View Full Version : nickel or bronze strings
hi, waitin on my elixirs (was sick and didn't order) and need to put on some new strings asap. my choices - d'addario nickel wound or bronze wound strings. i know they wont feel or play like elixirs, but which will give me a closer mirror to the smoother tone that the elixirs provide.?
heeeeeeeeeeeelp! have little time. heading to music emporium in lexington mass and only have about 20 minutes there- give me your list of 2-3 string types that would meet my needs!!!!!
peterbc
May-20-2004, 9:06am
I'd say bronze gives better tone on an acoustic. I'd only use nickel for an electric.
John Flynn
May-20-2004, 9:19am
I agree. I have tried the nickel D'Addarios and do not like them.
duuuude
May-20-2004, 9:55am
ira, give the FT-74s a try if they're available, nice mellow tone so possibly close to the others, juts tried a set myself & they ain't too bad. Never tried the Elixirs so can't give a true comparison.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif
trying out the d'addario flattops. thanks for the input, and i'll give my review in a few days.
Scotti Adams
May-20-2004, 5:29pm
...Gibson Bush set...they are monel wound...the best string Ive ever used...
i was stuck between those two and decided to try the flattops first- but i'll try those bush strings too. btw- how is that fat g string to work with?
mandoJeremy
May-20-2004, 7:08pm
Well ira, I think the Flat Tops have a .040 and I know the J74's have a .040 and I really don't think anyone could really tell the difference between a .040 and a .041 which the Bush set has.
actually the flattops have a .039,and its slight but you can feel it. the biggest diff. so far is the general feel of the strings under your fingers. quite diff from anything i've ever played. can't describe it as of yet.
so, used the flat tops last night, and my only prob with them (love the sound), is i can't slide my fingers up and down the fretboard as i can with the elixirs. they are kinda sticky (but definitely no acoustic squeak). this is a prob, because i do an awful lot of sliding around during solos and from one open chord to the next on certain songs, and the stickiness held me back a bit.
scotti- (and others who use em) tell me more about the sambush monel strings- sound, feel.
frets1
May-23-2004, 7:01pm
Ira, I have played the Bush strings for a while now. I've played them on 3 different mandolins (including my Sam Bush F5) and they have proven to be the best strings that I have played. I can tell a noticeable difference in volume, tone and longevity. Gibson made [what we know now as] the Sam Bush strings long before Sam starting endorsing them. They took Sam's name because they were the strings that he played. I cannot remember what ID Gibson used before they took the name SB but, if you will email Big Joe or Charlie Derrington, I'm sure they will be glad to tell you and give you more info on the strings. Buy some. You will be glad you did! Hope this helps. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Damnation Gulch
Jun-12-2004, 10:23am
Its threads like this that make me realize what a novice I really am. I know what kind of guitar strings I like but dont know what kind of mando strings I like... I've got the d'addario's on there right now and am pretty sure I dont like them, but in this town all you can find is d'addario or martin. Whats everybody's favorite? I want a bright crisp sound...
actually, after a few weeks on the flattops, i'm pretty happy. if i run my fingers on em for a while (natural oils), they slicken up a bit. as i'm ampd most of the time, volume isn't a biggie for me, though they seem loud enough, but the tone is clear and ringing and the sound is clean (no squeak or buzz).
ira
mando-in-kingwood
Jun-12-2004, 1:19pm
Its threads like this that make me realize what a novice I really am. I know what kind of guitar strings I like but dont know what kind of mando strings I like... I've got the d'addario's on there right now and am pretty sure I dont like them, but in this town all you can find is d'addario or martin. Whats everybody's favorite? I want a bright crisp sound...
Go to JustStrings.com, they have every imaginable string.