I'm on a budget and have seen a set of Rotosound Double Bass strings (which I would like to try out) on Ebay Small Ads, going for a good price.
The seller is very open about the A-String being a bit dodgy - "The E, D, and G strings are in very good condition; only the Monel winding on the A string is broken in several places. You can still play it and everything sounds normal, but it's not optimal for your hand and fingerboard."
I asked him for a clearer picture of the "breaks" and he sent them promptly.
"Hi Paul, I don't know if you can tell anything from the photos. It's playable, but the sheathing is broken there – unfortunately, that seems to be "normal," but the strings are rough, and you can feel it on your fingers and the fretboard."
What do reckon, worth a punt? €119,- as opposed to a new price of €269,-
OR is the A-String unplayable? Unfortunately Thomann don't offer the strings as singles.