Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

First the stink bugs and now this! Thanks China.....

johnhall wrote:Many US brand name string sets in American stores are now counterfeit.

Nothing new about that. In my business, one needs a lot of memory cards, AKA CF or SD cards. There have been chinese fakes with very correct looking Lexar, Sandisk, or other name brand logos on them that have infiltrated even the most trustworthy dealer's inventories. Same thing with top flight Schneider and B+W fliters/polarizers.

Back about '90, I was researching a wire material to fix printheads for banking printers. The wires in the printheads struck the ink ribbon to write the text. Yeah, I know, ancient technology now.
Anyway, I'd tried several different wire materials, but I'd I found that if I tempered .010 guitars strings cut to the right length, I could fix these printheads. It was the only wire to that would work! I couldn't keep buying guitars strings, I had to keep costs down. So I called D'Addario to see if they could help me. They directed me to Mapes Music. Helped me get a nice raise at the jobI was at!
So with that true story, and the fact that I really do love D'Addario strings, they are American made and fairly priced for a very good quality product, are the reasons why I'm loyal to their brand.

I remember you saying that D'addario had done you a huge favor once upon a time, hence your loyalty. Now I'm filled in on the details!

Cool story!

johnhall wrote:

iiipopes wrote:Just remember that most of the raw wire that the string companies use to make their strings all comes from Mapes.

I wish that were true, as Mapes is certainly one of the best and American. Unfortunately, I think you'll find that many of the string factories are now using Chinese-sourced wire. (Never mind that many so-called "American brands" are actually produced in Mexico now.)

Unfortunately, it gets worse:

http://www.guitarstringguide.com/drupal/node/163

http://schumer.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=328862&

Many US brand name string sets in American stores are now counterfeit.

Thanks. I was not aware of the guitar strings guide website. So let me rephrase: a significant number of string companies get their raw wire from Mapes.

johnhall wrote:D'Addarios, coated with Goretex; sort of heavy metal goes North Face.

I'm just surprised no one has come out with Teflon coated ones yet. Slip 'n Slides might be a good trade name.

That is genious, no wonder your the CEO of RIC

ram wrote:First the stink bugs and now this! Thanks China.....

We got the stink bugs from them I dislike stink bugs
Even worse are those "Chinese made Rickenbackers"

IvanMunoz wrote:Chinese made Rickenbackers"

You mean Chinese made Rickenfakers!

rickenbrother wrote:

IvanMunoz wrote:Chinese made Rickenbackers"

You mean Chinese made Rickenfakers!

Of course! Some of them on trade tang are just awful though, i'd love to hack that website and shut it down.