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Thread: Best Price On Strings ??

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    Registered User Tom Sanderson's Avatar
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    Default Best Price On Strings ??

    I use D'addario J74 (now EJ74). I usually buy 10 sets at a time and I am always looking for the best price. Elderly has always been the best deal at 5.50 per set plus free shipping on orders over 49.00, but this time I looked a little more and found a place called "strings by mail" ( stringsbymail.com ). Their price is 4.40 per set for 5 or more sets, plus free shipping, so I got 10 sets for 44.00. I ordered them Sunday night and they came today usps priority mail. They are the cheapest I've found so far. Anyone else know of any place cheaper ? By the way, NFI

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    NY Naturalist BradKlein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    I like a bargain as much as the next guy, and have bought from www.juststrings.com at times. But there's something to be said for supporting the businesses you want to see stay in business. And in my case that's instrument dealers and repairers like Elderly. And like many folks, I try and buy some small items at my local music stores when I'm 'just browsing'.
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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    buy by the case-sized-lot. my local guy passes along lower costs he gets,
    for the sets by the dozen or more.
    writing about music
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  5. #4

    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by BradKlein View Post
    But there's something to be said for supporting the businesses you want to see stay in business.
    Love to support the "little guy", but around here Mom and Pops like to charge $12-17 a set for $5 strings--can't do it. I buy on eBay and get free shipping, shows up in a couple days.....

    Not sure the business model that places like that use, but my thinking is that you don't profit from strings. Strings and picks are sold to get customers into the store weekly or monthly....so they might make a major purchase down the road. Pet peeve of mine. When I worked at a guitar shop, we paid about $3.50 a pack for strings and sold them for $5. What's so hard about that?

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Nothing hard about that but you would have to sell a pot load to pay the light bill and rent at that. The internet took away all mom and pops profit margin on big ticket items as well as small. I don't know how any of them make it. I still buy strings picks books etc from local stores if they have what I need. I use the Internet for what I want that they don't sell.

  7. #6

    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    The ONLY time I would pay $17 bucks for a $5 set of strings is a desert island situation, which hopefully will not come up often. The exception to that might be if the Mom and Pop store is selling a used $300 instrument that is worth $1000--in which case I would buy the instrument along with a pack of their overpriced strings, and call it even!

    I wanted to add a story from my younger days. We were in Canada and had a recording session scheduled on our day off, a Sunday. Not being familiar with the local customs, I was about to make a beer run and the studio engineer said, "it's Sunday, you can't buy beer". I'm thinking, we're recording, right? He quickly added, "you will need to find a cab driver, he will sell you beer". Sure enough, called a cab and he sold us a case of rot gut el cheapo beer for about $60. (I think he was working on a 3X markup, it was years ago). But we got through the session and had fun. I wish I could add that the record sold 37 million copies, but unfortunately I've always been too far ahead of the curve.......I keep telling myself, anyway.

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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    http://themandolinstore.com/product-...ntory/strings/

    EJ74's for $4.69 and sometimes they have sale prices even lower. My local mom & pop sells 'em for $7.

  10. #8
    Mandolin Dreams Unlimited MysTiK PiKn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Mando View Post
    The ONLY time I would pay $17 bucks for a $5 set of strings is a desert island situation, which hopefully will not come up often. The exception to that might be if the Mom and Pop store is selling a used $300 instrument that is worth $1000--in which case I would buy the instrument along with a pack of their overpriced strings, and call it even!

    I wanted to add a story from my younger days. We were in Canada and had a recording session scheduled on our day off, a Sunday. Not being familiar with the local customs, I was about to make a beer run and the studio engineer said, "it's Sunday, you can't buy beer". I'm thinking, we're recording, right? He quickly added, "you will need to find a cab driver, he will sell you beer". Sure enough, called a cab and he sold us a case of rot gut el cheapo beer for about $60. (I think he was working on a 3X markup, it was years ago). But we got through the session and had fun. I wish I could add that the record sold 37 million copies, but unfortunately I've always been too far ahead of the curve.......I keep telling myself, anyway.
    Amusing post.

    And yes, you were way ahead of the curve - today, no problem, REAL BEER, available, and you don't need the bootlegger. Sunday hours though, they close earlier. Prices are way high compared to those good old days.

    And we sell "TWO FOURS".

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    Registered User Bigtuna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    At the IBMAs D'A had a booth and I remember getting a steal of a deal for some exp74s. I want to say $20 for 3 sets. Maybe/probably a little more.
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    Middle-Aged Old-Timer Tobin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    I usually buy from JustStrings (Their EJ74 sets are currently priced at $4.73).

    Have you ever tried Euphanon Strings? They only sell one mandolin set, and I don't know what company makes the strings. I actually like the Euphanon set better than EJ74s, and they're VERY inexpensive. $29 per dozen sets of strings. That's $2.42 per set of strings.

  13. #11
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    I have used JustStrings mostly in the past also.
    However, now that the owner of the local music shop is in my band I may have to buy from them.
    I'll check and see if he has a lower price on higher quantities. I like to have several sets sitting around.
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    mandolin slinger Steve Ostrander's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Elderly has strings 15% off right now.
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    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    i just ordered 7 packs $33.11 free shipping for orders first class mail over $30 from just strings not too bad
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by darrylicshon View Post
    i just ordered 7 packs $33.11 free shipping for orders first class mail over $30 from just strings not too bad
    Nice. I didn't realize they offer free shipping. They used to charge shipping regardless of the order size. Good stuff.

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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Strings and Beyond are my favourite. Great prices and friendly service, with really good offers all the time.
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    Registered User Nathan Kellstadt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    I'm a big fan of Bob Passante and BP Strings.

    He runs one of the few remaining mom & pop operations like this. He has a great selection and great prices (including his shipping rates). He's currently selling J74s for $4.75 a pack. I don't know how Bob stays in business, but I'm glad he does.

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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    I make one string purchase every year or eighteen months for mandolin fiddle guitar and banjo. I like the one stop shopping at Juststrings.com. Even with a shipping charge the cost on the strings is still good with a large order. The local store often doesn't have what I want even when the price is comparable. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  20. #18
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    I've been ordering from Strings And Beyond for a dozen years or more. They run specials all the time, and getting to their free shipping point is pretty easy. Right now they have free shipping on everything for a limited time, no minimum. Their price for DAD EJ74s is $4.95/set.

    Just Strings: $4.73/set, free shipping over $30. Seven sets at that price is $33.11, which is how darrylicshon arrived at his number.

    This came up a couple months ago (of course), and at that time somebody mentioned a place whose price made my head spin. if I can find it I'll post it.

    And as to buying beer, growing up in CT was tough. Sales after 8 PM were prohibited. Grocery stores had to cover their displays. And no sales on Sunday. So if you were having people over for a football game, you had to plan ahead. And make sure you had planned correctly. Heck, even if you were having a party on Saturday night. There were some who would drive to New York state. (Also in high school, since the drinking age in NY was 18, not 21.)
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  22. #19
    Mandolin Dreams Unlimited MysTiK PiKn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Tobin View Post
    I usually buy from JustStrings (Their EJ74 sets are currently priced at $4.73).

    Have you ever tried Euphanon Strings? They only sell one mandolin set, and I don't know what company makes the strings. I actually like the Euphanon set better than EJ74s, and they're VERY inexpensive. $29 per dozen sets of strings. That's $2.42 per set of strings.
    Really. That's amazing. $29 /dozen /PhosphorBronze /loop end.

    They have guitar sets also.
    And it looks like individual guage, by the dozen. (guitar strings). (ball end).

    I really like messing with gauges to dial in the ultimate set. That would be fun at these prices.
    I can't see any problem w removing a /ball end to make a /loop end. (?)

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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    I am a big fan of Strings and Beyond also, and I just got an email from them about their No Minimum Free Shipping offer. My only gripe is that they don't carry certain GHS strings that I like (for example,. A270 and the Silk and Bronze). But if you only order J74 or other D'Addario strings, they are great.

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Clement Barrera-Ng View Post
    My only gripe is that they don't carry certain GHS strings that I like (for example,. A270 and the Silk and Bronze).
    Have you asked them if they can get you the strings you prefer? If they can get some GHS they can usually get others/
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by Tobin View Post
    Have you ever tried Euphanon Strings? They only sell one mandolin set, and I don't know what company makes the strings. I actually like the Euphanon set better than EJ74s, and they're VERY inexpensive. $29 per dozen sets of strings. That's $2.42 per set of strings.
    Well, plus shipping: "For the first two dozen sets or less add $6.00. For each additional dozen sets or fraction therof additional, add $2.00." So that's $2.92/set. Still a substantial savings. The question still is, has anybody tried them? It's not worth sacrificing quality to save a bit of money, right?
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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    Mandolin Dreams Unlimited MysTiK PiKn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    Well, plus shipping: "For the first two dozen sets or less add $6.00. For each additional dozen sets or fraction therof additional, add $2.00." So that's $2.92/set. Still a substantial savings. The question still is, has anybody tried them? It's not worth sacrificing quality to save a bit of money, right?
    Has anybody tried them?
    Sounds like Tobin tried them. and prefers them; but he usually buys elsewhere. What does that mean?

    I doubt quality is an issue; they'd be out of biz in no time. They're just guitar strings. I thought also, if it all went badly, the cost would minimize the disaster. I wonder more about cost to ship to Canada. Gotta make the call to find out I suppose.

    I thought I'd try 1 mando, 1 guitar, and a 2dozen G-singles to slightly reduce gauge on mando G from .040 to .039. Not sure what I don't like - the sound or the height - I also need to drop the nut heights slightly. (scary). It might be good to order a dozen E's also - those are the only strings I have broken. I hate tuning up those E strings. Go slow seems to help.

    A few years ago, I dialed in the "string volumes" on my guitar, by mod'ing the gauges. It was too much bass; so reduced that - can't remember the other changes. But just a couple of thousandths on or off the gauge is noticeable. At that time, I found a music store with a box full of single strings in various gauges, assorted brands. The experiment was successful. It was kinda like mixing some lights, some extra lights, and some mediums. Personalized custom gauges, o yeh.

    That reminds me of another thing. Daddario used to make something called a "bluegrass mix" - did they discontinue that set?

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    "The intellect is a boring load of crawp. Aye. Next wee chune".

  28. #24
    Mandolin Dreams Unlimited MysTiK PiKn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    delete /post duplicate
    Last edited by MysTiK PiKn; May-15-2015 at 3:59am. Reason: duplicate

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    Middle-Aged Old-Timer Tobin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Price On Strings ??

    Quote Originally Posted by MysTiK PiKn View Post
    Has anybody tried them?
    Sounds like Tobin tried them. and prefers them; but he usually buys elsewhere. What does that mean?
    I tried them because I was recently given a set by a friend (banjo player who also plays mandolin) and had been singing their praises for a while. I put them on at my next string change and was immediately impressed by the punch of the G and D strings. They made my Ellis sound MUCH better than EJ74s or EXP74s (including the new EXP74CMs). The 0.014" A strings were lighter than what I'm accustomed to, as I stick with 0.016" gauge, typically. Also, the E strings at 0.011" are lighter than what I prefer. But really, for the price, if these were the gauges I wanted to stick with, they would be a real bargain. The strings themselves sounded great, played well, and lasted just as long as any EJ74 set would. Granted, with my sweaty hands, and these being uncoated strings, the winding was turning my fingertips green and the unwound strings rusted out within a couple of weeks. But I have the same problem with EJ74s too, so there's nothing out of the ordinary there.

    I will probably end up buying some sets from them. Not right now, as I still have quite a few previously-purchased sets of other brands that I need to use up, lest I become a string collector. But I really liked the sound of them so much, I might be tempted to buy a dozen and stick with them.

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