'Ever had a bunk set of strings??

[Strat Avenger]

I feel silly asking this, but has anyone ever experienced a set of strings that just won't stay in tune? I am not talking about old strings that have lost their life. I am talking about new strings that have been thoroughly pre-stretched (yes, I am well aware that new strings need to be stretched, so we can eliminate that recommendation).

This is on a guitar with a fixed bridge (so no whammy bar issues to affect tuning) and locking tuners (so no string winding issues). This guitar won't stay in tune for a minute (30 seconds if you bend any notes, and I'm not talking about radical bends).  The strings always go flat, not sharp as would occur if the nut was binding.

The strings are Dean Markleys. I usually use Ernie Ball Slinkys. So I'm wondering if a new set of strings will cure this problem, or if there's something else involved. Everything on the guitar is tight (bridge, neck bolts, tuners, etc.). Yeah, I should just change them now & see, but I figured I'd ask if any of you have encountered a new set of strings that were just bad right out of the package.

 

[bagman67]

I had a set of Markley Blue Steels where four of them (the four high strings) broke on me right out of the package - this was during the first months they came out, oh, half a century ago.  Only time I've ever had that kind of bad luck.  Might as well swap in a set of what you're used to and see how it goes.

 

[stratamania]

Yes, but not too often fortunately. 

About 35 years ago I had a top E snap before it even got to pitch I didn't touch that brand again till last year when it was the only brand in stock at the guage I wanted. They were fine and good sounding strings. 

 

[mayfly]

Interestingly, D'addario had this thing recently where they were telling people how to identify 'counterfeit strings'.  If  D'addario is talking about, chances are someone somewhere is stuffing cheap strings in a top brand package. 

Maybe you got a pack.

 

[sixstringsamurai]

Can't say as I have ever encountered counterfeit strings, but I recently bought a set of
Labella roller wound nickels, and although supposedly O2 free packing keeps them tarnish free, this set looked like it had been on a guitar for some time.

I have another set so, I am hoping this is anomalous to this particular set

 

[TBurst Std]

I have had bum strings before. Dead out of the pack as well as others that will not retain tune. A change of strings fixed it everytime. I swore off EBs back in the very early 80s when high Es kept breaking at the coil over at the ball. Ran into a series of dead Dean Markleys as well back then. Hit a bad batch of Elixirs on the acoustics a year+ ago.

Was pondering how much I have spent on strings over the last 3+ decades, SCARY. In the 80s when I was playing professionally 5-6 days a week, 40-50 weeks a year, i would change them across 5-6 guitars at least weekly.

 

[Strat Avenger]

When I first completed my Soloist, I was disappointed in how lifeless it sounded. I changed the strings (same brand) and it came to life. It's a very good sounding guitar. The first set of new strings sounded terrible, but didn't have any tuning problems.

 

[Cagey]

If you use an unusual brand or an unusual gauge set, it's possible the things have aged right in the package. It's been a long time, but I've had that happen in the past, where a store just didn't sell a helluva lotta strings so I was getting old stuff.

These days, the only time it happens is when I'm setting up a Floyd. Those bastards will eat strings for breakfast until you get things right.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Replace 'em, and call it good.

 

[mark1178]

I had a set of Markley Blue Steels where four of them (the four high strings) broke on me right out of the package - this was during the first months they came out, oh, half a century ago.  Only time I've ever had that kind of bad luck.  Might as well swap in a set of what you're used to and see how it goes.

Ugh every package of Blue Steels I ever bought broke a short while after playing. It sucks because I love the sound and feel of them but they're longevity is nonexistent. I switched to GHS boomers which are close to the Blue Steel sound, but last a hell of a lot longer. I had the same set of strings on a guitar I played almost every day last a year...I was really broke that time.

 

[Strat Avenger]

If you use an unusual brand or an unusual gauge set, it's possible the things have aged right in the package. It's been a long time, but I've had that happen in the past, where a store just didn't sell a helluva lotta strings so I was getting old stuff.

These days, the only time it happens is when I'm setting up a Floyd. Those bastards will eat strings for breakfast until you get things right.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Replace 'em, and call it good.

That's an interesting point. They are 009-046, which is basically a 009 set and 010 set combined. Who knows how long they sat in inventory before I bought 'em.

 

[stubhead]

Cagey has the right idea. As much as I like to support the small independent li'l Davy (vs. Goliath) guys, if you buy some really weird gauge set from a tiny little store they may be very, very old. Between the li'l store, their jobber's warehouse and the maker's warehouse...  :dontknow: And the weirdest of the weird probably weren't even bought as a set or part of ten sets, rather, the store orders up large stocks of the usual (9-42, 10-46. 12-54 etc.) then a single "assortment pack" to fill in around the edges. It's no different than oregano, beer, chicken thighs....

I do find, overall, GHS>D'Addario>Ernie Ball*, but my own biggest problem now lies in ME aging them, I find some gauge/brand that gets me a-creamin' and a-whoopin' and buy three packs then change my mind. There's some strange, strange stuff lurkin' way back up'n yon closet, podner...

*(Though D'Addario Chromes are the only bass strings that interest me, I KNOW what they're going to do so I can change other things if needed.)