Fake strings in the music world are an ongoing concern. String makers and shops take pride in the products they produce and sell; while imitations may be cheaper, they do not have the same quality as the original.  Here is what you need to know about fake strings:

How To Tell If A String Is Fake

• Strange Packaging. If the package looks off somehow (not just a new design), there is a chance it’s a copy. Some things to watch out for are:
  • Blurry lettering or graphics
  • Missing inventory numbers
  • Badly sealed inner lining
• Wrong Color Windings. Each brand has a specific color they use for their windings depending on which string it is and which variety. Many fake strings will have colors that are duller or are a close match but not exact.
• Floppy or Bendable Strings. You are not supposed to be able to fully bend a string. If it feels different from what you normally buy, be wary.

This is all well and good if you already have the string in hand, but that means you’ve already purchased the fake string. What about avoiding buying one in the first place?

How To Protect Yourself From Purchasing Fake Strings

• Only buy from reputable dealers. Any reputable dealer will only buy directly from the company or from a trusted distributor.
• Check the price. Does the price look too good to be true? It probably is. While there are many honest dealers on these sites, Amazon and eBay sellers are the biggest culprits when it comes to selling fake strings. Check the seller’s Amazon or eBay stores to verify who they are. If someone’s price is drastically lower than what you’ve been seeing, there’s a good chance this is not a legitimate string being sold.
• Buy your instrument from a reputable dealer too! Many cheap instruments that you find online keep costs down buy using cheaper fake strings. This typically happens with foreign factory-made instruments.

Johnson String takes pride in purchasing our strings directly from companies such as D’Addario, or their American distributor for companies like Thomastik-Infeld (Connolly Music).

To learn more about identifying fake guitar strings, check out D’Addario’s website.

Looking for strings? Browse our complete string inventory.

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