£6 for a set of 6 string bass strings... how terrible will they be?

[binky_bass]

So, I've been trawling eBay to see what 6 string basses are on offer and came across these...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153818811958

£6 for a set of 6 strings for bass... I have no doubt whatsoever that they will very likely be utterly unusable and terrible, but the bargain hunter in me is too curious, I have bought a set and will update once they're delivered. 

£6... they can't possibly be good, can they?? 🤔

Edited June 7, 2020 by binky_bass

[ClassicVibes]

I can safely say they will be coming off the bass shortly after you put them on!

[binky_bass]

😂 I agree!!

I an under absolutely no illusion that these will be terrible, but £6 isn't much of a spend... I'll find a use for them somewhere!

[fleabag]

Its worth £6 just to find out.  Not much of a loss if they turn out to be nothing but ropes

[Woodinblack]

At £6 if they are bad they still have to be ok for tying up things in the garden!

 

[Happy Jack]

Are you sure that's not just the postage?

[Newfoundfreedom]

Cheese wire. 

[binky_bass]

11 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

Cheese wire. 

I do have some cheese that needs cutting...

[Happy Jack]

It's a bit runny ...

 

[oldslapper]

I like it runny. 

[P-Belly Evans]

I say try them and see. I bought a set of Olympia flats for 15 quid I think. Suffice it to say I bought another set. On the other hand I might just not understand how crap they are🤔. Sound OK to me though. 

Edited June 7, 2020 by P-Belly Evans

[Count Bassy]

2 hours ago, oldslapper said:

I like it runny. 

I think it's runnier than you'd like it, sir.

[Geek99]

I’ve bought cheap strings like that, they sent too many and told me to keep them.

I sold them on as “no-brand” strings for peanuts and people were raving about them. funny old world ...

[BreadBin]

I've tried similar, they sounded fine....

 

 

 

 

... for about half an hour.

Went off quicker than a very quick thing.

[Fozza]

13 hours ago, Count Bassy said:

I think it's runnier than you'd like it, sir.

What a senseless waste of human life six pounds.

[ezbass]

19 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

At £6 if they are bad they still have to be ok for tying up things in the garden!

 

And use the ball ends for spacers.

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by ezbass

[steantval]

On 07/06/2020 at 14:44, binky_bass said:

😂 I agree!!

I an under absolutely no illusion that these will be terrible, but £6 isn't much of a spend... I'll find a use for them somewhere!

Maybe put them on a Fender Strat.

[Newfoundfreedom]

When do they arrive @binky_bass? I'm tempted to have a punt on a set myself, but I'll let you test the water first. I have a dead spot on a couple of notes on my sixer, and I don't know if it's the strings, the pick ups, or something else. It might be a cheap way of ruling out the strings. 

[Woodinblack]

On 07/06/2020 at 14:24, binky_bass said:

£6... they can't possibly be good, can they?? 🤔

When you find out, let us know, as I seem to have.. err.. gained one recently!

[binky_bass]

Will report back upon arrival! Expect nothing good! 😂

[kodiakblair]

On 07/06/2020 at 14:24, binky_bass said:

£6... they can't possibly be good, can they?? 🤔

It wasn't that long ago that Warwick Reds were £8 for a 6 string set.

I don't know how much the Warwick brand name adds to the cost but it'll be a fair chunk.

The Champ fellas won't have that extra cost.

[Bobthedog]

I attended a Zoom conference with Steve Gadd and Anthony Jackson about a month ago. During the recording of, I think, a Chet Baker track, they took six takes to get it right. Jackson changed his strings on each take. Perhaps these are what he was using?

[Woodinblack]

On 07/06/2020 at 14:24, binky_bass said:

£6... they can't possibly be good, can they?? 🤔

Well, if they are, you can save yourself a few quid by buying them in packs of 5

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402063926930

[Bleat]

I find cheap strings are pretty much consistently cack in most ways, but are good for when I'm doing a setup /changing gauge of string. I can spend as much time as I like faffing / playing the strings without worrying that a good set of Ernie Balls  will have lost their mojo by the time I have done all said faffing and testing and faffing again.  I have just bought a set of these for that very purpose. These seem to be the least crap ones I have tried. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR-STRINGS-40-95s-Light-Gauge-040-to-095/200980644509?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

😊

 

[Stub Mandrel]

A bit of a dig shows they're made in Korea,

Cheap strings probably means less QC although there's always the possibility/likelihood the factory gets an order for X,000 sets from <name redacted> buys in the materials, find itself with 2 * X,000 sets of strings, bags them up and sells them cheap as as a tax write off.