What is it with stores stocking bass strings?

mkandolf · #1 09-03-2010, 07:33 AM

I walked in to 2 different music stores on my way home yesterday (1 a GC) in the Metro Detroit area and called a third before I drove more out of my way to buy a set of strings for my bass. It's 35" scale, through body 4 string. I was cleaning and setting up a bass for sale and wanted to put new strings on it.

GC didn't have anything. Huber-Breese only had a pack of Ken Smith SS strings and when I said I was looking for nickel the clwon behind the counter jsut laughed and said I was being picky. While my regular shop Hanson's in Port Huron didn't have anything, at least he was willing to gt them for me next week.

So why don't music shops that have basses with long scales and more than 4 strings on them stock strings for anything other than your basic standard scale 4 string bass? And only then in limited selections of metals and windings?

Seems to me this would be a money maker for the shops to keep something like this in a shop so someone like me can just drop by and pick up and browse and ...

/RANT

threshar · #2 09-03-2010, 07:41 AM

The trick is to remember you need strings and order from juststrings.com

I hate it when I need strings *now* and GC/etc has nothing for a 5 banger. I feel really bad for 6 string guys

lx_night · #3 09-03-2010, 07:48 AM

luckly my gc is always stocked on 4 and fives but only on dKadarrio, boomers, DR's, none of the smith fodera or anything similar.

duderasta · #4 09-03-2010, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threshar

The trick is to remember you need strings and order from juststrings.com

I hate it when I need strings *now* and GC/etc has nothing for a 5 banger. I feel really bad for 6 string guys

^^
This although after years of die hard roto 66 use, GC only had nickle d'addarios for my 5'r last timer I went in.. I like them better on the jazzV than the rotos..

Being originally from a small town with very limited choices for buying music gear, I had bought my strings mail-order for years.

gjbassist · #5 09-03-2010, 07:51 AM

I've noticed this as well. Usually not much variety. There is a small mom and pop shop near me that has several types of guitar strings but only a few sets of bass strings. GC isn't much better. I usually just order strings online. There are several music stores on Ebay that have great deals on strings.

Disco Batman · #6 09-03-2010, 07:54 AM

I almost always have to order mine online. I like medium light guage strings. .45.65.80.100.

So other than EB Super Slinks I'm generally out of luck. Though I have no problem with EB strings.

Barisaxman · #7 09-03-2010, 08:20 AM

Simple answer...its a business thing. Look, MOST bass players don't change strings that often, and bass strings aren't exactly cheap. Add it up, and you've got a relatively high cost (per item), low volume sales, and not real high margins; and you've got your answer. They're not going to have a fully featured string section for bass because they can satisfy 90% of their customers with a couple of different types of string for four and five-string basses. Unless they sell a lot of 6's, you can forget about even finding a set on the shelf. It doesn't make business sense for them to carry a bunch of inventory they can't turn over regularly.

If you're a regular customer, talk to them and maybe they'd be inclined to stock something for you, otherwise it's really no big deal for them if you just go order them online.

mmbongo · #8 09-03-2010, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disco Batman

I almost always have to order mine online. I like medium light guage strings. .45.65.80.100.

So other than EB Super Slinks I'm generally out of luck. Though I have no problem with EB strings.

This is my preferred gauge too. I generally use Dunlops or D'Addario. I like the Dunlops just a hair better, but either do fine.
Two sets in these gauges I haven't tried yet are DR Nickel Lo Riders and Curt Mangans. I'll try them next. Oddly enough, I rarely replace a set of strings with the same set. Seems like I'm always putting on something different. I guess I'm just afraid I'm missing out on that golden, magical string set and just want to try them all

All this is mail order of course. All they have locally is $45 sets of GHS Boomers. Uhh. No thanks.

ggunn · #9 09-03-2010, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barisaxman

Simple answer...its a business thing. Look, MOST bass players don't change strings that often, and bass strings aren't exactly cheap. Add it up, and you've got a relatively high cost (per item), low volume sales, and not real high margins; and you've got your answer. They're not going to have a fully featured string section for bass because they can satisfy 90% of their customers with a couple of different types of string for four and five-string basses. Unless they sell a lot of 6's, you can forget about even finding a set on the shelf. It doesn't make business sense for them to carry a bunch of inventory they can't turn over regularly.

This.

It's the same reason you won't find caviar at the 7-11.

Alex E · #10 09-03-2010, 08:30 AM

unfortunately, there's a small demand for bass guitar strings relative to guitar strings. Small demand = not much selection at your local store. I have the same problem with lack of selection in TX.

stringsandbeyond.com or juststrings.com!! Both are good. I just bought a few sets from juststrings this past Tuesday.

Disco Batman · #11 09-03-2010, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

This is my preferred gauge too. I generally use Dunlops or D'Addario. I like the Dunlops just a hair better, but either do fine.
Two sets in these gauges I haven't tried yet are DR Nickel Lo Riders and Curt Mangans. I'll try them next. Oddly enough, I rarely replace a set of strings with the same set. Seems like I'm always putting on something different. I guess I'm just afraid I'm missing out on that golden, magical string set and just want to try them all

All this is mail order of course. All they have locally is $45 sets of GHS Boomers. Uhh. No thanks.

Same here. I currently have DR Hi-Beams, and EB Super Slinky's on my two basses. I have a set of DR Sunbeams and Black Beauties (light .40.60.80.100) that I still need to try out. I think after those I'll try a set of DR Lo Riders and then just stick with one kind.

threshar · #12 09-03-2010, 08:44 AM

I fear 7-11 caviar.

JTE · #13 09-03-2010, 01:37 PM

Lesee here...

Bass strings are relatively more expensive, and have much more limited customer bass than guitar strings. You have to order at least a whole box of each set, which is five or six sets (depending on the company). There's actually a lot more variation in what bass players want (in 11 years of managing a guitar store, I sold exactly two sets of flatwound guitar strings)- flat, round, moddified round; long scale, short scale, medium scale, extra long scale; nickle, stainless; four, five, six strings. By comparison guitar strings are easy- four basic gauges for electric (8,9,10, 11), they're all the same length, and MAYBE someone will ask for pure nickle or even more rarely stainless steel. Acoustics are even easier because you won't need much selection in extra light, so it's lights (12) or medium (13) and a couple of alloys.

So, to stock a really good selection of bass strings, the store's got to invest a lot more in different options on the possibility that someone's going to want them. Add in the profit eroding pressure from on-line sales, especially for the staples, it's difficult for a store to justify the expense.

John

FunkMetalBass · #14 09-03-2010, 04:10 PM

I've found that most 35" scale basses can handle strings for a standard 34" scale.

Bass4Gsus · #15 09-03-2010, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barisaxman

Simple answer...its a business thing. .

When I buy strings I usually spend money on other stuff, so despite the other math of stocking strings and inventory, it still dumb not to have them.

Bottom line, the more they make me shop online, the more I shop online, and not with them, if they can't be bothered to make me happy, they are not getting the online sale either. In the long run they are shooting themselves in the foot.

This short sighted thinking is not limited to music stores unfortunately.

jasper383 · #16 09-03-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

I've found that most 35" scale basses can handle strings for a standard 34" scale.

Of the popular brands at most stores, D'Addarios and Ernie Balls will likely be too short for a 35" scale bass. Especially through body, like the OP has.

GHS will likely be long enough, as will DR.

FunkMetalBass · #17 09-03-2010, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasper383

Of the popular brands at most stores, D'Addarios and Ernie Balls will likely be too short for a 35" scale bass. Especially through body, like the OP has.

GHS will likely be long enough, as will DR.

It's rare that a bass has to be strung thru-body. Very rare. What bass does the OP have? If he has the option to go top-load, his string world just opened up.

I used Ernie Ball slinkies on my 35" scale 6er for years, and they fit just fine. In fact, they had room to spare and probably could have fit thru-body.

ggunn · #18 09-04-2010, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass4Gsus

When I buy strings I usually spend money on other stuff, so despite the other math of stocking strings and inventory, it still dumb not to have them.

Bottom line, the more they make me shop online, the more I shop online, and not with them, if they can't be bothered to make me happy, they are not getting the online sale either. In the long run they are shooting themselves in the foot.

This short sighted thinking is not limited to music stores unfortunately.

Unfortunately, small businesses have to be short sighted to a degree in order to survive. Chain stores can afford to buy in large quantities and wait out market fluctuations (see Wal*Mart, Home Depot, Guitar Center, etc.) but small businesses do not have that luxury. If you want your local music store to survive, buy as much as you can from them and only shop on line for what they can't afford to stock. And don't be so quick to assume that you know more about their business than they do.

Bass4Gsus · #19 09-04-2010, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggunn

And don't be so quick to assume that you know more about their business than they do.

1. The problem I have is with GC and Sam Ash, so there goes your argument.

2. Don't assume you know my knowledge of business or how to run a business.

3. As a consumer I go to where my needs are meet, and if a business does not want to meet those needs they are entirely free to do as they wish. I am free to go to a business that meets my needs.

You made many assumptions in your statement, and you missed the point of my statement.

mulchor · #20 09-04-2010, 11:17 AM

I've found it frustrating, too. Literally, there is not a place to get strings for my son's main instrument without driving a couple hours round trip.

I really would prefer to do business locally, and we're at the store every other weekend for lessons. They say "we can order it" which maybe in a previous era would have been acceptable for service. But get real, I can amazon.com.

These accessory products that don't quickly age or go out of style, good margin. No, you won't make or break a store's budget on strings, but you definitely don't earn anything when I leave empty-handed (not to mention, now I'm on yet another competitor's music-gear emailing list).