View Full Version : different strings, different instrument,
so, love my elixirs on my 2 point. so, thought i'd throw them on my kentucky 150s, so that my beater could sound better. biiiiig mistake. they just don't sound right. they sound worse than the 6 month old martin phosphors that were on there. i guess it takes the right string to make instrument sound its best.
Hey, Ira,
No big surprise there. #I believe mandolins are subject to more variables than any other fretted instrument. #Strings, bridge type, playing action, tailpieces--all these things can make night and day differences on a given mandolin.
I am currently going through the search for the best sounding strings on my new Collings F. #I must be on my 5th set. #All sound good, but HUGE differences. #Same with my old Gibson A. #
I never had guitar behave this way. #There is something magical and mysterious about mandolins.
MandoCowboy
Jun-01-2004, 1:53pm
Hey Mike,
After going through several different strings on my Collings F, I went back to J74's. One set I hadn't tried was the FT 74's that I had because I thought the G string being 0.039 might be a little wimpy. When the next time round came to change strings I just got a fresh order of J74's, and though well I'll just throw those FT 74's on and get that test out of the way then go on to putting the J74's on. Wow! Those FT's really pulled the tone and sound I was looking for out of that box. Traded all my J's for FT's and haven't looked back. I even get nods from fellow Collings mando owners on my tone. Give her a try if you hadn't.
MandoCowboy
Thanks, Cowboy. #I did try the FTs. #Seemed a little thin to me. #None of these strings sound bad, mind you. #I just hear something in this mandolin that tells me I can get more out of it. #
At the moment I'm using GHS Silk & Bronze and I love them. #Used them exclusively on the mando I traded in for the Collings. #Took me awhile to get back to these. #I might stick with these...I put the FTs on my old Gibson, btw, and it sounds better than it ever has.
Doug Edwards
Jun-07-2004, 2:47pm
I used the FT74's for a while they were great. I went to the GHS Silk/Bronze but did loose some volume. I waffle back and forth with the Silk/Steel, but I really like the tone I got from the GHS.
Yesterday I put on a set of TI's heavy. I kept the most of the tone and got back the volume. They are smooth a silk with almost no friction.