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1) How Long Do Snake Oil Strings Last?
This depends upon how you care for them and what climate you live in & your own body chemistry. Most of our customers report MANY times the life span of their former favorite string! Remember not to let others play your guitar as their skin chemistry can clash with yours and cause premature string wear. This is the single biggest cause of strings losing their tone and longevity!
2). How do they sound?
BIG, FAT, RICH and VIBRANT!!! They will bring to your guitar the sound it's missed since the late 1960s (unless you want the Rock Formula sets which are brighter and excellent for fusion and heavier rock music). However, many players enjoy the Rock Formula for other genres of music (such as jazz for one example).
3). How do I order?
Right through our SOS website and through Paypal at the following email address Leomuser@aol.com. Email Dean (at Leomuser@aol.com) for a quote on your needs. We also accept Visa and MasterCard.
4). How do I properly install Snake Oil Strings?
We suggest that you either "play them in" naturally or by using the "tug and snap" technique. After installation, simply grab the string by your thumb and forefinger (between the pickups is the optimal place) and gently pull the string up about an inch or so then let the string "snap" back into its normal playing position. Several tugs on the bottom wound strings will usually suffice to properly stretch them out and have them lock into pitch. The upper plain strings may take a couple more tugs to get the string to settle in properly. This is because the plain strings are more elastic.
5). What about using the backwards string locking technique?
Our advise is to NOT employ the backwards string locking technique with SOS strings. This is especially bad to use on ANY wound strings as this technique can cause excess stress on the string that may cause the inner core of the string to break (making the string useless to play because it will not tune up properly when the core breaks).
6). What type of SOS is right for me?
Well, that depends on quite a few factors! Such as your taste(s) in music and your amplifiers, instruments and pedals etc. We always suggest that you try both our SOS Vintage and Rock Formula electric guitar sets to find the right string for you and your instrument. Generally speaking if you like the guitar tones from the mid to late 1960s the Vintage sets will be the ones for you!
7). What gauges are available?
Frankly just about anything you can imagine. We stock all the usual standard gauged sets and then some others such as half gauge sets too!
8). What about custom sets?
We maintain a large inventory of single strings in both Rock and Vintage Formulas to make you any custom sets your needs may require. Just ask us if you need anything special & we will happily make them up for you.
9). What is your minimum order?
Two sets is generally the smallest order we will fill.
10). Do you stock acoustic or bass strings?
Yes. We now offer acoustic strings soon to be available to three separate types of alloys which will offer you a wide array of tones for your acoustic guitar! We also recently finished up prototyping our new bass sets that sound like no other bass string available anywhere else. In typical SOS tradition these strings are "Fret-friendly" and will not promote fret wear under normal playing circumstances.
11). Where can I learn more about strings?
Right here on our website under the "String History" columns. These were written by Dean for Vintage Guitar Magazine during 1993-1996.