D'Addario EFT74 Flat Tops Mandolin Strings

[Awagner109]

I was looking to get some strings for my mandolin and came across some D'Addario EFT74 Flat Tops Mandolin strings. Has anyone used these and how did they sound. I useing John Pearse 80/20 bronze wound standard gauge.
Thanks

[lenf12]

They have been my favorite strings for a few years (since they were called FT-74s). I used them on 2 Gibson mandolins, a 1916 F-4 and a 1956 F-12. They sounded too much alike on both mandolins so I changed to EFW-74 Flat Wounds for the F-4. The F-12 sounds exactly as I want it to with the EFT-74 Flat tops. It can make snarly bluegrass or sophisticated jazz. I like the sound of phosphor bronze strings and the windings of the G D and A strings are ground to a smooth almost flat surface profile, eliminating a lot of string squeak when you slide and they last a long time. What's not to like?

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[avaldes]

I used the EFW74 (flat wound) on this recording. These are about 3 weeks old, and the mandolin is a 2013 J Bovier F5S. They are becoming my favorite strings. They feel different the first time you put them on, almost too smooth. Some people prefer regular strings because they are thought to have a little more "twang" (sorry for the subjective term).
I think the flatwounds last longer also.

[Dave LaBoone]

I like 'em a lot. Good sound, last long. I like the wound A, as I think it provides a more even tone across strings.

[Doug Edwards]

I've used them a lot in the past and started back with them this year. Great feel and tone, plus they are easier on my arthritic fingers.

[mandroid]

I only get a couple days out of wound A's before they break * So I would get plain As and use those instead ,
or pick very softly ..

*very thin core wire..

[Doug Edwards]

I only had one A string break about 15 years ago. But the core wire is very thin to allow for the windings and prone to breaking if the nut slot is tight and its played hard.

[Bruce Clausen]

With a normal mandolin bridge, the wound A's are likely to play out of tune up the neck. I use the flat-tops on one of my instruments, but with plain A strings.

[meow-n-dolin]

I have not used the "flat tops" on my mandolin, but on my Mandola (Trinity), they sound very, very good. Certainly better than the too-light round-wounds with which it came. They are most definitely a little kinder to the fingers, as well, though not as nice as the TIs I have on my mandolins.

[colorado_al]

I prefer the EFW74 (Flatwound) over the EFT74 (flattop)

[John Flynn]

It's been maybe 10 years ago that I bought a few sets on a promotion that D'Addario was having at the time. I tried them on two different mandolins. My experience:

• I broke A strings on both mandolins, mandolins that did not have A string breakage problems with other strings, before or after.
• The intonation of the wound A's is different than with a plain A. If I had continued to use them, I would have wanted to have my bridges adjusted.
• I was not all that impressed with the tone, which is personal preference.
• I was not all that impressed with the string life. I thought it was OK, but just OK and not worth the extra money.

Maybe they've improved now. I hope so.

[peter.coombe]

I like them, particularly the wound A because it gives a more even sound across the strings, so replacing the wound A with plain steel is sort of defeating the purpose of these strings. I have never broken an A string while playing, but have broken plenty while setting up a mandolin, and I wish D'Addario would offer single wound A strings. I find they last a long time, I need to change about every 6 months, and there is a lot less fret wear. They do require different compensation at the bridge for proper intonation, but that is how they were originally designed (to replace Thomastics) and I do use different bridge compensation on my mandolins to get the best out of these strings. If you like bright sound with the jangly sound of a plain steel A string, you won't like them, they have a darker sound than round wound strings.

[Shelagh Moore]

I have tried them and the tone is quite good but I didn't like the feel of them under my fingers and use flatwounds on my two main mandolins now. As with everything, it's down to personal preference.

[Ken Waltham]

Just now I am taking a set off my F4 and they are going in the garbage. Everyone's different, and that's all good.

[lenf12]

Just now I am taking a set off my F4 and they are going in the garbage. Everyone's different, and that's all good.

So Ken, what didn't you like about them and what did you replace them with?

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[fatt-dad]

to me it's worth the extra $40 bucks for the Thomastiks.

Didn't like them at all!

f-d

[lenf12]

to me it's worth the extra $40 bucks for the Thomastiks. Didn't like them at all! f-d

As I mentioned in my first post above, I switched from EFT-74s to EFW-74s on my F-4 and now get a sound that is similar to the T-I strings and they "feel" very much the same imho. The string tension is much lighter than the EFTs. I've used the T-Is on this mandolin for a few years in the mandolin orchestra so I am familiar with that sound and feel. I switched to EFTs for a few years to get back to the phosphor bronze sound but found that sound to be too similar to my F-12 which is also strung with EFTs. So I switched to the EFWs with SS ribbon windings and it's now back in the T-I realm tonally and the lower tension allows me to play for hours without finger and hand strain. It sure does demonstrate how much of a difference strings can make to the sound of your mandolin.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

(I just hit 1900 posts)

[Ken Waltham]

So Ken, what didn't you like about them and what did you replace them with?

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

To me, Len, they made everything that was good about my F4 to no effect. Loss of presence, volume and tone. They made (IMO) a fine instrument sound wimpy.
They had a feel of no tension, or flabbiness under my right hand, and the super smooth feel felt like I had no contact with the string under my left hand. I got them in the case of a mandolin I bought, so, thought I would put them on and try them. Really didn't like them at all.
I always use J74's on every instrument, so, they went on again. For me personally, they are perfect. YMMV.

[Awagner109]

Well thanks for all the great info. I did order a package of them and got them today from amazon. So when I need to replace my present strings I'll be putting them on.

[mandobassman]

I have a hard time understanding why every time the subject of D'Addario's Flat Top mandolin strings comes up, so many people chime in with suggestions for flatwound strings. That is not a apples to apples comparison. Just because they are "semi-flat" doesn't mean they are anything like flatwound strings. They have a completely different construction and completely different sound. Essentially, flat top strings are exactly the same as round wound strings, except the top has been ground flat in an attempt to make them smoother to the fingers. In my opinion, they failed miserably. I found the screetching from finger callouses to be ten times worse on the flat tops than any other string I've used. Flatwound strings, on the other hand, have windings that are completely flat on top and bottom, making full contact with the string core and leaving no space between the windings. That is what makes them so smooth and what gives them their characteristic sound. They will last significantly longer than flat tops because the stainless steel windings don't tarnish and corrode like bronze does, plus the lack of space between windings does not allow finger oils and dirt to build up and shorten their life.

Everyone's opinions vary widely, but I hated the tone from the Flat Tops. Horribly bright and metallic-sounding and very noisy under the fingers. But that's just me. Many people love them.

[MDMachiavelli]

I've always been a big fan of D'Addario regardless of the instrument.

[peter.coombe]

I have a hard time understanding why every time the subject of D'Addario's Flat Top mandolin strings comes up, so many people chime in with suggestions for flatwound strings. That is not a apples to apples comparison. Just because they are "semi-flat" doesn't mean they are anything like flatwound strings.

Absolutely correct. From what I have been told by someone who was involved in the development of these strings, they were meant to fit somewhere in between real flatwound strings (e.g. Thomastic) and round wound strings. In that respect they have succeeded handsomely. They were never meant to be like round wound strings. People used to round wound strings find them dull, people used to flat wound strings find them overly bright and not smooth enough. Both sets of people hate them! Personally I tried a set of the D'Addario flat wound strings and hated them, but round wound in general sound too bright and I prefer a wound A string so I like FT74 which is an excellent compromise. Thomastics are very nice new, but go too dull for my taste. So, each to his own, different strings for different tastes.