Rant and warning - Snake Oil Strings

[Mickb]

I likes the SIT's, but had a couple snap\undo at the ball end? no real worries cos there was a spare in the packet..they feel ok and for the money are good value, other strings I tried ( on special at a local store) are Rotosounds, I really like these strings, nice feel and sound fine gave some sets away to mates ( felt sorry for one cos he got stiffed by SO )and they like them too..

[jwhitcomb3]

TI PowerBrites are a match made in heaven for any all-mahogany guitar (works wonders with the Anniversary/Artist Mahogany).

Yes. I put them on the Artist Mahogany that I bought from another HFC'er, and thought they were great. When I sold the guitar back to him, he got right back to me to find out what strings were on it.

Right now I have them on my Eclipse and Artist Korina. Great strings, and well worth the price.

-Jonathan

[veatch]

I really like the TI Blues Sliders on the Korina guitars. But that's just me...

[tobereeno]

Fuck. This is news I definitely did not need to hear. Once I tried SOS, it was the final piece of my tone puzzle. Everything else sounds like crap to me, and I've tried everything. They don't break, they last forever, they don't go dead (in a sense, the strings are made "pre-dead").

My Cali 12 string gets its sound from a custom gauged set, with a .018w G string.

I ordered a stash in 2005, got it in a couple weeks, and am down to one set in reserve for each gauge set I use, and was just about to reorder.

I have the only (as far as I know) 12 string bass string set made by SOS. I never got billed for it; that should have been $100 or so!

Four years is a long time I guess; back in 2005, Dean would answer my emails within MINUTES. A couple hours was a long time for him.

I can wait six months for an order, they'd just better show up eventually. But now I don't know if I ought to even try.

I'm a big believer in these strings. Big. This is really depressing. And yes, why would people keep throwing money at SOB even with all these problems? They're that good; regular strings go dead so fast, sound way too harsh, aren't stable with tuning.

[cmatthes]

Tobe:

Until he gets his act together, I'd recommend avoiding him at all costs. The guy sounds like a total flake.

No excuses for that in ANY business model.

[BadgerDave]

He is aware.

The way to get strings from SOS is to pay via paypal. Then wait until the 45 day time limit for disputes is nearly over and file a dispute.

I did this and Dean called me personally asking me to withdraw the dispute. He was all, "Hey dude, that was uncool". I told him I would withdraw the dispute the moment my strings arrived. I got them the next day by express mail.

I think I can live with being uncool.

I apologize for quoting myself, but this works. Try it - if you don't get the strings you will at least get your money back.

[Feynman]

Do you think I'm over the time limit for a PayPal dispute?

Damnit! I wanted those strings. If they last six months for Poe then they'll last a lifetime for me.

[backinit]

In the time you have been waiting for the strings you would not have burned through a set of SOS.

[Feynman]

Well, I broke down. I sent him an email today asking for status.

----

Edited to add: And I got a reply right away!

"Hi Mitch,

Usually there is a two set minimum order and that is why this got caught up in the system. That said, I can send this order out in the morning mail fair enough? Happy holidays!

Best regards."

Now I'm excited again!

[Siaip Ciuvas]

surprised he didn't asked to send money for a second set to meet MOQ.

[luis]

You can get Scalar strings from Germany(the same strings) but they are about 10 euro a set....These are really good strings I can say.

[Feynman]

...I can send this order out in the morning mail fair enough? Happy holidays!

Man, I bet the postal service screwed up again as I still haven't seen them.

[sw686blue]

...I can send this order out in the morning mail fair enough? Happy holidays!

Man, I bet the postal service screwed up again as I still haven't seen them.

How many months has it been, Mitch?

[Feynman]

I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself with my worries. I'll try to be more patient.

My order was only on April 15th. I'll give it some more time. The holidays always slow the mail down.

[edgar_allan_poe]

I am completely shocked that the dude had the balls to even answer your e-mail.

Inexcusable. I have a source for them (No I am not giving it up) so I don't have to deal directly with Dean. He farked up a brilliant product IMHO.

[Siaip Ciuvas]

you have a source for them? Tell me more

[cmatthes]

He's still writing a column for "Premier Guitar". Somehow, he makes THAT deadline.

Just BAD business. No excuse for that - especially in this economy.

[specialk]

Just BAD business. No excuse for that - especially in this economy.

+1

No matter how good your product is, customer service is what brings them back. And repeat business is the lifeblood of the small businessman.

[bizzwriter]

I recently read a post (on the LP Forum?) that Dean and Snake Oil was reliably producing and shipping his strings again. Thought it was time to give it a shot and see for myself what all the excitement was about.

Sure enough, I ordered six sets of the Vintage Nickel L's via his website last Friday, January 29th, and I received them TODAY -- within a week.

If you've been wanting to try these strings, looks like the iron is hot.

[veatch]

So, Mitch, you got yours, then, right?

[Feynman]

I'm sure they're just hung up in the mail somewhere. Damn unreliable postal system...

[specialk]

I'm sure they're just hung up in the mail somewhere. Damn unreliable postal system...

Face it, Mitch. The postman doesn't like you either!

[Feynman]

I emailed a reminder and he got right back to me. It says he has tons of stock now and will be getting them out right away!

I'm gonna have them in under a year from my order placement!

[cmatthes]

I emailed a reminder and he got right back to me. It says he has tons of stock now and will be getting them out right away!

I'm gonna have them in under a year from my order placement!

Sure!

The check's in the mail!

[esquared]

OK, so lets start this with:

I may be a little twisted but...

I see a 140+ post thread and I think whats all this about? Snake Oil Strings, what? where? If everyone is talking about them and now you cant get them, then I probably need them or have to have them... OK, where. So I dig up a bunch of old articles by Dean about strings (Interesting but I would not say they are a must read), none the less, I end up with an email. I send Dean an email, get a quick reply and I am thinking whats all the fuss. He sends me a new website he has up and tells me he has full stock and raring to go. I am just a fool with some money so ding, ding goes my paypal account.

A couple of weeks later, I am thinking well that was fun but where are my strings... send a note to Dean and he sends a quick reply that he sent them out when I placed the order. Now I am starting to remember why I think all the HFCers are smarter than me, other than because they are. All right well whatever, I guess I am going to have to beg Poe to tell me who his connection is???

A few days later and the strings do show up with an older post mark so they had been in the mail for a while. At this point the strings are not on a guitar so I dont know how great they are but I least I have them, now I just cant remember why I had to have them in the first place. Anyhow, long story, just to say I got some and if people want I can post the new website or send it or not.

The service was ok, I got what I paid for, the strings are shiny, probably look better on a guitar than in a bag... oh well that will have to wait for another long winded burp (hopefully with an amazing rave about the best strings ever)

Not great, Not bad - neutral