$450.00 Bass strings???????

[Erwinpiano]

  Terry

     So glad you (I) opened  this can o worms in regards to bass string
quality and prices.  I realize this is a different thread than the "one
scale for M&H AA" but that ones well worn and needs possible retiring.

     In my response to Bill Ballard he was expressing frustration with
incorrectly made strings,winding lengths,e.t.c. My statement to him was that
there was only $50 difference between  the low and high quality bass strg
sets/makers and that if you have even one glitch or other unhappy exp. with
the low end set it becomes a VERY expensive LOW end set.(It' Possible to
have same problems with some high end sets)   Your response was that the
Sanderson's sets of strings run $450.00.
U.S.  ( YIKES!!!!!!!!! my response).  Can we talk.

      The following commentary is strictly my opinion(which I'm fond of )
and one formed from many hours of grinding my teeth and pounding on the
table in frustration over bass string HASSLES.


 Ari Isaac -bass strings                         $225.00  unusual ideas bout
scaling
 Steinway- supplied MAPES strings      $ Don't know much about it
 Schaff -strings as you stated run appox. $180.00 scale help unknown
 Mapes- roughly the same                     $180.00good luck with rescale
help
 G.C. strings -Rescaling  part of price   $200.00-$240.00 depending on
no.strgs.
 Sanderson -Rescaling part of the price $450.00 Give or take/options
 Others- no experience

     Having tried many sets of most all but the Sanderson's strings I can
say that
there are huge differences. I can also say that every bass string maker has
goofs blunders and anomaly's proving to me that bass string making is not
an exact science but a practice of an art that is limited by quality of
materials, design and human skill/error. As a rebuilder seeking superior
results(aren't we all)
and  efficiency I can't long afford to work with strings that are 1. Poor
sounding or unpredictable. 2. Frequently giving problems serious enough to
replace one or two or more strings after the initial installation.3.  Or
having false
beats develop over time on a routine basis.
   Having to go back and redo a string or a set makes that brand the very
most expensive strings money and frustration can buy.  I put a very high
premium on the value of my time, the end tonal result and my sanity! String
replacement after the fact is MADDENING. (I THINK THAT'S CLEAR)
    That being said some people are more adept at winding/producing strings
and understand the principles more clearly and care about the end results
more intensely.  For that I'm grateful and I don't have to design scales or
wrap the string. I have other things I like to do!!!
   Now just because a set of bass strings is more spensive doesn't mean it's
better although it could if you'll follow my logic.  I.E. The Isaac string I
used lot of .  When they were right they were really good but the
aggravation of continual falsebeats,(which ment reordering, replacing and
delivery schedules disrupted and sometimes very expensive follow up service
calls to far away locations) inconsistent wraps and poor customer service
finally got the best of me. A VERY Expensive string!!I hope he has rectified
his difficulties and is doing well but I will not use them again. For those
of you wondering ,I used dozens of sets of the above, so I think I gave it a
fair shot.

   ON THE OTHER HAND.

    Over the last 5yrs. I've used  at least 50 sets of  THE G.C. STRING CO.
,as are many rebuilders dealing high end pianos, and have been ecstatic 1.
With tone. It's clean well balanced easy to tune with only an occasional
false beat. The wraps are very consistently within 1/2" of the
terminus.(VERY STEINWAY SOUNDING)  Also DANNY IS VERY FUSSY about results
and his ability to analyze scale design flaws.  In fact  scale analysis and
design is just part of the job.   If when I have questions about a scale
that looks odd, like the M&H ? floating on the list or whatever ,I know he's
not going to duplicate some freak of engineering just because it was
ORIGINAL.  Soooo with all due respect to the Sanderson's( the S.A.T. CHANGED
MY LIFE ) I ask an honest partially uniformed question.  Why should I pay an
extra one to two hundred dollars to get what I'm already getting???????

   Considering all this which set of bass strings I'm I getting the most
booing for my buck?
    I consider theG.C.product, personal service and hassle free aspect of
this supplier an incredible labor saver and hey since I'm not replacing
faulty strings and pounding on the table in frustration I even have extra
days to go fishing!!!!!!
  I think I'll ask Danny to go fishing

 NO LONGER STRUNG OUT(OR ALONG) IN MODESTO.
  Sincerely, Respectfully submitted
 Dale Erwin