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Strings and other supplies; anyone running low?


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First up, I hope everyone reading this is well, and staying well.

 

Just wondering, is anyone running low on simple maintenance supplies, like strings, polish, parts, that sort of thing, and whether you've bothered ordering anything, or if you're just waiting? Anyplace you recommend in particular, in that case? I've had good luck with Sweetwater and AMS, in the past, just wondering if there's anyplace else I should check out.

 

I usually keep a spare set of strings in every Guitar case, so I've been able to do my usual seasonal string change, oil-&-polish, plus minor set-up and adjustment on all my Guitars, but I think I've got one spare Electric set, and one Silk-&-Steel set left. It's not a critical issue right now, but I am thinking about ordering some spare string sets, and a couple of foot-switches. The strings can wait a while, but I already need to replace two worn-out switches, and I don't keep spares of those . . . maybe I should.

 

No big purchases in mind, as it seems like a really good time to hold onto whatever spare cash we've got, but I'm looking ahead, just in case. I've had a few shows and a video shoot cancelled in the last couple of months, and I expect that next weekend's RobotFest is also cancelled. Still, we have a few more dates coming up on the calendar, and I'd like to be ready, whenever we can perform again.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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I usually order the small stuff via Amazon or Sweetwater. Free shipping...but my go to place for my strings (which I use the same set on all my guitars) is Juststrings.com. The shipping and handling is $6.95 so you have to order more than just one set to make it worthwhile. If you order 5 or more sets at a time it comes to $1.39 a set. The prices are low enough that it comes out even with many other mail order stores. I have a special set of GHS 10-50 pure nickel Rollerwound that I really like. They also have singles for a $1.50 each which is very cool. I order the 11-50 sets to get the wound 18 gauge 3rd that I like. Then I order the 10 gauge single to get the 1st string that I like. Now I'm adding $3 a set and adding both a 1st and 2nd plain string by Elixir. They are made with a special alloy to prevent rust (and I have acidic hands). I now have 5 or six sets in reserve. I have also found cleaning polish and cloths that I like on Amazon.

 

I have loaded Band in A Box software since last Xmas and have been procrastinating for really getting into it. I have played around with it a little here and there but I need to get serious with it one of these days LOL! I was really a bad boy as we have pretty much stayed in place during the shut down. For some reason I always seem to have other things to do and work on.

 

Anyway, Sweetwater is a great place to go to for accessories, strings, pickups, etc. For parts, I like Stewmac.com. They have good quality parts like Switchcraft and other brands. They are expensive for S&H but I seldom have to order parts so I pay the fiddler when needed...good hunting to you WPS! :thu:

Take care, Larryz
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@Larryz - Thanks for that!

 

I looked at Juststrings.com, but they didn't have quite what I was looking for, while Sweetwater does, along with a few other accessories I need; easier to do one-stop shopping, even if I have to wait a while for things to get here.

 

I've also had good luck finding parts at Stew-Mac, and my favorite Schaller Roller Bridge was less expensive from them than other places I'd seen.

 

The main things I need are two slightly different Boss foot-switches, a FS-5U & a FS-5L, but they're $5 and $10 more, respectively, at Sweetwater than from GC/ Musician's Friend? Might be worth pointing that out when I call Sweetwater to place an order.

 

No software waiting for me here, but I've been digging into the User Banks in my Synths & MFX. I've only got a few thousand User Patches to overwrite, among all my toys, shouldn't take too long! Then there's the Neutron, which is a bottomless pit of knob-twisting and cable patching. "Sure, I'll just power this thing up for a little while, and, oh crap, it's next week already . . ."

 

Stay healthy, brother!

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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I hate to sound like a vulture, but...

 

I rarely run low in supplies for 2 reasons:

 

1) I"m a dabbler who isn"t hard on gear. I broke more strings in 2004 when I had unseen burrs on 2 electrics- long since addressed- than in all the years since.

 

2) whenever I see a store closing, moving, or other reason for serious price reductions, the small stuff is what I hit FIRST. I"m currently sitting on a stockpile of strings some techs would envy, purchased when a local Music-Go-Round shuttered.

Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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Every Christmas season I buy at least 1 10 pack of D'Addario XL 10-46, sometimes 2 packs. The local Guitar Center always has them on sale then.

I like that each pack is in a sealed bag and will be fresh and uncorroded whenever I get around to using them. I've got plenty of fresh strings on hand, more than enough.

 

I'm also in the D'Addario Player's Circle program so I rack up points and get free strings eventually.

Plus, I've been saving my strings for their recycle program. A friend who plays bass and is always trying different strings has given me some of his used sets, bass strings really add up quick.

 

Recently they sent me a free pack of the new XT strings and they are so good and last so long that I may switch to those for my main gigger. I have a backup set and lots of hours left on the set that is on the guitar.

When I get a few more sets I'll send a box to D'Addario and the points should be enough to get a couple sets of the XT strings. Based on no gigs for now and how long the first 2 sets have lasted, that should be enough strings for 2020.

 

Since I buy and sell guitars I've got a good stash of parts, strings, etc. I should get through this easily.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I'm good on strings. I'm using Fender pure nickel 150 9-42. I try to get most of my supplies from my local music store. They are closed, but still can shop from them online. $30. minimum order for free shipping. Hope they open soon.
Jenny S.
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Thanks, everyone, for the replies and suggestions! Good to see that everyone seems to be staying healthy, too!

 

Because I keep a spare string set in every Guitar case, and a couple more in a desk drawer, I've been able to do my seasonal Guitar care ritual this week, so it'll be a little while before I need more strings. I managed to swap out some switches from other gear for now, which was my main issue.

 

@KuruPrionz - I'd been saving up those Player's Points for years, and never got anything? Probably still have a bunch of empty string packs in a bag somewhere, I should send them to you!

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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Thanks, everyone, for the replies and suggestions! Good to see that everyone seems to be staying healthy, too!

 

Because I keep a spare string set in every Guitar case, and a couple more in a desk drawer, I've been able to do my seasonal Guitar care ritual this week, so it'll be a little while before I need more strings. I managed to swap out some switches from other gear for now, which was my main issue.

 

@KuruPrionz - I'd been saving up those Player's Points for years, and never got anything? Probably still have a bunch of empty string packs in a bag somewhere, I should send them to you!

 

 

I would love to have them!!! By "saving up" do you mean you've never joined Players Circle and registered them? It does take time, that's where the rubber meets the road.

If you want to make them go away, please PM me! Cheers, Kuru

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Not gigging so I don"t need much. The Luthier Shoppe where I get strings and things is still operating because the bulk of the business is repairs, customization and builds. Mark"s doing curbside pickup/drop off by appointment. Maybe he will get around to fixing my hunk of junk VHT. ð

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Winston, your good-will all-around is much appreciated. Can we get a round of applause for Winston? :clap::wave::clap:

 

I am stocked-up on strings to the point that some are probably old enough that they're at greater risk of breaking! I really stocked-up a while back when I was gigging with a band- and at the time, supposedly had a long string of gigs scheduled monthly or even more often, booked for than a year.

 

Well, that evaporated, long and petty story (and nothing at all to do with this covid-19 business, long before that); so I haven't been going through sets of strings nearly as often, and that's an understatement.

 

So, I have lots of strings.

 

Thanks for asking!

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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Our Gov. is permitting some non-essential businesses to open soon, so I may just hold out to support my FLMS, instead of ordering online. I figure the online folks have had more than enough business lately.

 

I'm uploading a bunch of Roland Guitar Synth and Boss MFX Patches onto my Mac as SysEx files, in case anybody wants some new sounds? Take yer pick; GR-1, GR-30, GR-20, GR-33, GT-3 or GT-10. I know SysEx works for the Guitar Synth banks, we'll see how it does with the GT-series Patches. The little GT-1 is a very different animal, USB MIDI only, no 5-pin DIN plugs, with its own Editor/Librarian available from the Boss website. Once I've filled out more of the User Banks, I may upload some sounds from it, too.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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  • 5 weeks later...

My FLMS is back "open" again, sort of, which means we can order stuff online, and pick it up at the curb. They didn't have everything I wanted on their website, but I was sure all of it was in the store, so I called and asked for a manager I've known for . . . 30 years or so? Sure enough, Mark was able to find everything I needed, and put together an order I can easily pick up tomorrow, no hassles, no waiting.

 

FWIW, everything is a few bucks more than it would have been if I'd ordered it online, but as I said in another thread, if I added up all of the discounts they've given me through the years, it's a lot more than I'll have spent today. Another point in their favor, they kept ALL of their people through the shutdown; everybody had a paycheck while they were closed, and a job to go back to when they re-opened. I wonder how many chain stores did that?

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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Winston, your good-will all-around is much appreciated. Can we get a round of applause for Winston? :clap::wave::clap:

 

Applauds loudly and robustly, bows and nods in agreement.

Yep, Winston Psmith is one of the good ones alrighty!!!!

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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