Rotosound quality control complaint

4001 · #1 10-17-2010, 09:25 AM

ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!

I LOVE Rotosounds.
Great sound. They are my favorite bass string, hands down.
I have tried GHS

, DR

, and a few others and I will continue to use Rotosound Swing Bass sets.

BUT...

TWO sets now, and TWO DEAD E strings!!

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?!???????

The first dead E was half alive, so I just bit my lip and dealt with it. This new set with a dead E that it completly dead just frosts my ass.

Now what? I have to go back to Scam Cash and try to get another E string? What a friggin' hassle.

C'mon Rotosound, how about a little quality control?

Anyone else just love Rotosound strings but still have to deal with this crap?

Demon_Hunter · #2 10-17-2010, 09:29 AM

Ever thought of instead of ranting on here about it, actually contacting the company? Oh, and if you are "nice" I would bet they would help you out.

Evil Undead · #3 10-17-2010, 09:29 AM

Hmmm... I hate it when that happens.
Never had that problem with Roto's though, and they're my favourite brand too.

If you return the packs to Rotosound with a letter, someone told me they either refund you or send you a new pack. Good customer service, even if the quality control isn't the best :P

tk4207 · #4 10-17-2010, 09:45 AM

I had the same problem with a dead E string, and the events played out like this:

I emailed Rotosound after I found out the string was a dud, and they replied promptly, telling me that they would replace the set so long as I provided and address to ship it to. I sent a reply email with my address. Waited 2 months, still no strings. I emailed them again, asking them *** had happened. They never replied. I for one, will never buy Rotosounds again

**pacojas** · #5 10-17-2010, 09:46 AM

roto's have never failed me for 30 years!!! (sorry for your troubles)

darkstorm · #6 10-17-2010, 02:27 PM

Never had a dead out of box rotosound string in the 30 some yrs Ive used them. So theyre QC is excellent in my experience. Contact them nicely and see if they send you a replacemnt.

John Wentzien · #7 10-17-2010, 02:30 PM

35 years for me...never a dud!

Are you sure its not a "set-up" issue with the bass itself?

esa372 · #8 10-17-2010, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4001

Anyone else just love Rotosound strings but still have to deal with this crap?

I had to stop using Rotosounds. Every 4th or 5th pack I'd buy had a dead E or A string. I got sick of it, so I switched.

They have awful quality control, in my experience.

bass4u · #9 10-17-2010, 02:42 PM

20 years using Rotosounds and never a problem until last week when 2 sets I bought at Guitar Center had dead E strings. I emailed Rotosound (USA) and haven't heard back from them as of yet. These strings were for my Squier Jaguar and my Squier 60's CV Precision. On my MM Stingray I always use EB Super Slinkys which for the past 15 years have never had a problem. I hope Rotosound sends me two E strings, if not I can't afford to buy Rotosounds again and get dead strings. Sounds harsh but at the price a set of bass strings are it's not worth the risk to me. Will probably go with the Ernie Ball's for the other basses.

4001 · #10 10-17-2010, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Wentzien

35 years for me...never a dud!

Are you sure its not a "set-up" issue with the bass itself?

You're lucky then.
I quit using Rotosounds years ago because this problem was happening, but it seems that it was more dead A strings instead.

I have over 25 years of guitar and bass setup experience so it's nothing that I am doing wrong.

The other three strings have that sizzle, the E string just goes plunk with no ring to it whatsoever and even when I 'wipe' my hand on the strings, the G, D and A strings make that metallic sound to them but the E string is just dead. It sounds like it's been coated in mud. I have never had a more dead, new string. It sounds like a tapewound string.

And, Demon Hunter, if I don't get any satisfaction from Sam Ash, then I will have to contact Rotosound.

m.oreilly · #11 10-17-2010, 07:02 PM

wow, first i've heard of this...i love rotos...dang...

carlos840 · #12 10-17-2010, 07:08 PM

I have roto on all my 12 basses, never had a dead string!
I did once get a string that had a dodgy twisted winding on top of the neck pickup, sounded fine though but i still changed it...

markkoelsch · #13 10-17-2010, 07:53 PM

When I was only playing 4 strings I went on a rather extensive search for strings that would give me what I wanted. I did use Rotos for a while until I too had some issues with dead strings. I then discovered Dean Markley Blue Steels, which I have on all my 4 string basses. Never had a problem with them at all. Now, if they only made a 6 string set of them I would be really happy.

johnk_10 · #14 10-20-2010, 01:48 AM

i've used roto swing bass strings since 1972, and i've always liked them. when i had my guitar shop (1985-2005) there was a period from 1987-1990 when every set that i got in had a sticky film on them and they all sounded alot duller than usual (but not dead). i contacted roto, but they said that nothing had changed in the way that they made them (yeah right). i stopped using and carrying them after that.

i decided to try some again in 2004 and they were great again, however, i thought that i'd try a set of their pressurewounds last week, purchased from amazon.com.

i put the E on and it was great. next i installed the A and it was completley dead and buzzing (wrap loose from the core). i never cut my strings to avoid loose wrap problems, so it was just a bad A string. i didn't bother to install the others and put the E and A back in the package. i contacted amazon and they sent me a new set immediately and issued a UPS call tag and pickup for the previous set. the new set is perfect and i really like them, but for normal SS rounds i always use d addario prosteels now. IME, they're the best and most consistent SS rounds and i've tried them all. i like them best after about 30 hours of playing when the mellow out a little. after that, they stay the same and intonate perfectly for years.

so i can understand your frustration with rotosound, and i think that their QC is sub par too.

4001 · #15 10-20-2010, 06:42 AM

Well, I went to the Sam Ash where I bought the strings.
I went into another set and that too had a TOTALLY dead E string.
That was eaten by the store. Then I had to make a decision. Do I scrap the other three good strings on my bass and install a different brand of E-string or do I change the entire set altogether with a different brand or take a chance by buying another set of Rotos and go for it.
Well, I bought another set and the E-string was about 1/2 dead so I rolled with it.
This is really frustrating when Rotosound produces a batch of strings that contain flaws.
My Wal bass dosen't deserve this.

Only Rotosound strings sound like they do and I guess I'll have to wait for a few months until the current batches of strings are off the shelves. Then again, maybe I'll order them from Amazon. They seem pretty fair about it.

mccartneyman · #16 10-20-2010, 07:51 AM

Used Rotos Swings from 1971 through 1986 with nary a bad string. This included stock RS 66s as well as the exposed core and double-ball end for Steinberger. I currently have nicle swing bass on my Lakland and Roto flats on my Squier, and they sound fine.

Darkstrike · #17 10-20-2010, 07:55 AM

Never had an issue with 66's, but I've got bum 77's, and every set of tapes I've gotten has had issues with the G string.

jgroh · #18 10-20-2010, 09:02 AM

I had a set of RS's that had a dead A string. I emailed the company, they got right back to me and sent me a new set pretty quickly. I was very satisfied with their customer service.

elolomet · #19 10-29-2010, 09:41 AM

Just happened to me

E string also...
Going back to DR's...

THORRR · #20 10-29-2010, 09:50 AM

This may seem like Strings 101 but I haven't heard it mentioned so I'll stick my neck out.

Does everyone know that you should make the bend(s) in your
strings before cutting them to length? I even go so far as to
pinch what will become the last 1/2" of the string several times and at different angles with my cutters or a long nose plier, and then make the cut.

This secures the windings from loosening when you make the cut.

I've never had a dead string that way in over 40 years of doing it.