JonD - Posted - 05/20/2024:  11:27:00

Anyone here tried them? Opinions?



I am guessing they are rebranded imports, but I really have no idea of their origin. They have identical winding colors to PI (Thomastik) but about 1/10 the retail price.

Edited by - JonD on 05/20/2024 14:46:04

Strabo - Posted - 05/21/2024:  03:35:01

 I'm a big fan of Thomastik strings, but of course not their price. If Lonesome Pine strings are really rebranded Thomastiks, I'd love it. But where did you get them?

The Violin Beautiful - Posted - 05/21/2024:  07:14:10

Thomastik would never allow their strings to be rebranded. After all, what incentive would the best string manufacturer have to market the same string at 1/10 of the price? To purchase their strings as a retailer you have to sign an agreement to honor their minimum pricing. 



Most likely, it’s a Chinese string that’s made to be somewhat similar to higher-end synthetics. There are Chinese factories that produce strings and they’ll let you pick any color scheme you want for the silking so you can sell them as your own. It’s similar to the private labeling they offer for violins.



The owner of a small wholesale company told me that the strings he sold were sold as fake Dominants throughout China. By going to China to visit he could make deals with the factories to have the same products made for his company but with his personal color scheme. A number of businesses have done the same thing in recent years.

Edited by - The Violin Beautiful on 05/21/2024 07:19:32

DougD - Posted - 05/21/2024:  07:30:52

What puzzles me is that they're using the same name as Lonesome Pine rosin, and I think even reference it in their advertising. Lonesome Pine rosin is a well respected brand and fairly expensive. I believe I know the person who developed it, and find it hard to believe he would endorse a cheap Chinese knock off string.

The Violin Beautiful - Posted - 05/21/2024:  11:31:22

There are eBay listings up for Lonesome Pine strings. They claim to be from the same source as the rosin. You can get 10 sets of fake Dominants for $85.

DougD - Posted - 05/21/2024:  12:36:44

I see on the ebay site that you can also buy two sets for $18.95 with free shipping, if you want to take a little less risk.
I wouldn't say these are being sold as "Fake Dominants." The seller really just says they're good strings for the money. Maybe they are.

JonD - Posted - 05/21/2024:  13:46:03

"But where did you get them?"

They came on a fiddle I recently acquired, as stated by the seller.
I'd never heard of them so was curious. (They sound OK but I have nothing to compare them to as the instrument is new to me...)

According to my digital caliper, the Lonesome Pine string diameters are smaller than the corresponding Dominant Mediums, so they are not directly comparable in that regard.

The Violin Beautiful - Posted - 05/21/2024:  15:13:30

quote:

---

Originally posted by DougD

I see on the ebay site that you can also buy two sets for $18.95 with free shipping, if you want to take a little less risk.

I wouldn't say these are being sold as "Fake Dominants." The seller really just says they're good strings for the money. Maybe they are.

---

I would call them fake Dominants because they are copying the Dominants' silking. Since silk wrapping is how violin string sets are identified, copying them is a deliberate decision.

Gallaher - Posted - 05/22/2024:  08:23:42

I think you get what you pay for.
I’ve purchased cheap strings in the past and they turned out to be cheap strings.

Life is complicated enough, pay for good quality strings and cheap wine or maybe buy your clothes at Goodwill. No hit on Goodwill, there are just other places to save money.