Any improvement with Dean Markley quality control?

[hihat]

Has anyone tried Dean Markley lately? They had some serious QC issues a couple of years ago. I was hoping they had ironed out their problems. I put on a new set of SR2000s yesterday and both the E and A strings were dead. A strange kind of dead too, the strings had an odd rattle to them.

Anyone found a similar string to SR2000s? Thanks.

 

[dagrev]

Not in recent months, but I've bought a couple of sets of Blue Steels in recent years and they were both just fine. Great strings. Never tried the SR2000s.

 

[eriky4003]

There was a thread a few years ago that Dean Markley had shut down their plant and string production was outsourced. Apex strings may be your go-to.

 

[jazzyitalian]

Dead strings? You're lucky. I'd be happy to get a dead string. At least it's a string.

I just opened a set of SR2000's to find no E-string (98 gauge) but 2 A strings (78 gauge). That's right, I got AADG.

I've tried to get in touch with these folks by email, phone and even facebook... Not a single person has answered me and it's been more than a week. This is getting to be silly.

Is that the state of affairs at this company?

 

[GTHintz]

Dead strings? You're lucky. I'd be happy to get a dead string. At least it's a string.

I just opened a set of SR2000's to find no E-string (98 gauge) but 2 A strings (78 gauge). That's right, I got AADG.

I've tried to get in touch with these folks by email, phone and even facebook... Not a single person has answered me and it's been more than a week. This is getting to be silly.

Is that the state of affairs at this company?

That really sucks. I've only had blue steels. They have been a really good set of strings. I bought my first pack and have been playing them for months. The only other companies I know that might have something similar are Rotosound with their piano strings inspired set and labella with their super steps. If you're ok with tapercore then Ken Smith tapercore strings would be a good reliable string.

 

[jazzyitalian]

That really sucks. I've only had blue steels. They have been a really good set of strings. I bought my first pack and have been playing them for months. The only other companies I know that might have something similar are Rotosound with their piano strings inspired set and labella with their super steps. If you're ok with tapercore then Ken Smith tapercore strings would be a good reliable string.

I like blue steels as well. I have several basses strung with them. But there was a sale online about 2 years ago on the SR2000's and I decided to get a couple of sets. One of them had the missing E. I'm so disappointed in these guys for not answering me. I mean all I want is damn E-string and it's crickets over there.

 

[GTHintz]

That's rough. That would really get me steamed. Maybe talking to the guys at Apex cryo strings would help. They are all ex Dean Markley guys who jumped ship a while back. Tell them that someone here recommended them to you and tell them about getting ghosted by Dean Markley. They might just send you a couple sets of strings to test out. The other members here have said they like the strings and they like the customer service. I'll add that Ken Smith strings and made in the ghs factory and I've had them and think they are awesome strings. I've heard Ken Smith can be gruff with his customers but I've never had bad strings to where I even had to bug him. Honestly he's probably a cool guy in person and just gets really busy and stressed at work like the rest of us but at least he messages customers back. It's really crappy that Dean Markley and his people haven't said anything.

 

[hihat]

I finally got in touch with someone at DM in March, they sent me some replacement sets but the E and A strings were both dead out of the package on these too.

I've tried a lot of string sets trying to find something close to SR2000s or Blue Steels. I've given up. I'm just going to settle for something good, not great like the old DM's.

If you don't kill strings inside of a month like me, the Apex and GHS made Ken Smith strings are both great sounding.

 

[Drummerboy2]

I finally got in touch with someone at DM in March, they sent me some replacement sets but the E and A strings were both dead out of the package on these too.

I've tried a lot of string sets trying to find something close to SR2000s or Blue Steels. I've given up. I'm just going to settle for something good, not great like the old DM's.

If you don't kill strings inside of a month like me, the Apex and GHS made Ken Smith strings are both great sounding.

Can you list what strings you have used? I have used DM Blue Steel, good sound but were very hard to play and my finger would hurt too much after. I went to DR Hi Beam and liked those better. The DM BS had really good growl to them.

 

[jazzyitalian]

I finally got in touch with someone at DM in March, they sent me some replacement sets but the E and A strings were both dead out of the package on these too.

I've tried a lot of string sets trying to find something close to SR2000s or Blue Steels. I've given up. I'm just going to settle for something good, not great like the old DM's.

If you don't kill strings inside of a month like me, the Apex and GHS made Ken Smith strings are both great sounding.

You know what hihat, the IQS strings (made in Italy) are pretty comparable to the nickel blue steels. A few years back, a Manne bass I bought from a dealer came strung with a set of IQS strings and an extra set was put in the bag. I was told that that's what Manne puts on their guitars and basses. Of course Manne is an Italian company also. So that's not surprising that they would use strings made in their country. But they are nice strings.

 

[hihat]

@Drummerboy2

I've recently moved to a lower gauge string because of finger pain/fatigue (from 45-105 to 40-100).

Apex strings are similar sounding to Blue Steels. Ken Smith TCRM-L Taper Core are terrific sounding and have a great feel. But my sweat kills both of these sets very quickly, so it's not cost effective for me.

The lighter gauge (40-100) Labella Super Steps sound great on my Warwick but are just too darned expensive, I can't afford them on a regular basis.

I also like stainless Steel SIT Foundations.

Surprisingly, the cheapo Red Label Warwick Stainless Steel sound pretty good. I've read that the nickels are even better.

In my hunt for the perfect string I've tried GHS, Ernie Ball, D'addario, Labella, Galli, Magma, Dunlop Trujillo's, Curt Mangan, DR, Fender, Rotosound and Thomastik-Infeld.

My favorite strings were Trace Elliot but they stopped making them in the mid 2000s. Those strings lasted forever and kept the same tone.

 

[GTHintz]

@Drummerboy2

I've recently moved to a lower gauge string because of finger pain/fatigue (from 45-105 to 40-100).

Apex strings are similar sounding to Blue Steels. Ken Smith TCRM-L Taper Core are terrific sounding and have a great feel. But my sweat kills both of these sets very quickly, so it's not cost effective for me.

The lighter gauge (40-100) Labella Super Steps sound great on my Warwick but are just too darned expensive, I can't afford them on a regular basis.

I also like stainless Steel SIT Foundations.

Surprisingly, the cheapo Red Label Warwick Stainless Steel sound pretty good. I've read that the nickels are even better.

In my hunt for the perfect string I've tried GHS, Ernie Ball, D'addario, Labella, Galli, Magma, Dunlop Trujillo's, Curt Mangan, DR, Fender, Rotosound and Thomastik-Infeld.

My favorite strings were Trace Elliot but they stopped making them in the mid 2000s. Those strings lasted forever and kept the same tone.

What magma string did you get? Ive been curious about those.

 

[hihat]

What magma string did you get? Ive been curious about those.

I tried the stainless steel 45-105. They seem to last a long time. I still have an extra set. I like bottom and top not too much mids. Magma's have a tiny bit too much midrange for me but I don't hate them. The steels are rough feeling like Rotosounds which I like.

You can order them direct, with free shipping out of Florida, it takes about a week to get them.

https://magmastoreusa.com/collections/electric-bass

 

[GTHintz]

I tried the stainless steel 45-105. They seem to last a long time. I still have an extra set. I like bottom and top not too much mids. Magma's have a tiny bit too much midrange for me but I don't hate them.

You can order them direct, with free shipping out of Florida, it takes about a week to get them.

https://magmastoreusa.com/collections/electric-bass

Those and sit are the only 2 I haven't tried out of all those. I might like them if they have mids. What did you think about the sit strings?

 

[hihat]

I like the Foundations, the stainless last longer. These are about the most 'musical' strings I've ever played. If I did a lot of soloing I'd use these all the time.

 

[GTHintz]

I see. So that means they are similar to Ken Smith strings. At least I thought they were really musical and would be great soloist strings. Funny thing is I find the same to be true with blue steels just they seem to have a little more attitude. More growl I think.

 

[hihat]

To me the Ken Smith strings have a very dry sound, all top and bottom with great attitude like you said. But my sweat kills them in a week. If I was rich I'd use them all the time.

Foundations have a 'wetter' sound, the top, mid and bottom flow together more and not as much attitude at least in my rig. But very melodious.

 

[Drummerboy2]

@Drummerboy2

I've recently moved to a lower gauge string because of finger pain/fatigue (from 45-105 to 40-100).

Apex strings are similar sounding to Blue Steels. Ken Smith TCRM-L Taper Core are terrific sounding and have a great feel. But my sweat kills both of these sets very quickly, so it's not cost effective for me.

The lighter gauge (40-100) Labella Super Steps sound great on my Warwick but are just too darned expensive, I can't afford them on a regular basis.

I also like stainless Steel SIT Foundations.

Surprisingly, the cheapo Red Label Warwick Stainless Steel sound pretty good. I've read that the nickels are even better.

In my hunt for the perfect string I've tried GHS, Ernie Ball, D'addario, Labella, Galli, Magma, Dunlop Trujillo's, Curt Mangan, DR, Fender, Rotosound and Thomastik-Infeld.

My favorite strings were Trace Elliot but they stopped making them in the mid 2000s. Those strings lasted forever and kept the same tone.

hihat, thank You for the reply and info. I used 45-105 on my DR Hi Beams and MTD STR4M four strings. I recently bought a Ray4 and I'm pretty sure it came with the Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Bass strings. These play very nice, feel great and sound great. I don't know how long these will last as these are my first time with these strings. These are 50-105.

For 5 strings the DR's High Beams I use the the Long Scale 45-130. For the MTD 5 I use STR5CM, play very nice and have that bright sound and growl MTD is known for. I really like these strings and that's what came on my new MTD Super 5 bass.

Like you, I get that finger pain with certain strings, So I have to narrow my choices as not all the strings I like feel comfortable to me. So these Dr's, MTD's and Enrie Balls feel really nice to me. I want to try the Dunlops Marcus Miller Sigs next.

I did try a medium Light type strings but not too much bottom end, so I just stayed with the Mediums and they give me the bottom I want and don't have to turn the Bass control on the head all the way up!

I wipe my strings after everytime I play them and between sets. This helps out with the longevity but only so much. Someone suggested wipping strings down with Alcohol after any playing. I don't know how this may affect the fret board in time, most like will dry it out big time.

 

[GTHintz]

To me the Ken Smith strings have a very dry sound, all top and bottom with great attitude like you said. But my sweat kills them in a week. If I was rich I'd use them all the time.

Foundations have a 'wetter' sound, the top, mid and bottom flow together more and not as much attitude at least in my rig. But very melodious.

They might be too mellow for certain basses but do great on others. I know my Warwick is interesting because it really brings out whatever is or is not in whatever strings are on it. I learned a lot about strings from trying a bunch on it.

 

[hihat]

I agree. The inexpensive Warwick Red Label stainless cut thru the mix surprisingly well on my Streamer and not so much on my Steinberger.