about strings

[swarhili]

hello,

So I recently had to change the strings on my mandolin, since I bought it recently (about 3 weeks or so) and the ones that came with it were already all rusty; since I'm an Elixir fanboy (:P) through my guitar experience, I decided to buy a set of them; unfortunatly, in the music store that I went, they only had Tomastik ones, wich I had to buy due to the urgent need of a new set of strings (the original ones were veeeeeery rusty). I already had been told that Tomastik were one of the best brands for the classical mandolin, but since I browsed the forums and read some of the threads that talked about Elixir strings vs the D'addario one, I inquired about D'addario anyway, to ask them their oppinion; wich was that compared to the Tomastik (they didn't even know that Elixir made mando strings), D'addario was nothing.

So what I'm asking is: what's is your oppinion on D'adddario when comparing them to Tomastik and/or Elixir? Are they right about Tomastik being THE best brand? Or, as I suspect, the 'best' brand of the strings depends on type of mandolin that you use (classical vs the more blegrass oriented ones)?

[sunburst]

...Are they right about Tomastik being THE best brand?

They are wrong because, as with so many things, it is a matter of opinion.
D'addario J-74 is my favorite mandolin string set, Elixers can be good for people who are real string killers, I'm not a big fan of the Tomastik strings, though they work for some people who like that sound and have a mandolin on which the work well. You'll just have to try them and see which (or perhaps others) you like best.

[SincereCorgi]

Order some Elixers to try, they can be very good. I like the D'Addario EXPs too.

Tomastik makes great strings, but I don't know many people around here who use them. I suspect this is because they're expensive, and Americans are accustomed to good quality cheap strings that they change frequently, so Tomastiks feel like a bad deal. Tomastik seems to price them the same as their violin strings, which are extremely popular, but that price makes more sense since violin strings last longer. Personally, I wouldn't pay $50 for a set of strings that I know I'm going to be taking off in a month- I could get almost a dozen packs of J74s for that. They seem to be most popular around here with jazz guitarists.

[yankees1]

After trying many various sets of strings I have finally settled in with DR MD11. I like the sound and they last a very long time.

[dan in va]

A ? about the MD 11 strings: Do the plain A and E strings last as long as the wound G and D strings?

[pheffernan]

Tomastik seems to price them the same as their violin strings, which are extremely popular, but that price makes more sense since violin strings last longer. Personally, I wouldn't pay $50 for a set of strings that I know I'm going to be taking off in a month.

Fans of TI's would counter that you shouldn't "know" that you're going to be taking them off in a month; rather, like their violin strings, the mandolin strings last and last, due to their flatwound construction. Thus, players have a higher cost up front but make up for it in the long run, with added benefits such as fewer string changes and greater comfort on the fingertips. Returning to the OP, there is no consensus "best string" out there, only conventions. The task of finding the best string for your instrument and your application is up to you.

[mandobassman]

Tomastik seems to price them the same as their violin strings, which are extremely popular, but that price makes more sense since violin strings last longer. Personally, I wouldn't pay $50 for a set of strings that I know I'm going to be taking off in a month- I could get almost a dozen packs of J74s for that.

The reality is that the Thomastik mandolin strings do last that long as well. I used them for years and changed them about once a year. I was paying about $40 per year for strings. Thankfully, I'm now paying $12 per year for strings with the D'Addario FW74s, which last just as long for me. Thomastik strings are very popular among Classical mandolinists but that doesn't mean they're the best for everyone. J74s are extremely popular with Bluegrass mandolinists, however I'm not one of them. It all comes down to what sound you're seeking and you mandolin. J74s are a good starting point for most players, but try different kinds like GHS Silk and Steel, Gibson Monel, D'Addario FW74 (flatwound). Each will provide a different tone and feel. Leave each on the mandolin long enough to truly evaluate them and find what works for you.

[yankees1]

A ? about the MD 11 strings: Do the plain A and E strings last as long as the wound G and D strings?

Yes they do !

[Steve Ostrander]

I'm partial to D'Addario EXP74s. I have never tried Thomastic so I can't compare, but I've been very happy with EXP74s.

[Caleb]

D'Addario J74 was my standard string for a long time: they are excellent, all-around strings, but I too have become a DR convert. To me they have more oomph, overall better sound, and they last a very long time. I tried some Thomasticks on my first mandolin, a Kentucky A-style. They just didn't sound right to me. I didn't even leave them on a week.

[yankees1]

I too like the J74's but they wear out way too soon for me ! EXP 74's were good also but overall the DR Md11's seem the best for my playing.

[Denman John]

I find that different mandolins like different strings. I've settled on Thomastik after trying most of the strings mentioned above. I've had them on about 8 months now and they still sound and feel great. My son's Weber likes D'Addario EXP74s, while my other son's Breedlove likes DRs. Try a bunch of different strings and see which ones you and your mandolin like.

[helric]

I'm not sure that D'Addario J74s are the best choice for playing classical music.... The gauges are a bit heavy I think. D'addario J62s could be better, no ?

[SincereCorgi]

Fans of TI's would counter that you shouldn't "know" that you're going to be taking them off in a month; rather, like their violin strings, the mandolin strings last and last, due to their flatwound construction.

My understanding of why violin strings last a while is that they're not being chewed up by frets. If you do string bends on a mandolin, you're basically sort of sawing that dent into the string, whereas on violin you don't really use that side-to-side motion. I've never, like, seen any sort of tests on this, though.

I think part of the reason Tomastik strings are expensive is just because they've decided to be a 'deluxe' string. For instance, their guitar strings include that fabric wrapping at the post end, which is clipped off competely nine out of ten times. It looks very pretty for those few moments after you've taken them out of the packaging.

[mandobassman]

My understanding of why violin strings last a while is that they're not being chewed up by frets. If you do string bends on a mandolin, you're basically sort of sawing that dent into the string, whereas on violin you don't really use that side-to-side motion. I've never, like, seen any sort of tests on this, though.

I think part of the reason Tomastik strings are expensive is just because they've decided to be a 'deluxe' string. For instance, their guitar strings include that fabric wrapping at the post end, which is clipped off competely nine out of ten times. It looks very pretty for those few moments after you've taken them out of the packaging.

The TI strings last as long as they do because of the flatwound construction. The flat winding does not allow dirt and finger oils to get between the windings and kill tone and the windings are made of stainless steel that does not corrode like bronze. I have had them on my mandolin for as long as 16 months of regular playing.
I don't use TIs anymore, but the cloth windings are one of the things I miss about them. Those windings on the peg head end is one of the things that contribute to the TIs outstanding tuning stability. Certainly it contributes to the cost but it's a great feature. One has to decide whether the cost is worth it. For me, if I had no better choices, I would still buy them, but since D'Addario came out with the FW 74s, which I actually like a bit better, the choice to a $12 set of strings was a no-brainier.

[UsuallyPickin]

Well Swarhili ...... Each mandolin will react and respond differently to each different set of strings. Tone , touch , resonance will all be a little different with each type. So do try several brands sizes and materials. D'Addario makes quality strings , they even make the Elixer string before that company puts their patented polymer on the string. DR makes quality strings many Café members use the Thomastic strings. The D'Addario J74 is an uncoated mid sized string is as good a place as any to start trying out strings. Check out some online string vendors ... purchasing half a dozen different types of strings becomes possible if not completely reasonable price wise. Pay attention to shipping costs. There can be quite a bit of difference. R/

[Nick Eanet]

TI mandolin strings are not expensive compared to violin strings. I pay $135 for a set of four TI violin strings, so $48 for 8 strings feels very reasonable to me....and I like the sound, feel, and longevity.

[Shelagh Moore]

I tend to choose strings that suit the particular instrument, whether it be mandolin, guitar banjo or dulcimer. Hence I use D'Addario FW-74s on my RM-1, Jazzmandos (while my stock slowly diminishes) on my Nava (both of those sets are flatwound but different gauges) and Savarez silverwounds on the DiMauro. Most people I know tend to settle on a brand and gauge that they like and that they have found works for them through experience. I've tried the Thomastiks a couple of times but their sound and performance didn't justify their massive price, at least for me.

[Bren]

I had been using D'Addario FT74s, which is a slightly different set to FW74s.

Had some adjustments and repairs made to my mandolin which resulted in it sounding better than ever , but the wound A was buzzing, so have reverted to J74s rather than adjust it again.

They sound terrific but need changing fairly often if you're going to be playing in sessions or in bands.

Have tried Thomastiks but they don't respond so well to my rather heavy-handed approach. Lovely sweet tone though.

I think J74s are a gold standard you can work off and then see afterward if something else maybe suits you better. But many top players are happy with them.

[Jim Garber]

As noted above by others, Thomastiks are good for those that like them. I actually do not like them on most my mandolins but really like them on my vintage Lyon & Healy mandolin. Then again, I ask the Swarhil, the OP, what mandolin are you putting the new strings on? Did you like the strings on the original mandolin. Maybe you could find what was on them. Of course, it also depends on what strings are available in Portugal. D'Addario and Elixir certainly make good quality strings in any case and for most mandolins they are an excellent choice. They would sound much brighter than the Thomastiks and extrmeley different tone.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From dan in va - " Do the plain A and E strings last as long as the wound G and D strings ? ". As Yankees1 responded - they do indeed. The first set on my Weber was only changed out after 8 months because the strings behind the bridge where my hand touches them, were getting just a bit 'too' black. They hadn't corroded through by any means,they just looked 'not good'. I reckon that they'd have lasted another couple of months at least - they do last for ages,without any significant loss of tone or power,exactly as DR claim,
Ivan

[Caleb]

I had my last set of DRs on for probably 5 or 6 months. I've been playing quite a bit too. They had started to discolor some but mainly I could start to hear slight intonation changes. But I know my mandolin very well too. That's when I reach for a new set. When I put on the new DRs the tone did brighten up a bit, but the volume is consistent even with older DRs. But my intonation issues were solved. I'm sold on DRs.

[dan in va]

Thanks very much for your replies, Ivan and Caleb. A big help indeed.

[fatt-dad]

I like J- or EXP-74s, and Gibson Sam Bush "Monel" strings on my regular arch-top f-hole mandolins. I love T-I Heavies (aka Starks) on my paddle- and snake-head Gibsons and my redwood-walnut a-model (f-holes). Tried flat-top and flatwound strings by others. Didn't like them. I'm also sure others giving advice play better than me - ha!

f-d

[Petrus]

I've always liked the J67 nickel (though they are a bit heavy ... .039 on the G!) or the J62 which are a little less so (.034 on the G.) I prefer FW74s the most but they are more expensive. Tried Adamas 8787 light strings once, they were okay. Haven't tried any others so far. The Tomastiks sound really expensive.