niceguyhomer Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 (edited) I've used DR Sunbeams exclusively for years and recommended them to everyone but after two duff packs - that's it I'm off. First problem set were definitely not Sunbeams - sure they were in a Sunbeam pack but were more like Lo Riders so I shrugged my shoulders and put up with them. The last pack were absolutely dreadful and almost had me booking the Shuker in for some major surgery. I sounded out of tune all the time even though I clearly wasn't and to make matters worse the intonation was all over the pace. They sounded even weirder with the band - it's hard for me to describe but the sound just didn't 'blend' with the band at all. Very un-musical. I kept a set of Ernie Ball Slinkies I'd used so I've just boiled them and stuck 'em back on my bass. Phew, what a bloody relief, I have my bass back and what's more I'm in tune again all over the fretboard. I accept it could just be a rogue set but at £35 a go I'm not taking any more chances. Edited February 20, 2011 by niceguyhomer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 That's the great thing about playing La Bella flats mate, I've had the same sets on for years, and they sound better than when i first put them on! Couldn't ever go back to playing rounds and having to change them every few weeks 'cos they didn't intone any more. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I have noticed a few sets playing me up of late but this is not down exclusively to DR. I broke a La Bella super step A string and I had to retire the set until I can get a seperate replacment...and the set was brand new and on a for 2 days when this happened. I hadn't broken a string for something like 25 yrs so I was NOT impressed. A set of XL's I cleaned up and they went off in a few days and a cleaned set of DRs never sounded good at all. This is the first batch problems I have had in years and at first I put it down to different makes and the fact that nothing cleans up like DR's..but now, I am less sure. I still use DR's but they aren't cheap. I put up with that as I could get 5 plus cleans out of them and they always worked... now even that is not quite so clear-cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 [quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1111782' date='Feb 1 2011, 11:11 PM']I've used DR Sunbeams exclusively for years and recommended them to everyone but after two duff packs - that's it I'm off. First problem set were definitely not Sunbeams - sure they were in a Sunbeam pack but were more like Lo Riders so I shrugged my shoulders and put up with them. The last pack were absolutely dreadful and almost had me booking the Shuker in for some major surgery. I sounded out of tune all the time even though I clearly wasn't and to make matters worse the intonation was all over the pace. They sounded even weirder with the band - it's hard for me to describe but the sound just didn't 'blend' with the band at all. Very un-musical. I kept a set of Ernie Ball Slinkies I'd used so I've just boiled them and stuck 'em back on my bass. Phew, what a bloody relief, I have my bass back and what's more I'm in tune again all over the fretboard. I accept it could just be a rogue set but at £35 a go I'm not taking any more chances.[/quote] Where did you get the sets from? - From a distributor I'd expect a bit of customer service, whereas if it was eBay, goodness knows what was in the packets? I put a set of the DR Neons on a young lad's bass a couple of days ago. He got them off eBay. The strings seem fine - but the packaging was all wrong. It was a sealed pack, but it was a four string set in a five string pack and the gauges weren't as advised either on the cardboard pack or the string envelope. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a small scale factory forgery operation from the far east?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I've never had any issues with DR Sunbeams, although I have now switched to the new Dunlop nickels, since they're pretty similar but half the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 i've got two sets of fat-beams on at the moment.... they are good for a similar cheaper alternative status hotwires are great, and a duff string sent resulted in an email and a new one 2 days later. great, and i mean great service Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 [quote name='Hamster' post='1111919' date='Feb 2 2011, 01:55 AM']Where did you get the sets from?[/quote] Stringbusters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platypus Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 You should phone Stringbusters and see what they say [quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1112333' date='Feb 2 2011, 01:21 PM']Stringbusters[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I had my first string breakage in years the other week, the low E of a set of Hi Beams. They were a few months old and had endured a boiling, but it's a rare thing to break a bass string... it unravelled at the bridge end, very odd. I havent found any strings I like better yet though, so I guess I'll stick with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I really like Pyramid Flats in terms of feel and tone, but they're not very sturdy. Odd really, seeing as they cost quite a bit for set... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I only used DR's once-Lo Riders-and snapped the A string after about a week. I'm no stranger to string breakages, but not that quick. The same thing happened with the B string on a set of Elites Nathan East series. I'm happy with using Ernie Balls right now,although I do like Fender and D'addario aswell. I had a good experience with the Hartke strings too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 [quote name='Jerry_B' post='1112365' date='Feb 2 2011, 01:35 PM']I really like Pyramid Flats in terms of feel and tone, but they're not very sturdy. Odd really, seeing as they cost quite a bit for set...[/quote] Yes, I liked the set I got new off a fellow BCer but when I transferred them to another bass they started to fall apart (especially the G string) and died when I transferred them back (snapped G string)! Always been happy in the past with Sunbeams but then again I got my last box of them direct from the States and I'm now a bit dubious of reordering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Tis a shame if Sunbeam quality is suffering, especially at the price they are. Ernie Ball's are my 2nd choice but the Dunlops sound interesting. As there are, allegedly, only a handful of manufacturers, there's a lot of brand name crossover anyway. Newtone strings are British and often overlooked. Pyramid E strings have sounded dull in every set I've tried and it seems to be characteristic? Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Not all Pyramid E's are dead sounding, I had a duff one, swapped it for a new one (great service from Stringstar) and it sounded much more lively with more sustain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 One of the reasons I like Pyramids is that the E string tends to keep it's sound. The same couldn't be said of Rotosound flats that I've tried. It's just a shame the Pyramids seem a bit fragile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 I think I'll send an email to Stringbusters - I've bought loads of Sunbeams from them. I'll report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey1-8 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Has anyone else had this problem with Sunbeams recently? I was going to order some more this weekend but may hold fire if a few people have had the same experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 They're great strings - used 'em for years and they were always my first choice. Perhaps I got a Friday afternoon set, I dunno, it's the only properly duff set I've had out of maybe 20-30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I stopped using DR strings years ago as I got fed up with returning duff sets. Bass, electric guitar & acoustic guitar sets were all the same. Gamlins in Cardiff stopped stocking DR strings because of the amount of sets they were having brought back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1113038' date='Feb 2 2011, 09:28 PM']I think I'll send an email to Stringbusters - I've bought loads of Sunbeams from them. I'll report back.[/quote] Did you get a reply from them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fudge Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote name='niceguyhomer' post='1112333' date='Feb 2 2011, 01:21 PM']Stringbusters[/quote] [quote name='Platypus' post='1112354' date='Feb 2 2011, 01:29 PM']You should phone Stringbusters and see what they say[/quote] Who ya gonna call? STRINGBUSTERS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 [quote name='Mr Fudge' post='1119472' date='Feb 7 2011, 09:15 PM']Who ya gonna call? STRINGBUSTERS!!! [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danhkr Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 [quote name='RhysP' post='1113321' date='Feb 3 2011, 12:33 AM']I stopped using DR strings years ago as I got fed up with returning duff sets. Bass, electric guitar & acoustic guitar sets were all the same. Gamlins in Cardiff stopped stocking DR strings because of the amount of sets they were having brought back.[/quote] Thinking about it, could be something to do with the fact that unlike most other brands, DR are handmade. I suppose if, for whatever reason, that makes them better, it could also mean more margin for error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 I tend to assume all strings are crap so buy the cheapest I can find. I've found the Olympia and Hartke sets pretty damn good value and failing that I'll go for Warwick Red Label. Had them all on the basses for the last 18 months and only changed the main Spector 5's last week because they were getting a little dull, rather than they were dead sounding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Well, I have a replacement set coming next week - can't decide what to do with 'em. Put 'em on or sell 'em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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