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Post subject: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 7:23 am
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Hi
Anybody else encountered this problem lately?
In the past two months I have purchased three different sets of D’Addario XL Nickel Wound 10-46 gauge strings from three different shops.
I have used them to restring three different guitars. On each occasion after fitting the strings, tuning them up to concert pitch and then stretching them lightly I have encountered the following problem.
When I start doing string bends on the High E it goes flat. So I retune but as soon as I start bending the E string again it goes flat by as much as a full tone, eventually after a number of attempts to keep it in tune the string unravels at the ball end and the ball end falls out of the Trem block or stopbar. I have contacted D’Addario in relation this and await their reply but once again, anybody else had this problem?


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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 10:18 am
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Have you tried a different brand, say like Ernie Ball, and see if they did the same thing?

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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 10:45 am
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Before you change brands, read this! D'Addario has had a long standing problem with people counterfeiting their strings. Why D'Addario? No idea, but I know for absolutely sure it has happened. See:

Image

Counterfeit Strings

This is absolutely my favorite brand and I'd hate to see them lose a customer because of counterfeits. Please check your packaging,


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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 10:59 am
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ghost_of_strings wrote:
Before you change brands, read this! D'Addario has had a long standing problem with people counterfeiting their strings. Why D'Addario? No idea, but I know for absolutely sure it has happened.

This is absolutely my favorite brand and I'd hate to see them lose a customer because of counterfeits. Please check your packaging,

Wow, ghost, I had no idea this was going on. D'Addario is one of my favorites, too. Thanks for the pictures.

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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 11:17 am
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PaulILF
Yes tried other brands but only ever had this problem with D’Addario strings.

I’ve encountered this problem with three sets, each set was bought from a different music shop, I would assume that the shops all get their strings from a distributor in the UK which would hopefully reduce the possibility that the were fakes.

D’Addario have replied to my Email. They asked for and I supplied them with identity codes printed on the plastic packet the strings are sealed in within the outer cardboard packaging so it will be interesting to see how things go from here.


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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 11:53 am
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ya Marky it's really odd how it's always D'Addario. I'm sure I've gotten a bad set or 2 over the years. Now I know what to look for.

It will indeed be interesting to see what they say. I have always found their strings to be top quality and super-durable. If they are having manufacturing problems, that's a new development.


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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 12:47 pm
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While it wont help the already broken sets, if you have more sets of the same: you could always add a little solder to the wrap- (a light tinning).
Good info on the counterfeit packaging Ghost, wasn't aware they had that problem either.


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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 1:46 pm
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Hi Guys
So D’Addario have been in touch and are sending me replacements strings as well as a couple of full sets.

Full praise to D’Addario within 24 hours of me contacting them they have replied and resolved the matter, can’t get any better service than that.


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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 2:12 pm
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Theriddler wrote:
Hi Guys
So D’Addario have been in touch and are sending me replacements strings as well as a couple of full sets.

Full praise to D’Addario within 24 hours of me contacting them they have replied and resolved the matter, can’t get any better service than that.

Thanks for the update. Kudos to D'Addario. It's nice to read about a good company that cares about its customers.

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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 2:27 pm
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ghost_of_strings wrote:
Before you change brands, read this! D'Addario has had a long standing problem with people counterfeiting their strings. Why D'Addario? No idea, but I know for absolutely sure it has happened. See:

Image

Counterfeit Strings

This is absolutely my favorite brand and I'd hate to see them lose a customer because of counterfeits. Please check your packaging,


Wow, I never knew about this. I've certainly heard of instruments like Fender and Ibanez being counterfeited, but I've never heard about strings before. I guess there must be a profit in doing that, otherwise they wouldn't bother.

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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 2:28 pm
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Theriddler wrote:
Hi Guys
So D’Addario have been in touch and are sending me replacements strings as well as a couple of full sets.

Full praise to D’Addario within 24 hours of me contacting them they have replied and resolved the matter, can’t get any better service than that.


Good to know. 8)

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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 5:23 pm
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PaulLF wrote:
Theriddler wrote:
Hi Guys
So D’Addario have been in touch and are sending me replacements strings as well as a couple of full sets.

Full praise to D’Addario within 24 hours of me contacting them they have replied and resolved the matter, can’t get any better service than that.


Good to know. 8)

+1 8)

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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 9:34 pm
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I'm sorry to say that it does sometimes happen with D'Addarios, even the authentic ones.
It's not all the time but there have been bad batches in the past.
Some years ago I bought a box of 10 packs and had ball ends unwinding under tension.
Someone posted the reference material to determine if I had the genuine article.
It turned out I did have the real thing.
I stopped using their strings after that.
Every once in a while it comes up again on a discussion board.
When it does, someone points out they could be fakes.
On some occasions they have been fakes.
Other times they were not.
I don't pretend to know why it happens, what is the problem, how to determine beforehand, etc.

The great, great, vast majority of their strings do not unravel.
A very, very small percentage do.
Sometimes ... not always.

It's why I switched to Fender strings many years back.
When Fender strings began to be made by D'Addairio, I switched again.
I don't fool around when it comes to quality.
I don't waste my time for a few cents.
I'm currently using Ernie Ball Slinkies and I like them fine.
Strings are so cheap now that a few nickels or so price difference is well worth it to me for the piece of mind, knowing I won't be mid-song when a string starts to go way flat and then pops off, springing out of the bridge.

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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 8:56 am
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ghost_of_strings wrote:
Before you change brands, read this! D'Addario has had a long standing problem with people counterfeiting their strings. Why D'Addario? No idea, but I know for absolutely sure it has happened.

This is absolutely my favorite brand and I'd hate to see them lose a customer because of counterfeits. Please check your packaging,


Thanks, Ghost

Apparently D'Addario has had this problem for over a decade, so when you said "long standing", you weren't kidding.

https://www.newsday.com/chinese-fakes-plague-li-guitar-string-maker-1.2522112?qr=1

According to other articles, eBay, Amazon, and Walmart aren't helping the matter any. Amazon's reply is much like Facebook, something like we're aware of the problem and working hard to fix it. :roll:
If you try posting a review on Amazon saying they sold you a counterfeit product, they just delete it.


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Post subject: Re: D’Addario string unravelling at ball end
Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 7:29 am
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happy to pass along the info.

Bottom line is, even if you get a bad batch, D'Addario stands by their product. Just reach out to them and explain what happened.

D'Addario moved operations to the US from Italy in 1905 and stayed here ever since. Specifically in New York and mostly on Long Island. They are a great example of the "American Dream" where if you work the hardest, you can succeed, no matter where you came from. There are very few brands I'm passionate about and they make my short list.


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