Best string use

[keymandoguy]

I play in 2 different bands one is bluegrass strictly acoustic the other is a gospel band where I am using a pickup and amp . Currently am using J 74 strings I read that you need stainless steel strings for amp type playing, but I do both. So what strings would you recommend for my situation ? Thanks for your input. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[John Flynn]

The steel string thing really pertains to magnetic pickups. Even then, bronze strings will work, but theoretically not as well. If you are using a pizeo pickup, you can use whatever you like. If you really want steel strings, though, I hear the new JS74s are great and being stainless, they will likely last a long time.

[mandroid]

Its the steel core wire ; that magnetic pickup senses, and #some alloys of stainless steel contain so little iron, as to be un magnetic, monel, like bronze, it's adding mass so the pitch at tension range is better. and of course the acoustic sound is different with different winding metals.
In the baroque era ,I understand,'cat'gut,[leather] strings were impregnated with bronze shavings while wet to do this mass increase, for the same purpose.

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