Why are bass strings so expensive?

[Bad Brains]

I have had the same pair on my bass for about 5 months now. I want to get new ones but I don't have enough money. Is there a reason why some strings cost so much? Is there gold inside of them or something of that effect?

One time I had to buy 1 string, and it cost about 9$. What is going wrong these days?

[slugworth]

You're shopping at the wrong store! Quality strings can be had for $15 or less if you look around. Have you tried any of our friendly Talkbass vendors??

Slug

[Bad Brains]

no, but that might be a good idea.

[SteveC]

Be thankful you don't have to buy upright bass strings.

[Vorago]

Originally Posted by slugworth

You're shopping at the wrong store! Quality strings can be had for $15 or less if you look around. Have you tried any of our friendly Talkbass vendors??

Slug

$15 dollar? Here they are $40 for basic d'Adario's, I paid $80 for a set of 5 DR's..

[BurningSkies]

They don't really seem to be that expensive to me...especially when you note how you don't have to change them every week like you do with guitar strings.

Why do they cost what they do? They take more time and effort to make than guitar strings, and also more materials/quality control.

If'n you don't like the price of bass strings, I suggest you look at what people pay for upright strings or bows.

[Matt Till]

Wow... around here the "good ones" are 40 bucks tops. If I'm feelin' fancy I get a set of blue steels for 30 bucks.

Plus bass strings (if you take care of them) last for a long time... guitar strings... not so much.

[slugworth]

Originally Posted by Vorago

$15 dollar? Here they are $40 for basic d'Adario's, I paid $80 for a set of 5 DR's..

>>> The prices of things in Europe are scary...Maybe try
a brand made in Europe, like Rotosound, they might be cheaper.

Slug

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Rotosounds are rubbish tho!

and yeah, they really are expensive, i like Elites, made in the UK, cheap and pretty good

[Turock]

Originally Posted by Bad Brains

I have had the same pair on my bass for about 5 months now.

You got a 2 string bass?

[Matt Till]

[Dan Molina]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Rotosounds are rubbish tho!

and yeah, they really are expensive, i like Elites, made in the UK, cheap and pretty good

I agree rotosound flats on my cousins T-40 chewed up my fingers.

[thejohnkim]

I love Ken Smith Rockmasters which are usually very reasonably priced, but they go dead twice as fast as Elixirs. However,..... elixirs are less than twice as expensive. So i generally take the hit on my ideal string sound since I like saving those few bucks. Not to mention I hate sitting down and replacing strings.

[popinfresh]

Elixirs over here are $120.

[Floating teetH]

Originally Posted by thejohnkim

I love Ken Smith Rockmasters which are usually very reasonably priced, but they go dead twice as fast as Elixirs. However,..... elixirs are less than twice as expensive. So i generally take the hit on my ideal string sound since I like saving those few bucks. Not to mention I hate sitting down and replacing strings.

i disagree. elixers start out sounding one way and end up souding drastically more dull in a matter of weeks. i've had smiths on my bass for about a year w/ out too much change. smiths aren't very bright sounding to begin w/ though

[DaftCat]

I pay $17(CDN) a set. Cleaning them extends their life also.

[MikeyFingers]

I was wondering the same thing when I first started playing. I saw friend of mine buy a pack of guitar strings for like $6 and I had to pay like $30 for bass strings. I figure it's just cause there's so much more metal used for bass strings.

More material = more money.

[Shiveringbass]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

They don't really seem to be that expensive to me...especially when you note how you don't have to change them every week like you do with guitar strings.

Why do they cost what they do? They take more time and effort to make than guitar strings, and also more materials/quality control.

If'n you don't like the price of bass strings, I suggest you look at what people pay for upright strings or bows.

Sorry but it is not because there are some more expensive instrument strings that we must considered ourselves lucky to buy our sets 45 to 50 $ here in Europe.
If I changed my strings everymonth (what I would do if strings were not so expensive) for the sound I like, it would coast me the price of a new not so bad Ibanez or Kort bass every year...

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by Shiveringbass

Sorry but it is not because there are some more expensive instrument strings that we must considered ourselves lucky to buy our sets 45 to 50 $ here in Europe.
If I changed my strings everymonth (what I would do if strings were not so expensive) for the sound I like, it would coast me the price of a new not so bad Ibanez or Kort bass every year...

Well...in this case, you're not really complaining about the cost of strings. You're complaining about the cost of your location, importing, tarriffs, taxes, etc. If you look at the original poster, he's in detroit. He's paying the same as I am for strings.

But then I don't take Bad Brains too seriously. He has a track record for complaining about just about anything.

For the same logic, we pay much more for European brands of strings TI, Pyramid, Ritter, etc.

[KSDbass]

if more material = more money, then why do american girls pay morefor "pre-destroyed" clothing, as me and my friends call it?