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String troubles
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MrYikes
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December 17, 2016 - 12:24 pm
Member Since: February 11, 2014
Forum Posts: 633
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My new strings suck. And I bought 5 sets.  Yuck.
on ebay I normally buy my Opera strings from a guy called Chen.  But last time he had none of his 5 packs on buy it now, just bidding.  I bought from someone else.  Wrong move.  These are called Opera and have a similar tail wrap but have a copper colored ball.  But they are weak, so at the bridge they are in tune, at the fingerboard they are almost a half step flat.  I guess I can use them for bow placement training.  I still have about 10 sets of the old style so I'll be okay for awhile.  I just hate losing trust in a brand.  That is why I value FM so much.  Sure wish he would sell a good sounding  set of perlon strings for $5.

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
December 17, 2016 - 2:22 pm
Member Since: March 22, 2014
Forum Posts: 3744
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MrYikes said
My new strings suck. And I bought 5 sets.  Yuck.
on ebay I normally buy my Opera strings from a guy called Chen.  But last time he had none of his 5 packs on buy it now, just bidding.  I bought from someone else.  Wrong move.  These are called Opera and have a similar tail wrap but have a copper colored ball.  But they are weak, so at the bridge they are in tune, at the fingerboard they are almost a half step flat.  I guess I can use them for bow placement training.  I still have about 10 sets of the old style so I'll be okay for awhile.  I just hate losing trust in a brand.  That is why I value FM so much.  Sure wish he would sell a good sounding  set of perlon strings for $5.  

Oh man!  Yeah - I sometimes mess around with strings from ebay - and sure - I've found some I would  (and do) keep - and some I discarded after a day or so...   I have found some, branded OEM strings ( although, admittedly, they COULD be fakes but didn't appear to be so ), and they were fine.   Others, clearly were just plain rip-off-fakes. I even got a set of "synthetics" that were quite clearly steels- complained, expecting no response at all, but - eventually got my $5 back via pay-pal  !!!!!

I know what you mean though - you're happy and well-pleased with a certain item and then it's either no longer available ( from the same supplier ) or you find "the same" ( which it's not ! ) elsewhere and it's just cr4p....  yup

I wouldn't "lose faith" in the brand - if you liked the original ones - I wouldn't blame the "brand", rather the"supplier"...  yeah  

Heyy @MrYikes - enlighten me further on the issue of what you said here -

but they are weak, so at the bridge they are in tune, at the fingerboard they are almost a half step flat.

 "Simple" ( lolol ) physics says if your finger is in the "right place" - it should (in theory!) be in tune...   but yes - I have 4 fiddles here.  Only 2 of them have the "proper" nut to bridge length ( bridge on one, an EV, is fixed, the other is a somewhat-larger bodied instrument, but not a viola and I've set the bridge at the 2:3 ratio and even I in my relative beginner-mode notice the difference ) so I'm more than well used to adapting finger positions and just using my ear to quickly draw a note in-to-tune until, after a few minutes on any one instrument - I'm pretty-much there.....  It's like driving a different car - much the same all round - just some minor differences in handling !

But, I don't really think that's what you are describing or talking about....

I'm just curious about this - go on - talk to me more about it !   I'm intrigued....

Sure wish he would sell a good sounding  set of perlon strings for $5.  

  Hahahaha - all of us, MrYikes !!!!

  Keep us advised !

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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MrYikes
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December 18, 2016 - 9:12 am
Member Since: February 11, 2014
Forum Posts: 633
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Think of a floor joist sitting on a beam.  Four feet from the beam the joist still has about 99% of its strength.  In the middle of its span is the weakest portion.  So in my thinking the string close to the bridge has all its strength, but farther away from its support it is weak.  When I play close to the bridge using normal pressure and speed, I am in tune.  Using the same pressure and speed at the fingerboard the note is flat, but if I lessen the pressure (play more quietly) the note is in tune.   Other (better) strings do not do this. Of course you can "overdrive" a string by plowing into it using lots of power and cause it to go out of tune, but that is a different thing.
I guess I should add this:  I like these strings a lot.  They do what I want them to do and sound great, but they do not last very long.   Some times I change weekly, some times I can go 4 weeks.  I sit in my house and practice scales, etudes and my songs; I do not play performances, just for me.  And I have sadly learned that I can not buy a good tone, I have to learn how to make it.  I would prefer to buy it.  
And now out of the other side of my mouth,,,,I just put Vision Solo on the Soloist and they do sound good.

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BillyG
Brora, North-east Scotland
December 18, 2016 - 10:04 am
Member Since: March 22, 2014
Forum Posts: 3744
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Ahhh - right - I'm with you now !   Thanks !

I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - guntohead.JPG

Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)

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coolpinkone
California, the place of my heart
December 18, 2016 - 9:11 pm
Member Since: January 11, 2012
Forum Posts: 4180
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Heal the World.. make it a better place...

"good quality perlon strings for five bucks.." I am so with you on that.

Had to comment and make a little joke.

I am sorry that you lost faith and got some "crap" strings.  Good luck in getting some better strings at a good price.

Cheers,

Toni

Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato

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Fiddlerman
Fort Lauderdale
December 19, 2016 - 10:04 am
Member Since: September 26, 2010
Forum Posts: 16429

MrYikes, I don't recommend buying that many sets at one time but if you do, we can give you a better deal. 5 sets for $100 for example.

"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."

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