Strange string problem

[nordian]

Yesterday I changed the strings on my mandolin. I run D'Addario J74s exclusively on all of my mandolins and J17's on my guitars. I have never encountered any problems with the brand and love the sound. Just good strings IMHO. But after changing strings, I noticed the D strings just didn't sound right. I thought "OK, they'll play in after a little play time". Just the opposite occured. The more I played the worse they became out with each other. Mind you, just the D strings. By the time I got to my regular Friday night jam they were so bad out with each other that the instrument was virtually intolerable. Tune them open, fine. Check at the 12th fret and one was 35 cent flat to the other. After eliminating anything obvious at the nut or saddle, I decided "It has to be the strings". So I took the D strings off and put on 2 more. Brought them up to pitch and bingo, intonation problem was gone. Dead on at the 12th fret. This was the first time I had ever encountered this with new D'Addario strings. Anyone else ever had this or something similar to happen with this brand and gauge? By the way, I did send D'Addario an email telling them of this. Waiting to see how they respond.

[Jim]

I have had a g sting on a classical guitar set that would not tune. never on a Steel string or Mandolin. No ideas why, but ,glad you solved the problem

[DavidKOS]

Every stringmaker has occasional bad strings.

Let us know how D'Addario responds, usually they are happy to replace the rare defective string.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I had a very similar problem a few years ago,again with J74's. I'd just re-strung my mandolin & the G strings sounded fine 'open',but fretted,the lower one sounded flat. I swapped them around (very fiddly !) & now the top one was flat. I eventually took both off,binned the fllat one & kept the other as a spare. The 2 new strings were fine. I've used J74's (now EJ74's) for many years & never encountered the problem before or since. When you consider the 10's of K's of string sets that D'Addario make,it's hardly surprising that a rogue string might show up from time to time. However, it is very puzzling when it happens.
I too will be very interested to hear D'Addario's explanation, If they can't give you one,i'd contact agents Mulder & Scully immediately !!,:grin:
Ivan;)

[Ray(T)]

Assuming you have a set of "real" d'Addario strings - fakes are known and d'Addario did have a page on it's website through which you could check - this clearly points to a faulty string. This isn't unheard of, as I'm sure Ted Eschleman would confirm. Jazz-Mando had a batch of bad, flat wound, - now discontinued - strings which they spent much time and effort replacing for those unlucky enough to buy them.

[Mandobart]

The only thing I believe could make strings behave this way (in tune with each other, out of tune when fretted) is if the diameter is too big on one. This would make it not ride correctly in the nut slot, which would cause what is described. If this ever happened to me I would check the diameter with a micrometer. Two things that might prevent me from ever encountering this:
1. I always lube the nut and bridge slots when I change strings.
2. Most of my instruments have zero frets and the nut is simply a string guide, with very wide slots.

[colorado_al]

I had a set of D'Addario 74's that had a problem in the winding. Contacted them and they shipped me a new set, no questions asked. Had them in a week. Kept me as a customer.

[maj34]

I had this exact experience with the G strings in a fresh set of J74s several years ago.

[nordian]

I too will be very interested to hear D'Addario's explanation, If they can't give you one,i'd contact agents Mulder & Scully immediately !!,:grin:
Ivan;)

Maybe I will just call the Mountain Monster or Ghost Hunter guys.:whistling::grin:

[nordian]

Ok guys. Just got an email from George Santos at D'Addario. I think he is going to replace the set of EJ74's but he also requested the codes off of the individual string envelops which I regretfully threw away immediately after opening (I did keep the defective D stings). I don't think it will be a deal breaker in them replacing the set. Either way, I let him know that I understand that with the volume of strings they sell that this kind of thing is going to happen every now and then and it would in no way stop me from purchasing D'Addario products. I also let him know that I would pass along D'Addario's efforts to make sure that their customers are satisfied.

[Ivan Kelsall]

D'Addario are well aware that 'fakes' of their products have shown up on the market. You can check whether your strings are authentic D'Addario strings by using this :- http://www.daddario.com/PlayReal.Page?ActiveID=3825&sid=e8a5748f-7ff8-496e-8768-f5106fd0219b D'Addario strings ''Play Real'' string checker,
Ivan;)

[Beanzy]

One possibility is if the machine extruding the cores lost or raised tension and allowed the core to have a fat or thin spot. Sod's law would say this glitch would happen just where the finished string rests on the bridge. I would think issues with the windings would be picked up more easily in any visual checks.

[Shelagh Moore]

While D'Addario strings are generally reliable I've had some rogue strings in sets of theirs over the years. But I think the same is true of most string manufacturers due to manufacturing glitches and D'Addario seem prepared to replace defective items.

[Rob Meldrum]

Glad you got in touch with D'Addario. Their customer support is awesome. I had an issue with a string several years ago, called them, and they sent me a replacement set at no cost, right away.

The counterfeit issue is real, btw. The last couple of Rogue guitars I have bought, advertised with Martin strings, came with counterfeit D'Addarios. The string ends with Martins are all the same color - on D'Addarios each string end has a different color. Each time I notified musiciansfriend they sent me a replacement set of true Marting strings, since that is what the guitars were supposed to ship with. Oh, yeah: the counterfeit D'Addarios were really crummy strings.

[colorado_al]

Best to buy from a known supplier. Juststrings.com is great and a sponsor of MC.
If you buy several sets at once, you don't pay shipping either.
Quick and cheap and authentic.

[nordian]

True to their word, just received the replacement set of EJ74's. Who can ask for better customer service than that? D'Addario certainly looks after their customers. Thanks D'Addario and George Santos.

[Drew Egerton]

Nordian,

I had to Google Mooresboro. Apparently I've driven through there quite a few times and never realized it! :)

The only issues I've ever had with D'addario strings were on either the A or E where the twists at the loop end were coming undone slowly so they would go flat, and flatter, and flatter, and then come off.

I had a few packs of those back about 10 years ago and never had it happen again until my last set. I could never get the A's to stay in tune and finally just decided to restring both high sets with some single J75s I have. After I took them off, I noticed the A had fewer twists left than the others.

I did have them send me a few sets back then, but for this it looks like a one off issue so I'm not worried about it.

[ferrousgeek]

I've only had one issue with D'Addario Strings in all the years I have used them. I had a wound string that was buzzing at the ball end. The folks at D'Addario were tripping over themselves to get me a replacement set and make things right. Top notch customer service!