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Thread: Mandola (CGDA) strings question

  1. #1
    Registered User sturob's Avatar
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    Default Mandola (CGDA) strings question

    Look at me, asking another string question, this time a mandola (CGDA) question.

    Anyone use, or is there any reason against, using appropriately-gauged European-Mandola strings for a viola-mandola? Say I have a mandola with a nearly-16" scale (40 cm), and a set of strings for an octave instrument are for a 45 cm scale. Gauges very close to the original gauge of the D'Add mandola strings currently on the instrument. The (Euro) mandola strings are intended for a scale length of approximately 17.7", so it's less than 2" shorter. So I'd cut more off.

    Big deal, not a big deal? Sacrilege? Blasphemy?

    Stuart

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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandola (CGDA) strings question

    If you are talking about Thomastiks, you may run into a problem if the distance from your tailpiece to your bridge is shorter than the length of the silk wrapping at the loop end of the string. If I'm not mistaken, I still have a set of Thomastik octave strings that are no good for my mandola for this very reason.
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    Registered User sturob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandola (CGDA) strings question

    Hmm. The loop-end wrapping on the Thomastiks is 2" at most; by that criterion, they'd work on a mandolin. Maybe I lucked out and got a set with really short distal wraps, OR, they changed the way they're making them.

    I have seen strings wrapped as you describe, though, but the Thomastik mandola set is luckily short-wrapped.

    Stuart

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    Registered User DougC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandola (CGDA) strings question

    Quote Originally Posted by sturob View Post
    Hmm. The loop-end wrapping on the Thomastiks is 2" at most; by that criterion, they'd work on a mandolin. Maybe I lucked out and got a set with really short distal wraps, OR, they changed the way they're making them.

    I have seen strings wrapped as you describe, though, but the Thomastik mandola set is luckily short-wrapped.

    Stuart
    Well this is a good question, "Will it fit (my 15.9" scale length Collings Mandola)?" and at these prices I want to be confident.

    Stuart: What is the model number of the Thomastic strings that you have?

    There is also a discussion about mandola CGDA strings here.

    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...82#post1455982

  5. #5
    Registered User sturob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandola (CGDA) strings question

    The Thomastiks are 174M, 0.015-0.049.

    Yes, they'll fit a Collings mandola . . . that's the bridge-to-tail I'm looking at right now! :D At least by winding length. They're just a tad more slender than the D'Add stock strings, which are 0.015-0.052.

    Stuart

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    Chief Moderator/Shepherd Ted Eschliman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandola (CGDA) strings question

    A bit of instructions here: A good fit. Measuring up mandola strings.

    Note, the JD13 are no longer available, but the 164M and 174W are.

    Ted Eschliman

    Author, Getting Into Jazz Mandolin

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  9. #7
    Registered User DougC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandola (CGDA) strings question

    I got these TI #174 strings from JustStrings.com and they will fit my 15.9" string length arched top Collings MT mandola. The loop end silk wrap is about 1 1/2" long.

    They came marked with a sticker on each string package G,D,A,E.

    C,G,D,A is what should be marked for mandola's on 'this side of the pond'.
    As if I need more confusion...


    Thanks for the research Ted.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by DougC; Dec-29-2015 at 3:42pm.
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