Is Kalium having issues or is this normal?

[el_Bajo_Verde]

The parcel has (finally) been shipped through DHL. 3 weeks, no answer to email, I guess that's an average deal.
But is there any other company that can provide a 142-102-76-57 set of high quality strings for a 30,5" scale bass tuned BEAD ? Not sure

Do they make short-scale strings? Or was your winding length long enough for the regular Kalium strings?

 

[ixlramp]

Sorry tom-g, i did not mean to imply longer waits did not happen, i guess i mean 'often 2-3 weeks' instead of 'up to 2-3 weeks'.
The sloppiness is embarassing and a shame to happen to a project with so much potential.
I've never imported their strings because i can't justify or afford shipping.

 

[GK Growl]

I've never imported their strings because i can't justify or afford shipping.

So let me understand, have you ever purchased strings from Kalium/Circle K?

 

[HaphAsSard]

(...) a 142-102-76-57 set of high quality strings for a 30,5" scale bass tuned BEAD

Do they make short-scale strings? Or was your winding length long enough for the regular Kalium strings?

IIRC, to get short-scale bass strings from them you have to put together a set of guitar strings of plausible gauges (they make them up to .182" and they're probably not much different, if at all, from bass strings of same or similar gauges they make) and select the appropriate length (they make them long enough to fit those baritone 17-string things guitarists play in metallic music groups nowadays ).

 

[ixlramp]

GK Growl, never, not at that shipping cost, i experiment a lot so need to frequently buy 1-3 singles at a time, then experiment and soon after buy a few more singles, which would be very expensive shipping, so i only buy singles by mail order within my own country.

I've never claimed to have used them and often mention in posts that i haven't used them, i also write '.. apparently they are high quality ..'.
I can understand that someone could miss this, see my enthusiasm for their intent (not implementation) and assume i use their strings. So if you misunderstood, that's ok.

 

[ixlramp]

Yes, i know that apart from length and ball-end, their bass strings and guitar strings are identical. Since the focus is ERB their strings are hybrid bass/guitar strings.

 

[GK Growl]

GK Growl, never, not at that shipping cost, i experiment a lot so need to frequently buy 1-3 singles at a time, then experiment and soon after buy a few more singles, which would be very expensive shipping, so i only buy singles by mail order within my own country.

I've never claimed to have used them and often mention in posts that i haven't used them, i also write '.. apparently they are high quality ..'.
I can understand that someone could miss this, see my enthusiasm for their intent (not implementation) and assume i use their strings. So if you misunderstood, that's ok.

It just seems strange to me for you to be so defensive of a company and a product of which you don't order and don't use. You come across almost as if you are a company rep trying to defend the brand. It's kinda sickening. How about let those of us that have used the product and placed numerous orders that have valid complaints with this so called company vent without you chiming in? I would take you more seriously if you actually had some experience with this.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

IIRC, to get short-scale bass strings from them you have to put together a set of guitar strings of plausible gauges (they make them up to .182" and they're probably not much different, if at all, from bass strings of same or similar gauges they make) and select the appropriate length (they make them long enough to fit those baritone 17-string things guitarists play in metallic music groups nowadays ).

I'm concerned about the ball-end. A guitar string ball-end won't fit on the bass...

 

[Arkhon06]

Do they make short-scale strings? Or was your winding length long enough for the regular Kalium strings?

Just regular strings length, it fits well, just have to make sure to insert the reduced part at the end of the string into the tuner's hole, you need to cut the string at the right length, not too short, not too long (sorry if my english isn't very good)

 

[tom-g]

What gauge do you use ? On my 34" scale basses, 136 if perfect for low B (exact same tension 136-102-76-57) but on the Short Scale the low B needs little more tension so 142 fits well.

I used to play the balanced tension 142 set for my 5er and also balanced 110 for the 4 string. I'm now using a 135 for the 5 string and 107 balanced tension - both from d'Addario. Both basses are regular scale and tuning.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I'm concerned about the ball-end. A guitar string ball-end won't fit on the bass...

You'd need to thread them into washers or old ball-ends first in that case. (Or look elsewhere entirely, of course.)

 

[tom-g]

Sorry tom-g, i did not mean to imply longer waits did not happen, i guess i mean 'often 2-3 weeks' instead of 'up to 2-3 weeks'.
The sloppiness is embarassing and a shame to happen to a project with so much potential.
I've never imported their strings because i can't justify or afford shipping.

I agree with GK Growl. It's strange that you are not using their strings and defending a company that does not know how or want to run a successful business. Well anyway here is my suggestion in case you want to do the bass player community a service: I can give you the email address of Skip Fantry, the owner. Write to and make him aware of this thread and what is going on. Maybe it will change things, maybe he will come up with the same lame excuses the rest of us have experienced, or maybe you will not get an answer at all. Your call to find out.

I used to buy a year's supply of strings for two basses. That way the import duty and shipping fees are not that bad. If it's such a great product I don't get what's holding you back to not have tried them at least once.

 

[ixlramp]

It just seems strange to me for you to be so defensive of a company and a product of which you don't order and don't use. You come across almost as if you are a company rep trying to defend the brand.

It's not strange, i explained why i can't justify ordering from them. It's fine to be enthusiastic about a project without actually buying the product, and many people do this over products they cannot afford.
I was always intending to try at least one set but my need for experimentation and the shipping cost always put me off, and i never had an actual need for their special lengths or gauges and was very happy with buying D'Addario singels locally. More recently my financial situation is really bad which rules it out completely.

I don't need to defend the product, it seems to be excellent from other's reports.

I admit that i have been too easy on them here. Skip has been an internet acquiaintance of mine for 12 years and i was part of the ERB community where he and i and others discussed string tensions and set design a lot, and this is was when Skip first had the idea for Circle K Strings. This history has probably made me more supportive of them and made me see things in the most positive and generous perspective.

I have defended them against *unreasonable* attacks and slander, which has happened quite often here as people get together to rant and then sometimes go too far. But to be clear i, now, do not defend their bad customer service at all.

However, your post could be misinterpreted, i have never *completely* defended what they have done, but i admit i have been too lenient.

How about let those of us that have used the product and placed numerous orders that have valid complaints with this so called company vent without you chiming in?

Many times i got involved because i follow the company closely and so had information that was helpful. Also a few times i posted to defend them against *unreasonable* attacks and baseless accusations.

It's strange that you are not using their strings and defending a company

Just to be clear, as with GK Growl's post, your post could be interpreted as saying i have *completely* defended things they have done, which i never did, and i do not now. However i understand you probably do not mean to imply that.

I can give you the email address of Skip Fantry, the owner. Write to and make him aware of this thread and what is going on.

I have a fairly personal email address of his, and months ago have linked him to the complaints here and have made suggestions to improve things. I won't share his response because it's personal correspondance.

I have also tagged other members of Kalium (Chris and their previous customer service guy who didn't seem to do much) many times on FB to link them to complaints to try to get orders investigated. I have made suggestions for improvements many times to Chris on FB, and i told him i was sceptical about their claims of shipping issues being due to their shipper. Many people's orders were sorted out due to me making a fuss on FB.

So, here i seemed too supportive of them, but elsewhere, i have made a big fuss and been a pain in their asses

 

[ixlramp]

I have another complaint too. They ship strings loosely coiled in a flexible plastic envelope, which is no way to protect strings from damage in transit. I suggested to Skip they use crush-proof cardbox boxes instead, but he dd not agree and told me that's more waste ending up in landfill. Well, quality cardbox boxes are useful for using for other purposes, and they are either recyclable or biodegrade harmlessly. Plastic is from a non-sustainable resource and doesn't biodegrade.

I won't buy strings mail order unless they are in a crush-proof cardbox box.

 

[Arkhon06]

Last deal EVER with Kalium strings :
- 4 weeks to receive strings
- no customer support at all (don't try to email them, they don't read emails)
- new DHL international shipping = 45$ of customs fees for a 128$ order so that's 58$ per 4 string set !!

So my advice, especially for non-US customers : just avoid Kalium and find a company that cares about people paying for their products

 

[HaphAsSard]

new DHL international shipping = 45$ of customs fees for a 128$ order so that's 58$ per 4 string set !!

Doesn't the custom fee essentially mean you've been unlucky with the customs officers of your country drawing your package to be charged? What do Kalium and DHL have to do with this? It's a serious question (well, two questions), I'm no expert on buying outside the EU.

(And to be clear, I don't have a dog in this fight: let people buy from Kalium, or not, I don't care one jot either way.)

 

[Arkhon06]

Doesn't the custom fee essentially mean you've been unlucky with the customs officers of your country drawing your package to be charged? What do Kalium and DHL have to do with this? It's a serious question (well, two questions), I'm no expert on buying outside the EU.

No, I've ordered many products from the US (small packages under 200$) and never had customs to Pay. With DHL Express, it's very fast service but you have to pay anyway. When parcel is received in Europe, they send you an SMS with a pin code and they charge you for regular customs fees + additional DHL fees.

 

[tom-g]

Kalium and DHL have nothing to do with custom fees, except that DHL collects them. I have been paying custom fees all the time I have ordered strings from Kalium. I had to pick up my strings at the custom's office. They weren't delivered to my door, except when sent through DHL from the US. Other items ordered from the US always went through custom - same deal, I had to pay the fees.

What you need to do is to check if you were not charged incorrectly. At least here in Germany I only need to pay if the package including shipping fees is above a certain value.

 

[Arkhon06]

Kalium and DHL have nothing to do with custom fees, except that DHL collects them. I have been paying custom fees all the time I have ordered strings from Kalium. I had to pick up my strings at the custom's office. They weren't delivered to my door, except when sent through DHL from the US. Other items ordered from the US always went through custom - same deal, I had to pay the fees.

What you need to do is to check if you were not charged incorrectly. At least here in Germany I only need to pay if the package including shipping fees is above a certain value.

Yes that's what I said.

Through USPS for example, you may or may not have to pay custom fees depending on customs officers deciding or not to stop the parcel (personnally, it never happened based on 7 or 8 parcels I received, including some previous Kalium orders).

Through DHL express, they ask you money and then pay automatically to the customs (+ additionnal DHL fees to do that). So in the end I bought 3 sets of strings for 128$ and had to pay 45$ more for customs.

 

[tom-g]

Yes that's what I said.

Through USPS for example, you may or may not have to pay custom fees depending on customs officers deciding or not to stop the parcel (personnally, it never happened based on 7 or 8 parcels I received, including some previous Kalium orders).

Through DHL express, they ask you money and then pay automatically to the customs (+ additionnal DHL fees to do that). So in the end I bought 3 sets of strings for 128$ and had to pay 45$ more for customs.

Right, but if DHL charged for something they shouldn't have, I at least would find out. DHL is bound to the same rules and regulations as the customs office. If they would not charge you, DHL shouldn't either.

Edit: There is a limit on when you are charged custom's fees. If below it's free.