweb.

Are the strings you are talking about Dean Markley or are they Elixir?

Knifedge · #11 04-26-2009, 05:30 PM

my mistake... they were elixers