sparkymike
Tele-Meister
Looking for a new set of Ernie Ball strings on UK Ebay and see some sellers have three sets for around £7.00. Big question, are these fake Chinese strings or are they any good ? I was thinking of buying a 10/46 set.
Ernie Ball strings
- Thread starter sparkymike
- Start date
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GTO
Tele-Holic
Yes, and they are on Amazon as well, showing 'Made in USA' on the front of the packet but on the back is often a stick on label saying 'Made in China'. They are horrible strings. Shop around at well known guitar stores.
sparkymike
Tele-Meister
Now found out that some of the fake sets have the Ball missing on front of packet and just read Ernie, not Ernie Ball.
Mike.
Pay a little bit more for peace of mind and better performance. It's like buying a knock-off battery for your drill to save a few quid: they don't last nearly as long.
Like the old saying go's you get what you pay for, and if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. Ernie Ball strings are good strings, and are worth the money. A friend of mine once said, it's funny how guys will pay big bucks on a guitar, but always try to save a buck on strings.
Git Mohair
Tele-Meister
They're £9 from stringsdirect.co.uk and they'll be real. If you need to save £2 look at a strings from a different manufacturer (same source - Rotosound £8,Darco £7, Legacy £6 etc). Knock-off strings are crap and IMHO morally questionable.
telekus67
TDPRI Member
GTO
Tele-Holic
The video pretty much covers what I found about the Ernie Ball fakes. The first thing was two of the strings were short, didn't need cutting, and only just gave enough turns on the tuner, the second was I started tuning the D and it kept going and going never getting into tune until the ball dropped off, the ball windings had been unravelling. And I agree with him just the feel is disgusting although I never got to play them after smelling a rat and chucking them in the bin.
Hard to tell the difference if you don’t have them side by side. Color of the package is not as vibrant as the original ones.
Other than that I couldn’t find any obvious sign they are fake without opening the package.
A friend of mine bought them from Amazon and I compared them with the ones I got from Thomann. Saved a picture:
Other than that I couldn’t find any obvious sign they are fake without opening the package.
A friend of mine bought them from Amazon and I compared them with the ones I got from Thomann. Saved a picture:
Happy Enchilada
Poster Extraordinaire
Ah yes - the infamous one nut strings.
GTO
Tele-Holic
I guess my glasses don't work, thank you for letting me know,
but I think the clue is an extra label on the back if I'm reading that right?
toanhunter
Tele-Meister
I've noticed that ernie balls snap where as d'addario's do not, anyone else? this used to be obvious years ago when I had a guitar with a floyd rose! only the ernie ballsack strings would snap, I don't think they're as well made or long lasting.
GTO
Tele-Holic
I'm absolutely willing to believe fake Ernie Balls snap, they feel hard and unresponsive, but I'm guessing the same manufacturer in China is packing the very same same strings in every combination of OEM manufacturer packaging. The only time I've had an Ernie Ball 'snap' is when I was well out of the zone of rational judgement when tuning my guitar and was seeing double.
41144
Friend of Leo's
Mmmm, I wonder .... article piqued my interest .... bought x3 for £8 from fleabay ... pkt says Ernie Ball Slinkys ... made in USA on front and made in Cali. on the back.
No expert on strings but .... just tried a set and they feel fine to me ...
Thought .... could they be bankrupt stock bought cheap from the demise of PMT? I know Gear4 were supposedly picking up there stuff but ..... ?
No expert on strings but .... just tried a set and they feel fine to me ...
Thought .... could they be bankrupt stock bought cheap from the demise of PMT? I know Gear4 were supposedly picking up there stuff but ..... ?
