Sick of Ernie Balls...

isher1992 · #1 07-27-2010, 02:08 PM

I had a set of Ernie Ball Regular coateds on a Squier P-bass for about 3 months. Aside from the intonation, nothing on the bridge had been touched. They settled in good, but I noticed they felt very stiff and hard to play on. So, I noticed my action was awfully high. Upon lowering the D-string by about a millimeter, I played one note.

And then...

SNAP.

But instead of like most strings, and breaking near the headstock, nooo. This set decided to break on the "ball" end.

That's where the little bead used to be, to keep it locked in the bridge. They were regular gauge, .105-.050, in Standard tuning. The bass was a little flat, so I tuned it back into Standard. when I played the open D, CRACK. I heard a loud "ping" off my bedroom wall, and the string flopped out of the bridge. I have no idea what happened, but this is the third set of Ernie Ball's I've had since last year in which I've had a problem with a string breaking.

Moral of the story: I'm not using EB's ever again. For the price of the coated strings, I could just pay a little extra and get a set of Cleartones that last me a year, like the ones that were on my ATK.

i_got_a_mohawk · #2 07-27-2010, 02:14 PM

Never had the coated EBs (coated strings just don't work for me), but my normal EBs have never had that problem.

etherealme · #3 07-27-2010, 02:15 PM

I absolutely cannot stand the way ernie balls sound. This is a matter of personal preference of course, but coupled with your woes it seems like the production value may have fallen off in recent years. ??

isher1992 · #4 07-27-2010, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Never had the coated EBs (coated strings just don't work for me), but my normal EBs have never had that problem.

I always have a problem with Ernie Balls breaking. I don't know why, it's not like I'm using too heavy a gauge for the tuning's I use. The first set I had this problem with was a set of uncoated Regular Slinky's. The second was a coated. This was a coated.

isher1992 · #5 07-27-2010, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etherealme

I absolutely cannot stand the way ernie balls sound. This is a matter of personal preference of course, but coupled with your woes it seems like the production value may have fallen off in recent years. ??

To be honest, I only buy them when I need them and I can't afford Cleartone's or I can't get my hands on a set of D'Addario EXP's without special order.

RobertPaulson · #6 07-27-2010, 02:17 PM

I used to use EB's and always had problems with them. Switched to DR Lo-Riders and haven't looked back.

isher1992 · #7 07-27-2010, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertPaulson

I used to use EB's and always had problems with them. Switched to DR Lo-Riders and haven't looked back.

I sweat real bad on my palms when I play (Also happens on a date going well

), and I pick and strum fairly roughly, so I tend to wear out anything uncoated and light gauge pretty quick.

i_got_a_mohawk · #8 07-27-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isher1992

I sweat real bad on my palms when I play (Also happens on a date going well

), and I pick and strum fairly roughly, so I tend to wear out anything uncoated and light gauge pretty quick.

Ditto, tho even coated strings don't last long for me, they also never seem to have that "freshness" that new uncoated strings have.

Fire over to the EB website and make a complaint about it?

isher1992 · #9 07-27-2010, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Ditto, tho even coated strings don't last long for me, they also never seem to have that "freshness" that new uncoated strings have.

Fire over to the EB website and make a complaint about it?

I highly doubt it would do any good. I've heard EB's customer service is quite lacking. It's not like Cleartone, where I got a long shelved set that had a dead string out of the package, so I suggested they try a different packaging that was sealed, like the Ernie Ball or D'Addario packaging so that kind of thing doesn't happened. I got an e-mail back two days later from a REAL HUMAN that said they were already researching new, better ways to package strings and they'd send me a new set in the mail.

Rebmo · #10 07-27-2010, 04:48 PM

Use Super Slinky's on all 3 of my MM SR-4s and love the tone, never had a string break. One SR-4 is a STB and still no breaking. I love the sound on the SR for Alt Pop Rock. Tried others, always went back to EBMM SSs. If they start breaking on me I'd start to wonder, but no problem. Bash away but I'm going to stay with em.

poorbassist15 · #11 07-27-2010, 04:55 PM

I have only had this problem with Hartke strings, which are cheap POS strings.

thetawaves · #12 07-27-2010, 04:59 PM

I had a D-string break, but that was with popping and my slap technique never was all there. Slightly worried that this is with coated ones though, I thought I'd try a set since I can't seem to find Thomastik Infields at the moment :S

BassLife77 · #13 07-27-2010, 09:16 PM

I didn't know EB still made strings. last time I used them was in the 80's and it was a free pack. they sounded so bad I quickly got the wire cutters and tossed them

Double Agent · #14 07-27-2010, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isher1992

I highly doubt it would do any good. I've heard EB's customer service is quite lacking.

I don't want to flame on you, but you really can't complain about a company's service if you haven't at least given them an oppurtunity. They might tell you to go take a hike, or they might try to make the situation right. But, you don't know until you try. And, then you can your opinion on first-hand experience instead what somebody else told you. It seems that you are just mad and that you want to dislike them so you are venting. Where, or from whom, did you hear about how EB's service is lacking?

BTW, I like the sound of EB Slinky's, but they die on me in about 2 weeks, so I never use them. And I've never heard anything but great things about the customer service at EB. But, I've never used them either, so that could be wrong as well.

jpTron · #15 07-28-2010, 08:16 AM

EB strings suck. Period. Guitar and bass. I have strings on my starter bass that have been changed once, 8 years ago, that feel better than a day old set of EB strings. Ugh

i_got_a_mohawk · #16 07-28-2010, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isher1992

I highly doubt it would do any good. I've heard EB's customer service is quite lacking. It's not like Cleartone, where I got a long shelved set that had a dead string out of the package, so I suggested they try a different packaging that was sealed, like the Ernie Ball or D'Addario packaging so that kind of thing doesn't happened. I got an e-mail back two days later from a REAL HUMAN that said they were already researching new, better ways to package strings and they'd send me a new set in the mail.

You highly doubt it?

Why don't you actually try instead of just complaining to strangers on an internet forum?

isher1992 · #17 07-28-2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

You highly doubt it?

Why don't you actually try instead of just complaining to strangers on an internet forum?

I did try. I haven't gotten word yet. It's true, I am venting a little. Oops.

bassmonkeee · #18 07-28-2010, 12:42 PM

This thread is full of stupid.

Basstovsky · #19 07-28-2010, 02:42 PM

EB were the first string brand I used, the E string popped just like your string did, the ball end exploded off of it. Then I tried other strings and realized that the EB's were very bland sounding, even compared to other strings I've used that were months dead. Good if you need strings cheap I guess, but just kinda meh otherwise.

CapnSev · #20 07-28-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassmonkeee

This thread is full of stupid.

+1