T-I strings

[otterly2k]

I'm wondering if anyone has experience putting Thomastik-Infeld strings on OM's... how much difference does it make in sound? playability? any thoughts?

KE

[Adare_Steve]

I don't know these strings. But I wanted to make a comment about my least favourite strings - the extremely expensive Gore Elixir Polyweb. To my ear (which is not perfectly pitched by any means) they sound tinny and rough, even after playing in. I much prefer the Martin SP 'gold' strings, which sell - in Ireland - for less than half the price of the Elixir. The SP's have the smoothest, fullest sound I've heard in a set of guitar strings on a bouzouki or OM. Not that I've trid dozens of different one - but enough!

Steve Power

[seanh]

they are not long enough.

[Dolamon]

Steve - Karen ... recently I installed a picked set of GHS Laurence Juber strings on both a Mandola and an O/M. These are cryogenically processed (supposedly rolled and formed at -275 degrees) and - well they flat out work. See Just Strings listing.

GHS lists these as guitar sets under the "Signature Bronze" logo: "Signature Bronze Cyrogenically treated Copper-Tin-Phosphor Alloy
Formulated with technical expertise and performer passions. Designed with the assistance of Laurence
Juber, world renowned fingerstyle guitar player. Cryogenically treated, bronze plated core and plain wires
with phosphor bronze wraps. Gold looks–Gold tone."

I was a bit skeptical of the design specifications but - so far after two plus weeks they are astounding. It seems that the fundamental tone is enhanced and the overtones are more muted. I like them on these two, more robustly built instruments. The problem with them is ... they don't make every size but ... the tension seems a bit lower than equal sized strings so, I tried them and they work. And they are a LOT cheaper than TI's and long enough for a good sized bouzouki. (They only come in ball ends ... some minor surgery may be required.)

I had to look this up ... Laurence Juber was / is the lead guitarist for Paul McCartney - pretty demanding crew to work with.

[Ted Eschliman]

they are not long enough.

This is "mostly" correct...
Mostly, because of the variance in scale length of a lot of OMs. One of the coolest features of the TI mandolin strings is the (black) silk winding which helps lock the string into position on the tuners. (Strings that also work for guitars, like most of the GHS series, come equipped with extra length to handle a variety of applications.)
Problem is, the TI winding also "locks" them into a "standard" length in an arena where there isn't a 100% consensus on what that length should be.
TI's are fantastic, but if you get them for an OM, hold them up to the instrument before putting them on to make sure they fit; it's harder to get your money back if they don't fit and you've installed them.

[mrmando]

OK, here's a Thomastik question: JustStrings sells a Thomastik "Liuto" set. Scale length for this is listed at 61 cm, which is ~24 inches. But there are no other details on the package. Anyone used this set? Is it for a 5-course liuto (CGDAE)? Anyone used it on a Gibson mandocello?

If the set is for a 5-course, and one has only a 4-course mandocello, one could just set aside the E strings and use them for something else, I guess.

[aries753]

Hey Dolomon,
What string guages did you pick for the OM? I may try some on my Johnson OM.

[steve V. johnson]

*Tangent* just to add to the pot a bit...

Lawrence Juber is quite well known in acoustic guitar circles as an acoustic fingerstylist who is fluent in various tunings. Martin has a LJ signature guitar model, he has various signature strings and some well-regarded instructional materials out as well as a good bunch of solo recordings.

I don't know if he's still working with Sir Paul, but I think of him mostly for his other work.

Thanks, and now back to the subject thread.

stv