Covered 2nd strings

[jimmy powells]

Does anyone know where to buy covered 2nd mandolin strings without buying full set. I use D'Addario flat tops for my 2nd strings but don't really like the flat tops on Gs and Ds so to avoid buying full set I'd like to buy a few covered 15 guage either phosphor bronze or flat tops.

I am also after 14 guage covered for 1t strings on mandola if anyone knows pf these for sale anywhere at all. Loop ends.

Many thanks to anyone who replies.

Jimmy Powells
UK

[Jim Garber]

Do you mean what we over here call wound strings?

[allenhopkins]

JustStrings has Thomastik flat-wound 2nd strings, $17.76 for a pair. Pricey, but I'm not sure where else they'd be available.

[jimmy powells]

Yes I mean wound. Thanks to both replies.

[Potosimando]

FWIW, the DAD Flattop strings are completely different from the Thomastik flat-wound strings. Entirely different sound--I would not consider "mixing" them at one time on the same instrument. Not that you are considering doing this...and not that you don't already know this. But, just in case.

[colorado_al]

I don't think that Daddario sells the flat tops as singles. Only in sets.

[sblock]

Be aware that a wound A-string has about as slender a core as possible with steel strings! This thin core makes the string especially prone to breakage. The Thomastik wound A strings seem stable enough, but these are terribly expensive. If that's what you like, you probably should just string the whole mandolin with Thomastiks. But my limited experience with other makes of wound A-strings leads me to believe that these are much more fragile than solid (unwound) A-strings, and not an especially durable choice. I certainly would not recommend them, in general.

[Bob Visentin]

Try Mapes Stings.

[allenhopkins]

Try Mapes Stings.

I'll bet it does; leaves a mark, too.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Jimmy - I used to like D'Addario FT74's myself & used them for a while. Do you find much of a difference in tone in the wound "A" strings,as against plain ones ?. I changed over to D'Addario J74's (Now EJ74's) because of the price difference - FT's were almost twice the price,& noticed a difference of ''not very much''. Certainly nothing worth forking out twice as much cash for.

The FT's are the only wound "A" strings that i knew of until allenhopkins mentioned the Thomastik ones. You might have to do as i did & consider whether the extra cost is worth it. You could contact D'Addario directly to ask about 'spare' FT "A" strings.

I know that the strings from Mapes are regarded as 'good strings' & that they'll provide customised sets of strings. But as we know - not all strings sound the same !!,
Ivan

D'Addario Help & Support :- http://www.daddario.com/DaddarioCont...2-3fb657899619

[jimmy powells]

Thanks to all for suggestions etc. Appreciate it. I don't really like Thomastiks. Too quiet. I may retutn to plain steel 2nds. Just found the covered/wound ones give a warmer tone which I prefer.

Thanks again

Jimmy

[des]

As I understand it flat wound strings are wound with a kind of thin flat tape - bass guitars are often strung this way. Flat tops are wound with round wire which is ground down to make the surface smoother. Flat wounds are very very durable, don't squeak under the fingers and have a sound quality that some like and others don't. I've no experience of flat tops.

Fisoma make flat wound mandolin A strings. They are a lot cheaper than Thomastik and have a beautiful sound and feel. While they may be fragile in theory I do not find them so in practice - well worth the money!

I got mine as part of a set from Lord of the Strings (cool name!) in the Netherlands https://lordofthestrings.com/en . I think that they may be available as singles from Schneider in Germany but the postage could well cost a multiple of the price of the strings.