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Thread: Cheap Strings online?

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    Cheap Strings online?

    Where to get cheap strings? I'm tired of getting soaked for these things

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    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    What do you consider cheap? How often do you change your strings? 80/20 or phosphor-bronze? Coated or not?

    I think the cheapest I've seen are Ernie Ball Super Slinkys at $5.99 a set. Multiple sellers.
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    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    There's a lot of online places for strings.
    And it also depends if you want the name brands inexpensive, or just cheap ones to start with.
    Another thing is to keep your eyes on sales - f'rinstance Guitar Center will do deals if you buy a case of strings it works out way less per pack than buying one at a time.
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    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    Quote Originally Posted by jrgtr42 View Post
    ...f'rinstance Guitar Center will do deals if you buy a case of strings it works out way less per pack than buying one at a time.
    +1

    That's how I buy mine.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    I use the Ernie Ball Power Slinkys, 11-48. The purple envelope. I can find them on eBay for about $4 a set, but I wasn't sure if there was a cheaper source. Buying several sets does seem to cut the price a bit

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    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    I can often find ten-packs of GHS 10-46 Boomers for around $3.25 a set.
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    I can often find ten-packs of GHS 10-46 Boomers for around $3.25 a set.
    I'm brand-loyal, but I'm also cheap. I might have to check out GHS

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    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    If you're looking for EBs, there's only so much they could get discounted.
    I seem to remember from my days selling guitars and such, EBs were not a big money maker per pack - but we sold so many of them it made it up. At the time they were 3.99 a set - guess they've gone up since then, like everything else. (this was 20 years ago...)
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    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    You know what's funny? I don't look at buying/replacing pickups, tuners, pickguards, necks, and that sort of stuff, but I do replace strings. And while I don't go overboard, I don't shy away from paying $14.90 for a set of Stringjoys or $13.99 for a set of Martin Acoustic Lifespan 2.0 phosphor bronze. To me, a good set of strings goes a long way to enhancing the sound of my guitar that I don't change out parts on.
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    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    IIRC from my days working at a retail music store (admittedly several decades ago) there was a 250% mark-up on strings, picks, straps, and the like.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    IIRC from my days working at a retail music store (admittedly several decades ago) there was a 250% mark-up on strings, picks, straps, and the like.
    Definietly not when I was there. At least, if we priced at list price than maybe in some cases. depending on the item, tag (street) was anywhere from 30 - 50% lower. I don't remember exact numbers, but most sets of strings were maybe 50 cents over cost. Elixirs made more and bass strings obviously more. But GHS, EB, D'addario - the common stuff made peanuts.
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  12. #12
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    In 1968 our store paid $1.10 each for a set of Fender 150L strings and we tagged them for retail at $3.25 apiece.

    In contrast, there was a 100% mark-up on Fender's guitars and amps. Our cost for a Dual Showman Reverb amp head was $252.50 and it retailed (according to FMI's official pricing guide) for $505.00.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    In retail, a "keystone" markup is 100%. During my college years (and a few beyond) I worked in the retail clothing business, where most everything was sold "at keystone." Meaning, if we paid $8 for a sweater, we sold it for $16. A sale was when we marked down an item from keystone.

    Our company got involved with a practice then known as a "markup cancellation." Our buyers would get stuff at off-price, close-outs, etc. and they'd mark it up keystone, but promote it as being on sale, given that the "normal" price would be higher.

    I didn't like that practice, and left the company shortly after. I felt that this practice was being disingenuous.

    I believe keystone is still a basic retail practice.
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  14. #14
    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Cheap Strings online?

    |When I was selling, it was sort of the other way around. It would be discounted off MSRP - typically it would be around 30% discount - plus or minus to make it an even number. A few things would be higher - typically acessories, strings and picks, and a few lower, case in point Mesa/Boogie, who priced at street to begin with, and no discounts, even a penny, without specific permission direct from the factory.
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    "It is if you don't drop it."
    - Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.

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