String Testers

Josh McNutt · #1 01-09-2004, 04:30 PM

I assumed that since this wasn't actually about strings, it belonged here.

How do some people (besides those affiliated with the company) just get sets of strings sent to them for testing?

toman · #2 01-12-2004, 04:13 AM

Probably by being a killer bass player, or something of a big name. It's probably like any other field; if you're good at what you do and you get your face out in public a lot, companies are going to want you trying their stuff both for the free advertising and for whatever input you can provide toward improving the product. Giving out a few mass produced products here and there certainatly isn't going to hurt their bottom line; especially when bass strings go for well over a hundred bones a set... Doesn't matter if it's bass strings, bike frames, or race car tires... same concept.

lermgalieu · #3 01-12-2004, 11:49 AM

But if you're just a unknown average player like myself, you're gonna have to lay out the cash.

Josh McNutt · #4 01-12-2004, 05:04 PM

I thought that was probably it. Too bad.

John Sprague · #5 01-13-2004, 08:09 AM

To avoid the expense of experimenting, maybe you can talk your local dealer into doing what they do at the Sound Post in Toronto. They've set up a little room in their shop as the String Lab. It's lined with cabinets full of every string they can get their mitts on. Players are invited to lock themselves in there for hours if they'd like, trying all the different strings out there. The only catch being you have to change your own strings, they're not going to spend those hours with you.

Touch · #6 01-14-2004, 03:28 PM

Ask the company nicely.

It worked for me.

Try info@pirastro.com for example.

Eric Rene Roy · #7 01-30-2004, 03:22 PM

Truthfully...be active on the boards!

When we were first testing the Eurosonic Light strings...thats where I found people...and when we are ready to start testing the Ultra Lights...thats where I'll look again.

Manufacturers & distributors watch the boards...we may not post...but we watch!

IainT · #8 03-26-2004, 10:02 AM

Just a thought but why don't you start advertising in the classified section of this forum to trade strings with other players.
Advertise what you've got and what you are looking for and see if there are any takers.

Ed Fuqua · #9 03-26-2004, 11:23 AM

Or teach. My teacher, Joe, gets a lot of strings because he has been teaching for quite some time and is soemwhat well regarded.

NYC is great in that a number of NE based string companies have had "workshops" to introduce new string lines and they'll give you a set to put on as long as you do it right there. and you get to keep'em.