Regarding DR Mandolin Strings

[Mandoplumb]

If it's true that the core is larger, yet string is tuned to same pitch, wouldn't there be more tension. I know that wouldn't affect the A and E but our senses are easily fooled. If we detected moe tension on 1/2 of the strings it may seem like more across them all. Just a thought

[Ivan Kelsall]

From mandoplumb - "If it's true that the core is larger....". Where did you hear / read that ?. I had a look at the DR website QA page & there's no info about the core wire other than that they use either round or hex.wire depending on the product. If it is a round core,then compared with a hex.core,would the 'corners' of the hex. lie inside or outside the circumference of the round wire ?. In other words,it could be larger or smaller ??,
It's purely academic,you either like 'em or you don't !
Ivan

[Mandoplumb]

Ivan someone posted that they read it somewhere. I don't claim to have any inside information, I was just presenting the possibility. I agree you either like them or you don't, but we spend a lot of time on MC trying to figure out why we like something or we don't.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Thanks for the info. Until DR themselves say that their core is a larger diameter than most,i'll pass on that. the one thing that they do mention,having read about it again yesterday (on the back of a pack of DR mandolin strings),is that the windings are 'compression wound'
I assume that as the strings are wound,the winding is compressed to produce the finished diameter - or something similar. I suppose that the compression process could make the string feel 'stiffer'.
Personally if i like something,i do analyse the 'whys' of it. If i don't,i just forget it - why waste the effort ?. I tried Black Diamond strings on my Weber at one time & took them off within a half hour.They simply sounded 'bad' - no analysis required,
Ivan

[Nick Gellie]

Anyone have an opinion on how they sound on a Pava? I have set waiting in a drawer🎻.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Nic - I know that you didn't get along with your Ellis "A" style too well,but i'd maybe expect some similarities of tone with your Pava - yes / no ?. I only mention this because my own Ellis while being as powerful an instrument as i'd ever want,also has a sweet tone to it. Maybe your Pava sounds the same ?. I don't know what strings Pava herself recommends,but Tom Ellis recommends GHS A270's for his own mandolins,although he's tried most of them & finds them ok.

The DR's are pretty powerful sounding strings & as DR themselves say,brighter than most strings. It's because of that,that i've stuck to A270's on my Ellis. I have a feeling that DR's might take away some of the sweet tone of the Ellis - however,i haven't tried them to see,maybe i should,but the Ellis sounds excellent,so why mess with it ?. DR's sound terrific on my Lebeda & Weber,but are an unknown quantity on my Ellis. I think that it would sound more powerful & punchy,but the sweet tone would be lost.

Maybe it's your chance to educate all of us ?,
Ivan

[Beanzy]

DR say their hex cores on DR Rare mandolin strings are lighter than the round for the same nominal string diameter, so that would indicate lower tension which is also what they say.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Quote - "DR say their hex cores on DR Rare mandolin strings....". Where do they say that ?. They don't say it on their website & it's not said on the DR string packets. They do say that they use both 'on a wide variety of strings' & that they make more strings with round cores than hex.

From the DR website - ".....the hex cores are a bit stiffer and are deeper in sound than round cores. A round core bass string is brighter, while still remaining more flexible. At DR while we use both types of core wire over a wide range of strings, we do manufacture more strings with round cores"

I only put the question because although i've been using them for close to 2 years,i don't know the answer & DR don't make it plain either,
Ivan
PS - An e-mail asking the question is on it's way to DR.

[Nick Gellie]

Well without much input from folks, I will try some EXP74s and give them a whirl on my Pava and save the MDDR11s for my Collings MT.

[Beanzy]

It was on the outside cardboard bit Ivan.

[Scott L]

Nic, I believe you now own Pava #14, even though your signature says Pava #12. I purchased that mandolin new from the Music Emporium and owned and played it as my main mandolin for about a year and half. Surprisingly, for such a nice mandolin, it seems to have gone through several sets of hands since I sold it about a year ago. I tried the DR MD-11s on it and thought they sounded very good, possibly the best sounding strings I used on it. I also tried GHS 270, EXP74s, and EJ74s. I thought the DR MD-11s and GHS 270 were the best sounding strings to my ears. I recommend trying the DR set. Glad to #14 found a good home. I certainly miss it. Scott

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks Scott, I have changed my signature to reflect what you said. My bad. Yes it is #14.

Glad to know MD-DR11 strings will work well. I will also try the GHSA270 strings. And did you have a pick guard put on it. There are two small screw holes that I would like to use to put a new pick guard on it.

The Pava ain't going nowhere. Complements the MT nicely. See Avatar. I can't believe how well it projects.

[Scott L]

Nic,

The Pava never had a pick guard on it while I owned it. The screw holes must be from one of the subsequent owners. Enjoy that mando!

[Nick Gellie]

I will thanks. It has already had a workout.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Eoin - Many thanks for that The info.was right at the top of the packet ,not in the 'description wording'. ''Should have gone to Specsavers'' ! - i did - i should have gone to Vision Express !!,
Ivan

[Beanzy]

I'm always doing things like that Ivan. Usually when I wander up to someone to ask if they know where X place is, then I look up and they'll be standing under the sign for the building. :/

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Eoin - Likewise. Shortly after i came to live in the area where i live now,a guy in a car pulled up & asked me how to get to Higher Blackley (pronounced Blakely). It took me a few seconds to remember that's where i was right then,
Ivan

[Ivan Kelsall]

I received a very polite reply to my e-mail from DR yesterday, & they confirmed what Eoin said,that the DR mandolin strings have hex.cores. So that fact's been verified by an observant user & DR themselves,
Ivan

[Charles E.]

After the DR strings have had a chance to settle in and I guess I have gotten used to them because I no longer feel any "extra tension". Anyway they still sound great on my Girouard F-5 and I will continue to use them for the foreseeable future. We will see how they hold up in the long run.

[Willie Poole]

On the pack of DR-11`s that I just got it doesn`t say anything about mandolin strings being wound on hex core, it does say that guitar strings are though...It also explains the "Compression" fitting....According to the package the hex core strings are suppose to have a deeper (bassy) sound than the round core ones...

I tried a set on one mandolin and didn`t care for them, the wound strings were great but the unwound strings sounded tinny but I will try this set on a different mandolin and see what happens...One brand of string is not equal on all mandolins so it`s worth the try, the strings were free to me also so I don`t have anything to lose except the time it takes to install them and I would take Ivan`s word on most everything...I SAID MOST EVERYTHING...Just joshing...

Willie

[Ivan Kelsall]

Willie - You've 'heard' my opinions many times. Nothing sounds exactly the 'same' to everyone. No one set of strings / pick / mandolin combo. will sound the same to everyone. There is no ''one size fits all' situation with musical instruments. All we can do is to try things for ourselves & don't be persuaded that brand 'x' is 'better' than the one that 'you prefer', simply because the 'experts' say so. That's their opinion & yours is just as valid - for you !,
Ivan

[Willie Poole]

I agree Ivan, I thought that is what i said...I bowl a lot in a league and I see other bowlers using a new ball every month or so just because the pros are using that brand and they won a tournament, I am using the same ball for the third year now and don`t even think about buying another one...

same with my mandolins, I like what I have but do want to try different strings and picks to see if I can improve the sound a bit, it`s a fun journey...

Willie