Vintage 48-Ft Outdoor Commercial String Lights with 15 Suspended Sockets, 14 Gauge Black Cord (Bulbs not Included)

I've seen these around for several years now in restaurants and shopping areas but could never find them anywhere. I saw these on here and was a little hesitant due to some reviews stating they received the "lighter duty" lamp cord type sets instead of what was pictured.These are literally "heavy" duty, they've got some weight to them so if you are going to span a great distance, stringing a support line through these might be a good idea. I have 4 points where this one strand attaches, so the weight is distributed pretty evenly. I ordered the 11w bulbs to go along with these as everyone else has suggested.....Perfect amount of lighting for relaxing in the yard at night.We are having a bday party in 5 days, so I immediately placed an order for two more sets to light the rest of my yard with. I will update if I have any issues with the other two sets or with the longevity of the product.Also, I had a little trouble getting a few bulbs to even start threading into the sockets and I initially panicked and thought either the bulbs were the wrong size of the sockets were out of shape......My fix, if you look into the socket there is a round little tab that the bulb makes contact with. I had to press a few of them in or down a bit with my finger and I had to give light pressure while screwing the bulb in.(make sure they are not plugged in if you need to do the same)*UPDATE 7/31/13* - So after rush ordering two more sets of these and receiving them today I can safely say what you are going to receive will be a crapshoot. The Two sets I received today look identical at first glance. Same thick round cord except I noticed the actual fixture where the bulb meets the plastic is more pliable on these new ones, like a rubber as opposed to the stiffer plastic feeling of the first set. In my mind..."hey, it will form a better seal".So I strung up the second set and went to piggy back them onto my first set and realized these two new sets have no ground on the plug. So, yeah are they really "outdoor" rated as is stated on the product description and paperwork? I doubt it. I am just going to go ahead and use them for now....may send them back after this weekend.Also the paperwork says "not to alter the plug in any way". And "The heavy-duty string of lights carrier the intertex testing service (ITS) seal of approval". I see no "seal" or stamp anywhere on the product and I Googled "Intertex" to no avail.So I thought I would just put it all out there so that everyone can make an informed decision. As a kid I don't recall any of our Christmas lights ever having a ground, and we never had any problems with the rain hitting them. I have mine plugged into an exterior GFCI so I'm good. A GFCI is looking for a current imbalance between the hot and neutral, regardless of a ground wire being present.

We used two strings of this lighting to light our 12x14 foot pavilion. We strung them up under the rafters. The glow of the lights (11 watt Table in A Bag clear lights) was enough to light our eating out and also to read a book by or play board games.I give a five star for the product. I originally ordered four strings and had to return two strings of lights as we had too much to cover our area. The return process was lengthy (compared to many other transactions with Amazon) and the return labels took several requests from me to the supplier to finally receive. I would highly recommend knowing exactly how many strings you need because refunding with this supplier was lengthy.9/1/14 UPDATEWe have used these lights in our pavilion for two months now and I am thrilled to have them! The coverings are sturdy, thick black rubber and the bulbs have weathered several wind and rain storms. The light they give off is enchanting. I have bought cheaper outdoor string lights from stores before but have found nothing as pleasing to look at as these. I highly recommend them.

Adding lighting to our newly roofed back-deck for outdoor entertaining. Bought a different cheap set that ended up being the green-cord, mini-globe, Christmas light type set. Went for these and it is worth every penny. These are the strings you see in fancy outdoor areas etc... and will give your outdoor area that perfect look.String is heavy duty, sockets are tight, giving me satisfaction of their ability to be outside. Got these for $20 less here on amazon than a lighting supply store would be able to order them for.Took advice of the reviewers on the S14 sign bulbs, I'd say its the exact look you want. I was worried the 11w wouldn't be enough, but its surprisingly enough light, and its warm light, not too bright, plus I'm less concerned about high draw on the circuit. One caution is I found this type of bulb at Home Depot and Lowes as long-life appliance bulbs for about $4 a piece - these are obviously overkill, and out of budget! Do some research and find a lighting supply company near you, I found regular S14 bulbs for $0.96 a piece - much easier to swallow.

Wanted something for our new Pergola that would hold up and also have a bit of a retro style look.These were the perfect light set solution! I ordered the 11 watt bulbs, they look great, not overly bright and yet give enough light to play cards by, etcEasy to hang by hooks and take down in winter. Looks like they will last a very long time...another plus vs buying those cheesy light strings. Update: Recently I had one of the sockets go dark. Wiggling the wire hanging down to the socket gets it back on, but only temporarily. I hope to be able to figure out a permanent fix as it's past the return window on the order. Writing this not to dissuade anyone from ordering the set, I still think they are a great way to go, just stating what happened. Amazon gave me a 20% credit to take the edge off of the hassle. Thanks Amazon.