Strings (particularly 5 string non Rotosound) sets

[WalMan]

I suspect that I know the answer to the following - and it's internet retailers like Strings Direct) but I have spent three fruitless days trawling shops for a new set of strings for the fretless, preferably 50-135, but 45-130 would have done and either Elixirs or a half/ground wound set and being an awkward b@st@rd preferably not Rotosound, as I don't really like them but would have taken a set at a push. Oh and they needed to be long scale as I am stringing through body and the temporary set I have on at the mo put barely a wind on the D string

Found loads of sets of Rotosound 4's but only a couple of sets of 5's that were generally 40-100.

The one shop that did have a solitary set of Elixirs, and a 5 string set at that , wanted full list of nearly £60

Another (admittedly predominently a g####r) shop that has only a couple of basses in only had a few sets of Ropewounds - sorry Rotosound - and generally all that was on offer was that or the odd set of Elites nearly all 4 string sets.

One newish shop in town at the w/e offered to order in Elixirs and matched the usual web price, but other than that the choice across two towns and a couple of big stores was pretty poor IMO, especially if you wanted a 5 string set.

Ended up ordering from StringsDirect last night, but really I wanted a new set sooner than that to get them played in for the w/e.

Now as I said at the start I suspect that the web retailers are the main reason for this dearth of choice and no doubt shops cannot afford to carry a stock of all shapes & sizes against me coming in one day for a set, but I was surprised how difficult it was to find a 5 string set in stores generally. Found perhaps 20-30 assorted 4 string sets to no more than 5, and often just 1 or two 5 string sets which seemed a little odd.

Perhaps 4 strings remains by far the norm and 5 + string basses are still unusual? I know I used 4 strings for an awful lot of years before getting the first 5'er a couple of years back.

Anyway.... end rant

[risingson]

Annoying isn't it?

[bassbloke]

Local music shops don;t do themselves any favours.

I walk into local music shop on the off chance they'll have a set of my preferred Fender Superbass strings in stock in a 5 string set. "Na" Says shop assistant. "Can order 'em in". "No point" I say. "You'll inevitably wait until your next big order because you either have to order a minimum amount from your distributor or because you want to save on shipping charges." I go home and order it from stringsdirect.

If I'm really really progressive, I'll walk outside the shop, browse to said online shop's website and order it from my phone.

Unfortunately, musicians aere a notoriously fickle breed, which explains how it is possible for there to be so many string companies. Unless I was in a real pickle, I wouldn;t dream of picking up any old set of strings. I'd want to use my preferred brand.

Now, if I walked into my local music shop and they said

"We don't carry those strings as a stock item because they're so specialist. You have to really know what you're doing to be so specific about them. What if we order a couple of sets for you and get them delivered straight to you. Pay for them now and we'll chuck shipping in for free. If this is your local shop and you let us know how often to change strings we could arrange to get a set in ready for when you next need them."

[woodster]

Whereabouts are you Walman? Nevada Music in Portsmouth usually have A half decent selection?

[WalMan]

[quote name='woodster' post='907506' date='Jul 27 2010, 07:51 PM']Whereabouts are you Walman? Nevada Music in Portsmouth usually have A half decent selection?[/quote]
Between there and GAK - pretty much bang smack in the middle, but though gigs are Portsmouth way for some reason I tend to head towards Brighton & GAK.

From memory Nevada do seem to have an apparently larger selection of bass string brands, but again (and it may be because I wasn't really looking for strings last time I was in there) my recollection was of more 4's than 5's

What particularly surprised me was Andertons (I work in Guildford) who were the ones with three 5 string sets of Rotosound and one of Elites in a pile on the floor at the bottom of the large display of mostly Rotosound 4's on the wall.

Ah well

[johnnylager]

Nowt in Worthing Al, except Rotos.

I have tried and failed to buy a whole bunch of varied things locally lately, trawled round the shops, failed every time and ended up purchasing from the internet. For example, I phoned a local guitar shop to see if they had what I wanted [aged white Strat knobs] - 'Yep, no problem', went to collect 'em - 'No, we don't have those - we can't carry everything, try Allparts on the web'. So I did. And will in the future. At least they sell Roto 4-string sets though. Great.

I wouldn't buy strings from anyone but Stringbusters now - fantastic service, great advice and they put a low B with a 4-set to cater for my odd requirements for no extra cost over a 5-set. 45-65-85-105- tapered 130 long scale D'Add nickels.

Edited July 27, 2010 by johnnylager

[WalMan]

[quote name='johnnylager' post='907566' date='Jul 27 2010, 08:42 PM']Nowt in Worthing Al, except Rotos.

I have tried and failed to buy a whole bunch of varied things locally lately, trawled round the shops, failed every time and ended up purchasing from the internet. For example, I phoned a local guitar shop to see if they had what I wanted [aged white Strat knobs] - 'Yep, no problem', went to collect 'em - 'No, we don't have those - we can't carry everything, try Allparts on the web'. So I did. And will in the future. At least they sell Roto 4-string sets though. Great.

I wouldn't buy strings from anyone but Stringbusters now - fantastic service, great advice and they put a low B with a 4-set to cater for my odd requirements for no extra cost over a 5-set. 45-65-85-105- tapered 130 long scale D'Adds.[/quote]
I know. That was my fruitless Saturday. Didn't even realise the one out towards the Aquarena had shut! Mind the new one in Warwick Street was the one that offered to order in a set at internet prices. I really ought to go back & support that one before it dies on the vine!!

BTW did you say you liked the Hartkes? I've two sets of the 50-135's that are too short for the new G&L fretless strung through body if you're interested

[johnnylager]

[quote name='WalMan' post='907576' date='Jul 27 2010, 08:47 PM']I know. That was my fruitless Saturday. Didn't even realise the one out towards the Aquarena had shut! Mind the new one in Warwick Street was the one that offered to order in a set at internet prices. I really ought to go back & support that one before it dies on the vine!!

BTW did you say you liked the Hartkes? I've two sets of the 50-135's that are too short for the new G&L fretless strung through body if you're interested[/quote]
Guitar Junction? Not tried the Hartkes mate - tapered B? I should really file the Spectors bridge to get a normal one in there!

[Sarah5string]

My local music shop don't do ANY 5er strings, let alone fretless. I have to order everything online.

[thepurpleblob]

Yep.. pretty much my experience. The choice of bass strings at all is very limited and 5 string next to non-existent. Just Rotosounds usually, which I really can't stand (barbed wire with too much treble ). AND... the ones they do have are usually obscenely expensive.

[WalMan]

[quote name='johnnylager' post='907826' date='Jul 28 2010, 08:24 AM']Guitar Junction? Not tried the Hartkes mate - tapered B? I should really file the Spectors bridge to get a normal one in there![/quote]
No, Guitar Junction (now behind the Guildbourne) had a few Ropewounds otherwise nowt. Music World was the one I was thinking of & apparently shut a couple of Saturday's ago - well it said "Last day Saturday - Cash Sales Only" but was in darkness last Saturday. Didn't get out to Drum'n'Strum, but Monster was a bit of a let down

Hartkes don't have tapers at all IIRC. I'll double check tonight

[guyl]

Similar experiences here. You should try buying for a 6-string bass. Then you actually get treated like a leper!

[teen t-shirt]

You could always give these a look if your after something that isnt Steel and rotosounds, they wont cost you a fortune either...
i've had sets of these and there very nice.

[url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Fender-Super-7250-5M-Bass-Pure-Nickel-5-String-Bass-Strings-45-125/CDY"]http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/...ings-45-125/CDY[/url]

or if you prefer the heavier sh*t!

[url="http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Fender-Super-8250-5M-Bass-Nickel-Plated-Steel-5-String-Bass-Strings-45-130/CPV"]http://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/...ings-45-130/CPV[/url]

[Kongo]

I'll give you one link...and you can do the rest, I've been using these guys for about 5 years now surely and the customer service is 2nd to none.
Get pretty much anything you want, even hard to come by DR's, Warwick Black Label / Dark Lord, Any Roto set you could wish for and they deal in various scale's too...and accessories and...Oops might wanna curb your spending!

[url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk"]www.stringsdirect.co.uk[/url]

[quote name='guyl' post='908170' date='Jul 28 2010, 01:35 PM']Similar experiences here. You should try buying for a 6-string bass. Then you actually get treated like a leper![/quote]

Reason why I used these guys so long, been a 6-string player almost exclusively for 5 years now.
Plenty of choice, tried all but Warwick black Label, which I am about to test very soon.

Edited July 29, 2010 by Kongo

[WalMan]

Yup. Used StringsDirect in the end. Ordered Monday night, arrived yesterday. Can't say better than that really.

It would be nice to support a local shop, and one did offer to order in for me, but that then meant order last Sat & I couldn't get back to pick them up 'til next Sat, and I really wanted then sooner to get them on and adjusted before Sat evenings gig. Could have got MrsW to do the collection (assuming they had arrived & she wasn't working) but....

Like I said at the start of this thread I suspect that with 'tinternet string shops the local music shops[list]
[*]cannot compete, so
[*]just carry a few of one or two brands; and
[*]are really not interested in holding much stock for walk ins, certainly so far as bass & >4 string sets are concerned
[/list]

And, despite the feeling that they were more regularly used nowadays, it seems that basses with >4 strings remain the exception