What is the most expensive string you've ever bought?

[Gizmot]

I just bought a set of Thomastik JF345 for ~ $120.00. The prices for these have gone up somewhat but since they sound so good and last so long they’re still a good value

 

[shaggy45]

TI jazz rounds.

I bought them for a jmj mustang I had at the time. Unbeknownst to me there was a burr on one of the tuning posts and it snapped the string immediately. I was so pissed.


I no longer have that bass.

 

[scuzzy]

the upright strings I was recommended for what I was wanting in a string cost about $675/set. I couldn't do it. would love to try them out.

 

[jeffb28451]

TI flats in 5 string. Just too loose for me. Good sounding, but off my bass and trashed in 30 minutes. Shame. I've heard so much good about them but I just could not play without more tension.

 

[5StringBlues]

Upright strings, a couple of hundred dollars

 

[fourstringdrums]

TI's so far

 

[J Wilson]

Thomastik Infelds.

Went dead just as fast as anything else (!) and proved to me I could buy three or four sets of XL's or Boomers and change them more often for the same or a little less money.

 

[Ggaa]

For a long time(mid '90s mid 2010s), LaBella Supersteps 5 string, $49 now. Lately, Fodera/DR Nickels(checking them out), $45.

 

[Petethebassman]

The most I've paid for 4-string electric bass string set is 72 Euros for Dogal Jonas Hellborg roundwounds that are on my main P-Bass now. They are excellent.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Be glad you aren't in Canada:

View attachment 5358420

"Oh Jebus!"

 

[logdrum]

If you go out to dinner in Manhattan -- nothing special - 200 may not be enough. But strings instead and buy Pretzels with mustard

 

[Matthijs]

160 € for a single gut D string

for the upright.

 

[OkayistBassist]

I just paid this for my upright and hour and a half ago. Very excited for Thursday to get here!



Otherwise, for the ‘lectrics, these are probably my most expensive. The golds are for my USA jazz and the through-body’s are for my American Vintage II 1954 Precision:



The new Ultra V gets Roto 66’s. Go figure the most expensive one gets the cheapest strings!

 

[jdjk7]

To the best of my recollection, the most expensive string I've ever bought was a Sadowsky 5 string set of blue label flats. About $140 for a 5 string flat set. I think.

About $115 for a set of Pyramid flatwounds made for Bass VI. .025-.105 gauges. This was all told after shipping to the US.

 

[BobKay]

View attachment 5358127

$212.48

They are now $283.

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

Yea, T.I. Powerbass nickel rounds were about $70+ also.

 

[SteC]

Probably the labella 1954s were about 50 at the time I think. Still haven't used them haha I expect they're too heavy for me

 

[boombloom]

I know others have said it. You need to take out a loan these days when you restring the upright.

 

[brutuscheezcake]

Dogal Jaco flats for my 1961 jazz. Personally I think they suck. Soon to be replaced.

Upright? Probably the Belcantos that got replaced with mittels. I couldn’t deal with the D and G.

 

[40Hz]

Is the high cost related to how long they tend to last which means the construction of the string has to be to a higher standard?

There is an extra polishing step which I’m sure adds something to their cost. But I also think it's mostly due to them lasting as long as they do. A roundwound string’s lifetime is measured in months. A flatwound’s is measured in years. Or with TIs it’s sometimes measured in decades. Kinda like eyeglass frames. They know most people are going to put off purchasing a new pair of glasses for as long as possible. So they get as much of your money as they can up front.

Truth is, flatwounds are going to be significantly cheaper on an annual basis compared to your average set of rounds, assuming you replace rounds multiple times per year. If you buy something like HiBeams ($25) and restring every three months you spent $100 compared to a set of TIs that will set you back $85 most places. So you saved yourself $15 over rounds in the first year alone. Year two the TIs will still be going strong and should easily last anywhere from five to ten years. So there’s zero replacement cost during that period.

Another way of looking at it is by dividing the cost into the number of months useful life before replacement.

TIs = $85 amortized over 60 months (5 yrs) is $1.42 per month.

HiBeams = $25 amortized over 4 months is $6.25 per month.