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Thread: What strings are you currently playing?

  1. #1
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    Default What strings are you currently playing?

    Just curious about what strings are your current favorites. I'm using the D'Addario Flatwounds EFW 74 on my early Gibsons. I like the feel and the tone is great for the old oval-hole instruments. How about you? What do you like best on F hole instruments?

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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Mapes custom set. 11.5 16 26 and 40 or 41. Occasionally J75's. Sometimes Black Diamond 11.5-41's or 11-40's.... Come to think of it, usually anything that is under 6 or 7 bucks at the time of purchase. I change strings weekly. I play a lot and change alot.

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  4. #3

    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    I try different strings (different gauges, metal, etc.) once in a while, but always come back to J74s on my MT and Thomastick Mittels on my old A2 oval hole.

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  6. #4
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Curt Mangan Bluegrass Medium set on my Girouard oval A, love 'em!
    2018 Girouard Concert oval A
    2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
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  8. #5
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    GHS pure nickel 11-41 on one and 11-39 on another. I love what they do to the sound of my mandolins, and how long they last with the same sound.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

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  10. #6
    Registered User Scott Rucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Another nickel fan for oval holes here. I haven't experimented a lot but have always come back to J74s on f hole mandolins.

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  12. #7

    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

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  14. #8
    fretboard roamer Paul Merlo's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    I play GHS LSB250 strings on my oval hole. I tried them one time and really liked the way they sound, play and last a long time.
    I might try the nickel ones mentioned above next time based on all y'all's testimony tho - never hurts to experiment!

    https://www.elderly.com/collections/...e-mandolin-set
    Paul

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  16. #9

    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    I’m liking the Martin monel .115 set these days. I had been using J75s. I’ll try the Curt Mangan monels next.
    Silverangel A
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  18. #10
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Into the Curt Mangan as well, on Mandolin, Mandola, and Octave mandolin, Mediums.
    I will say they may be a tad light on mandola and I'm tempted to go back to the John Pierce.
    But I love them on Mandolin and Octave, warm tone, easy to play, they seem to hold tune decent as well.
    they do seem a bit more "bluegrassy" in tone than say Eixer which can be overtly bright.
    Stormy Morning Orchestra

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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    D'A EFT74 4th and 3rd courses, D'A custom gauge stainless steel 2nd and 1st courses.

    I like the FlatTops 4 & 3 courses for their flat wound feel and their phosphor-bronze resonance. I didn't like the FlatTops wound 2nd course -- wore through the windings in a week -- so I replaced it and the 1st course with plain stainless steel custom gauge strings that work with the alternate tuning that I use.
    -- Don

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    [About how I tune my mandolins]
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  22. #12
    Registered User mcgroup53's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Loving the Straight Up Strings on my Kimble A-5 and my Dana Bourgeois OM Country Boy

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  24. #13
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    D'a exp74cm
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  26. #14
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Currently EJ74 on all my mandolins but I plan coming back to flatwound on one of my Ibanez 513 which first came with TI.

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  28. #15
    man about town Markus's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    I generally run with J74's but trying the D'A Monels this time around on my MT2.

    About a month into them and really like them - I feel like they never gave that initial `bright' week that J74's do when you first put them on. Worked well for restringing just under a week prior to a gig.

    The more muted and quieter tone works on this instrument as this mandolin's volume goes well past 11. It still cuts when at the loud crowded bluegrass jam and the string character matches well with this instrument.
    Collings MT2
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  30. #16
    Gibson F5L Gibson A5L
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Curt Mangan Phosphor Bronze Medium .11-.40
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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  32. #17
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Straight Ups. You bet. Like them on every mando I've put them on.

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  34. #18
    Registered User Kevin Stueve's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    D'Addario Monels EJM74 now I only have change strings a couple of times a year as opposed to every 6 weeks
    2012 Weber Bitterroot F5.

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  36. #19
    Registered User gspiess's Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Mapes standard phospher bronze on the mandolin, D'Addarios on the octave.
    Being right is overrated. Doing right is what matters.

    Northfield F5S Blacktop
    Pono MND-20H

  37. #20

    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Another Curt Mangan fan--phosphor bronze in the 11-40 set.

    tmsweeny, I had Curt make up a custom set going a little heavier for my Girouard mandola and that did the trick for me. Maybe we can convince Curt to offer a different mandola set.
    2010 Heiden A5, 2020 Pomeroy oval A, 2013 Kentucky KM1000 F5, 2012 Girouard A Mandola w ff holes, 2001 Old Wave A oval octave
    http://HillbillyChamberMusic.bandcamp.com
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  39. #21
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Curt Mangan Bluegrass medium on my Girouard ovals and GHS A270 on Ellis A5 and F5

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  41. #22
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    I'm currently using the EJ74s- D'addario medium gauge on my Doug Clark mandolin (handmade and great sounding instrument, by the way!). I've tried the GHS also, but seem to like the sound of these better.

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  43. #23

    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    I just unspool my weedwhacker and there you go.

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  45. #24
    Registered User Chris W.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    D’Addario nickel bronze 11.5-40. Love the tone of the unwound strings on my Northfield.
    Northfield NF-5S
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  46. #25
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    Default Re: What strings are you currently playing?

    Quote Originally Posted by OldSausage View Post
    I just unspool my weedwhacker and there you go.
    Medium , heavy or fine ?

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