scary cheap bass strings

Thaos627 · #1 02-22-2011, 05:44 PM

i was looking at musicians gear nickel bass strings and was wondering if anyone has ever used them?

i saw them at guitar center for $7.99 and ill probably buy them just for the fact that i can buy them with money found on the ground in that parking lot.

the clerk said they are top sellers but i think its just because of price and not quality but from what i understand no one really uses them.

Thaos627 · #2 02-22-2011, 06:00 PM

well everyone really seems to think they're horrible but what do they sound like? like fender strings? squier strings? if they sound like ernie ball then yes they would be a horrible string but better then ernie balls cus of the price

BillyIVbass · #3 02-22-2011, 06:03 PM

Worth a shot. If they suck, take them off and save them as a spare or if you're selling a bass with strings you prefer.

Walmart was selling some GHS bass strings for $5 on clearance. I bought 4 sets and think they are great.

Thaos627 · #4 02-22-2011, 06:14 PM

yea walmart clearance is great i got some gold tipped cables for $4 each. i dont kno what brand (probably first act) but they r better than my monster cables

TheSuzie · #5 02-22-2011, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaos627

the clerk said they are top sellers

And you believe them? I know people who worked at GC and they are trained to tell customers that whatever they are looking at is a popular item or that the associate personally owns/uses that item. Whenever I went to look at gear at GC, somehow the associate always seemed to own the same gear I was looking at. Standard retail technique.

Lets just say I am skeptical

mmbongo · #6 02-22-2011, 09:16 PM

I get Dunlops for $9 a set when Strings & Beyond has them on sale.
SIT, D'Aquisto, and D'Addario are around $12 a set every day.

So, with top notch strings available for just a few more bucks I don't generally bother with the low end stuff that I have no idea where they were made.

ilovenofrets · #7 02-23-2011, 07:20 PM

Don't know if they're still the same strings, but back when they had the Musician's Friend logo on the pack, I tried a set(they were on super-sale for $4.99!!!). For that price, I threw caution to the wind and tried a set on a bass I was getting set up. For the money, they weren't bad at all. IMO-felt like a GHS with a slightly brighter tone. Made in USA as far as I remember, but don't hold me to that. Best I can tell ya, try 'em out. Who knows, you may just like 'em enough to switch.

arsie · #8 02-23-2011, 07:32 PM

The problem with cheap strings of unknown origins is that you still have to go through the trouble of setting up and intonating them, just like any other strings. The main issue is that, in the event that you fall in love with them, you might not be able to get any more of them. The usually leads me towards more established string makers.

88ric2030 · #9 02-23-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

I get Dunlops for $9 a set when Strings & Beyond has them on sale.
SIT, D'Aquisto, and D'Addario are around $12 a set every day.

So, with top notch strings available for just a few more bucks I don't generally bother with the low end stuff that I have no idea where they were made.

I guess that site is OK if you are only into roundwounds. Just Strings has a better selection and the prices are the same.

mmbongo · #10 02-23-2011, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88ric2030

I guess that site is OK if you are only into roundwounds. Just Strings has a better selection and the prices are the same.

That depends. Their prices are generally the same, but Strings and Beyond has free shipping over $35. I do like juststrings, but....free shipping. Come on!

yellofury · #11 02-23-2011, 08:46 PM

I tried them once since I got them for free
and they pretty much sounded dead from the get go
I went through 2 pairs and they were both horrible

Strings are often overlooked as being an integral part of your sound
but over the years I have found that you can not go too cheap on strings:
the lowest I ever go is D'Addarios when I can't afford DRs or Rotos

Thaos627 · #12 02-24-2011, 11:23 AM

i like dead strings (no brightness at all), but when people tell u they're dead strings the problem is sometimes they mean no bottom or they have no bottom or brightness. so the word "dead" has lost its tone (pun intended) to me.

if they sound dead like crappy ernie balls after a few years and a little rust then sure i might use them all the time

yellofury · #13 02-24-2011, 01:26 PM

they had no bottom or brightness so you may dig them
to me they were really tight tensionwise and I had to really dig in to get any usable tone
who knows? they are super cheap whats the risk?

Shaky · #14 02-24-2011, 01:46 PM

I them once. They were bright for the first day, then you could almost hear the life and sustain flow right out of them.

Shaky · #15 02-24-2011, 01:52 PM

I should add that I am all for saving money. I boil my strings several times before finally retiring them, but the musician's gear strings I tried were so bad, I replaced them only after a few days.

ModulusQ5-122 · #16 02-25-2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yellofury

I tried them once since I got them for free
and they pretty much sounded dead from the get go
I went through 2 pairs and they were both horrible

Strings are often overlooked as being an integral part of your sound
but over the years I have found that you can not go too cheap on strings:
the lowest I ever go is D'Addarios when I can't afford DRs or Rotos

D'addarios are the lowest you will go??? I use D'addario chromes and they are not at all cheap.

Shaky · #17 02-26-2011, 07:01 AM

D'Addarios are hard to beat. D'Addarios are what I choose almost always, because they tend to cost less, and have been the most consistent for me. I have never had any bad strings out of the package or premature string breakage. They have always lasted longer for me than many other brands. Saying that, I have not tried a lot of other strings on my basses because I have always been happy with the D's. One of the last used basses I bought had a new set of DR Red Devils, which I loved, but not enough to pay the price for a new set.

Ken R · #18 02-26-2011, 08:01 AM

GC used to sell Musicians Choice strings. 45-65-80-105, I think. $4.99 a set. I thought that they were good inexpensive strings. I bought many sets. Never had a complaint.
Now GC sells Musicians Gear strings. $7.99 a set. I assumed that they were just renamed, repackaged Musicians Choice strings. I could not have been more wrong. They were never "rinsed, washed or flushed" after being made. They turned my finger tips gray~black in less than 5 minutes. Very clanky sounding. Just bottom of the barrel strings. No more for me.

YMMV

Ken R

Thaos627 · #19 02-28-2011, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModulusQ5-122

D'addarios are the lowest you will go??? I use D'addario chromes and they are not at all cheap.

really? what is cheap too you? i find D'addario stuff for about $20. i thought they were cheapy bass strings made by a guitar string company.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaky

D'Addarios are hard to beat. D'Addarios are what I choose almost always, because they tend to cost less, and have been the most consistent for me. I have never had any bad strings out of the package or premature string breakage. They have always lasted longer for me than many other brands. Saying that, I have not tried a lot of other strings on my basses because I have always been happy with the D's. One of the last used basses I bought had a new set of DR Red Devils, which I loved, but not enough to pay the price for a new set.

i use dr's i got them seriously discounted ($20 at GC), but i want more of an upright tone and someone recommened D'addario chromes (i guess they're flatwounds) i might try them out...maybe...

ModulusQ5-122 · #20 03-01-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thaos627

really? what is cheap too you? i find D'addario stuff for about $20. i thought they were cheapy bass strings made by a guitar string company.

i use dr's i got them seriously discounted ($20 at GC), but i want more of an upright tone and someone recommened D'addario chromes (i guess they're flatwounds) i might try them out...maybe...

Yes chromes are flats and for my 5 string set they run about $45 which isnt the most expensive strings you can get but they definitely arent the cheapest either. Great strings by the way.