Official Luthiers Forum!

Some of those great Ebay deals on strings aren't worth it. Haven't seen this come up before so here is my experience.

I pulled out a new set of EJ 16s today to restring a guitar that I am sending out in a few days. I instantly noticed the color was more brassy than I am use to but kept going. The wraps felt different at the ball end but I kept going. It just never occurred to me that someone out there is making fake strings. As soon as I strung up the guitar I new something wasn't right, the guitar just didn't sound like I am use to, there was a complexity that was missing. Still, the idea that these were counterfeit strings didn't occur to me so I made and ate dinner totally bummed out. I thought about how the color of the strings was different than I'm use to so I got out another set to double check, fortunately I'd gotten this set from somewhere else and on the package it mentioned that there where counterfeits out there. Did some internet searching and sure enough I had bought fakes. I changed the strings to a real set of EJ16s and I'm happy again. There is a huge sonic difference between the two.

http://www.daddario.com/upload/DABR_Counterfeit_Strings_LowRes_15727.pdf

_________________
http://www.wideskyguitars.com
https://www.instagram.com/wide_sky_guitars/

I know we have eBay sellers here on the forum who are honest sorts and in the past will defend eBay but in our experience eBay has not been kind to Lutherie.... Nearly a week does not go by that we have someone come in who had just gotten royally ripped off on eBay.

"Look at what I just WON.... on eBay, it's solid wood, made in America, hand made, and was only $400...." We inform the client that his ax was made in China...., has laminated back and sides, and that the neck angle is wrong and it will never be capable of being set-up.....

Client response: &**&^% %^^%%$$# *())*& $%%^$$^ *&&^*........ Client then asked where we would suggest that he stick the guitar.....

We suggest donating it to our guitars for homeless effort and he can be a part of getting a homeless person what they likely don't need the most, more baggage and in the winter too......

Anyway from the fake G*bson mando to fake north American guitars eBay seems out of control to me.....

You get what you pay for.
These days equal products are within a nickel of each other. There are no deals.
Ebay used to be a good place to buy things, but like anything else, it has been scammed. Bout the only good experiences I have had are cameras and lenses, but you have to know your business and make sure there is a return for refund.

Yep, seen first set of counterfeit D'Addario strings about 3 years ago...... Total junk! wouldn't intonate for crap....
Why I don't buy anything off E-bay these days........

I keep these handy to show some of my customers who insist on buying from unknown sources. Genuine D'Addario on the left, Chinese fakes on the right.

_________________
Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

In the spirit of "Point/Counterpoint", I have made more than 280 purchases, mostly guitar-related, on ebay over the past 14 years with zero problems. Those have included more than 70 guitars and mandolins (the GAS and MAS phases), a number of luthier's tools, and a bunch of wood for guitar building including back and sides sets, tops, neck blanks, binding, bridge blanks, and inlay material (the WAS phase). Despite the pirate knockoffs that can be found on ebay, there are many good, legitimate commercial sellers, such Aaron Hix, RC Tonewoods, or Roytonewood (off the top of my head), and a bunch of very good private sellers. That old maxim about things that are too good to be true should always be kept foremost in mind when perusing ebay as well as watching out for red flags in listings. I've been able to make some really great purchases through ebay that would have otherwise been impossible. So I continue to use it.

_________________
Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Yea, I maybe should have phrased this differently I guess. This wasn't meant as a slam against Ebay, I've bought all sorts of things off there and sold lots as well with no issues. This was more just a warning that there are fake strings out there, which I had no idea off until yesterday. I've bought dozens of string sets off Ebay without ever having a problem. I wrote the seller a nice note and sent the same link from the original post. He wrote back very apologetic and alarmed and quickly refunded my purchase.

This wasn't a too good to be true price, It's was what has been the going rate for a pair of strings. These just happened to be fakes. There are plenty of sellers I've had great experiences with who I will continue to buy from.

_________________
http://www.wideskyguitars.com
https://www.instagram.com/wide_sky_guitars/

I took your original post as a heads up. I use D'Addarios too so thanks a lot for putting out the word about the fake strings.

_________________
Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

+1

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

The first thing I do when considering a purchase from an Ebay seller I haven't dealt with before, is to check their feedback. Even if it is 99.7%, they can have a pile of bad feedback if it is based on 648,934 transactions.
I've only once had a problem with a purchase, and the seller sent me a replacement, with his apologies.

Alex

_________________
"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Why buy from RC Tonewoods or any other reputable vendor from E-bay when I can call them and buy direct from them?

_________________
Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

I'm lucky. When I want to buy from RC Tonewoods I hop in my car for a 5 minute drive and pick out what I want.

A good deal.

_________________
Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I'm very picky buying from eBay anymore. To much junk on there now. If the deals to good to be true it usually is. I go with legitimate well know merchants now. EBay is good for the hard to find items on occasion

Sent from my HTC Desire 626s using Tapatalk

_________________
Another day, another dollar.