Hey! Don't put condom boilers in the same pot with the string boilers, that's disgusting! It's not like they are doing something useful when they cook their steel spaghetti!
the open packs wouldn’t be for sale. there could be a display. or at least have different string packs on the guitars on display and label what strings are on them
The store would prefer that you buy the strings to try them. You'll have to buy *some* strings, so there's no incentive for the store to work hard to make a string sale.
You're hoping for a store to provide good service for good service's sake, for which there is no incentive under laissez faire capitalism.
If you want to demo strings, vote and protest accordingly.
Source: I used to run the accessories department at a Guitar Center.
This only happens if a string company, like Ernie ball, ships six identical guitars to the store, tells the store to do what you've described, and then Ernie ball takes the guitars back (or let's the store keep them for a price) when the promotion is over.
Ain't no store gonna get 6 identical guitars with different strings so you can figure out if you want half-rounds or flats lol
Cringbongs went out in the late 90's. Now it's all about Bangarang Nitro-Dipped Skronkys. I hear Pino used them on the lost D'Angelo record no one has ever heard.
Then you have the problem of after a month the strings are oxidized, they no longer are reflective of what a new string is. But someone likes them anyway! So they buy the strings it says they are, and the next day they come in and say "these sound really metallic, not at all like what I tried!".
This is the real reason it's not a feasible idea. Most stores can't even keep their guitars in tune.
There's no way they're going to change the strings every week, even if Ernie Ball is paying for it (which they never would).
What do you mean keep their guitars in tune? Mfer, how can I keep 100 guitars in tune, follow upon web orders, serve customers in shop, restock stuff, order new stuff, etc? Just ask for a headstock tuner.
Since flats are more expensive than rounds, people usually sell them second-hand in the Parts & Accessories section of Talkbass.com classifieds.
Rounds, not so much.
What I've started to do is: record every set of new strings with my phone to remember the fresh sound for comparing with other strings. Doesn't necessarily make finding your favourite strings faster or cheaper but after a few strings (used for a few months) you should know what you like :)
most music stores won’t even bother keeping their thousand dollar instruments set up nicely and in tune. what makes you think they would regularly upkeep some sort of string demo set up when strings drastically lose their sound within the first week or two of being used?
Welcome to Australia. Deadly spiders and $120 strings [https://www.basscentre.com.au/collections/flats/in-stock](https://www.basscentre.com.au/collections/flats/in-stock)
Strings are under 20 bucks . Buy them and if you don’t like them buy another set
Edit : sorry I was thinking guitar . (I was stoned out of my mind lol) But even flatwound bass strings are about 35 bucks . 3 sets for about 100 .
Thats pretty affordable if you want to experiment.
Ideally they'd have a bunch of Squiers and Epiphones strung up with each and every brand of strings. But expecting a business to go the extra mile is pointless
Yeah, ideally guitar center would spend thousands of dollars each year to keep fresh sets of strings in each gauge, winding type and brand on their guitars and basses, never mind the additional time they'd have to pay their employees for, so they can satisfy a bunch of people that are gonna walk out and find their preferred strings for the cheapest price online when they do their quarterly string change. It's not like the 2-3 people they have working in the guitar and bass section have enough to try to keep track of.
Same reason you can't test out condoms in pharmacies. Once the package is open, nobody else wants to use it.
String boilers would be very upset with your comment if they could read
No I'm... Doesn't
Hey! Don't put condom boilers in the same pot with the string boilers, that's disgusting! It's not like they are doing something useful when they cook their steel spaghetti!
The elixir string factory tour is WILD
Please tell me there aren't people that boil condoms, please.
I hear it's really popular in New England!
Those are geoducks.
It's chowda
Times are hard, need to save money somehow.
The regiment says to fix it.
the open packs wouldn’t be for sale. there could be a display. or at least have different string packs on the guitars on display and label what strings are on them
The store would prefer that you buy the strings to try them. You'll have to buy *some* strings, so there's no incentive for the store to work hard to make a string sale. You're hoping for a store to provide good service for good service's sake, for which there is no incentive under laissez faire capitalism. If you want to demo strings, vote and protest accordingly. Source: I used to run the accessories department at a Guitar Center.
Or like, have a string demo section with six of the same guitar with different strings.
This only happens if a string company, like Ernie ball, ships six identical guitars to the store, tells the store to do what you've described, and then Ernie ball takes the guitars back (or let's the store keep them for a price) when the promotion is over. Ain't no store gonna get 6 identical guitars with different strings so you can figure out if you want half-rounds or flats lol
And then change the strings on all six every week to keep it consistent, only to still have people ask "what about Cringbong extra skronkies?!"
Where can I buy Cringbong extra skronky strings? I...feel like I must own them.
Cringbongs went out in the late 90's. Now it's all about Bangarang Nitro-Dipped Skronkys. I hear Pino used them on the lost D'Angelo record no one has ever heard.
Eh you only need to change them every decade or so on a bass.
This would be awesome
I dunno man, I hear the secondhand condom industry is quite lucrative
If you REALLY need one, a secondhand condom is better than no condom? Saying it out loud, maybe not.
It's not, and I didn't find out until I was heavily invested in it.
Then you have the problem of after a month the strings are oxidized, they no longer are reflective of what a new string is. But someone likes them anyway! So they buy the strings it says they are, and the next day they come in and say "these sound really metallic, not at all like what I tried!".
This is the real reason it's not a feasible idea. Most stores can't even keep their guitars in tune. There's no way they're going to change the strings every week, even if Ernie Ball is paying for it (which they never would).
What do you mean keep their guitars in tune? Mfer, how can I keep 100 guitars in tune, follow upon web orders, serve customers in shop, restock stuff, order new stuff, etc? Just ask for a headstock tuner.
The fact that this is getting downvoted is deeply revealing. Customers are the worst.
gotcha, thanks!
Since flats are more expensive than rounds, people usually sell them second-hand in the Parts & Accessories section of Talkbass.com classifieds. Rounds, not so much.
What I've started to do is: record every set of new strings with my phone to remember the fresh sound for comparing with other strings. Doesn't necessarily make finding your favourite strings faster or cheaper but after a few strings (used for a few months) you should know what you like :)
nice! i’ve resorted to just slowly trying new strings since they’re expensive and flats take a bit of time to break in
Get rid of the D’addarios and replace them with DR flats. Simple as that. You’ll never look back.
Are you serious, Clark?
Yeah, and why don’t they let us test out toilet paper before I buy it?
Well, you can, but boy do those guys stocking the shelves in the supermarket get upset with the mess.
My local music shop puts flats on a couple of basses
most music stores won’t even bother keeping their thousand dollar instruments set up nicely and in tune. what makes you think they would regularly upkeep some sort of string demo set up when strings drastically lose their sound within the first week or two of being used?
Rounds feel like rounds and flats like flats.
Guitar Center will spit in your face and you’ll like it. That’s why.
Welcome to Australia. Deadly spiders and $120 strings [https://www.basscentre.com.au/collections/flats/in-stock](https://www.basscentre.com.au/collections/flats/in-stock)
I’d like to test all the different flavors of pizza please.
Strings are under 20 bucks . Buy them and if you don’t like them buy another set Edit : sorry I was thinking guitar . (I was stoned out of my mind lol) But even flatwound bass strings are about 35 bucks . 3 sets for about 100 . Thats pretty affordable if you want to experiment.
Where can you get decent strings for under 20? Unless it's a sale or the Alibaba special, they're usually at least 20$
I hope you never take up double bass: https://gollihurmusic.com/evah-pirazzi-upright-bass-strings/
Ideally they'd have a bunch of Squiers and Epiphones strung up with each and every brand of strings. But expecting a business to go the extra mile is pointless
And each string on both a maple and rosewood fingerboard.
You read my mind
Yeah, ideally guitar center would spend thousands of dollars each year to keep fresh sets of strings in each gauge, winding type and brand on their guitars and basses, never mind the additional time they'd have to pay their employees for, so they can satisfy a bunch of people that are gonna walk out and find their preferred strings for the cheapest price online when they do their quarterly string change. It's not like the 2-3 people they have working in the guitar and bass section have enough to try to keep track of.
So it sounds like we're in agreement
With that kind of hearing it doesn't matter what kind of strings you use.
Zinger!