Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Which strings to get?

  1. #1

    Default Which strings to get?

    I recently purchased a Kentucky KM 300 E from a fellow on Craigslist. It's a beautiful instrument and it pretty good, but the guy tells me that in the 3 years or so he's owned it, he's never changed the strings! He purchased it from the original owner, and it's possible that it still has the factory set on it. So, I was hoping someone could recommend some string sets for me?

  2. #2
    Work in Progress Ed Goist's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Northeast Ohio
    Posts
    6,001
    Blog Entries
    3

    Default Re: Which strings to get?

    I had e-mando normal gauge (11-15-26-40) nickel strings on my JBovier EMC-4, and I liked them a lot. They sounded very good, and felt and wore well in my opinion. Also, at $3.50 a set for 4 strings they are very affordable.

    I also want to eventually try the JazzMando JM10-B strings (10-14-24-35), though they are a little more expensive (~$8.50 a set for a 4 stringer).

    Try different sets and see what you like. I would suggest sticking with nickel strings though, as most pick-up manufacturers recommend the use of nickel strings to maximize PUP performance.
    c.1965 Harmony Monterey H410 Mandolin
    "What a long, strange trip it's been..." - Robert Hunter
    "Life is too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde
    Think Hippie Thoughts...
    Gear: The Current Cast of Characters

  3. #3
    Registered User Tom Wright's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Rockville, MD
    Posts
    1,919
    Blog Entries
    7

    Default Re: Which strings to get?

    Plain steel upper strings, chrome steel-wound and stainless-wound all work. (Bronze-wound work weakly; only the steel core is picked up.) Nickel has a warm sound, but the stainless-wound from Ernie Ball (like the old Rotosound in tone) give a strong signal with a piano-ish clang. Not as sweet as nickel but last much longer and play truer in pitch for the fat strings. All my recorded examples use those.

    I go semi-light, at .010-.014-.024-.036-.056 (C).
    Bandcamp -- https://tomwright1.bandcamp.com/
    Videos--YouTube
    Sound Clips--SoundCloud
    The viola is proof that man is not rational

  4. #4
    Registered User mandobassman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Delran, NJ
    Posts
    2,921

    Default Re: Which strings to get?

    I was just about to post a set of D'Addario flatwound strings (5-string set) on the Cafe classifieds that I bought by accident from eMando.com. They're a light gauge custom order set and you could ignore the lowest string in the set to accommodate the 4-string mando. . If you are interested, you can send a private message and I'll give you all of the info.
    Larry Hunsberger

    2013 J Bovier A5 Special w/ToneGard
    D'Addario FW-74 flatwound strings
    1909 Weymann&Sons bowlback
    1919 Weymann&Sons mandolute
    Ibanez PF5
    1993 Oriente HO-20 hybrid double bass
    3/4 guitar converted to octave mandolin

  5. #5
    Registered User HTH AMPS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Jarrow, UK
    Posts
    24

    Default Re: Which strings to get?

    No love for Pyramid Strings here? - I'm using their silver-plated set. Also use Pyramid for guitar (have done for around 4 years) and love them. Very underrated.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •