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Thread: Octave mandolin e-string general question

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    Timothy Tim Logan's Avatar
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    Default Octave mandolin e-string general question

    Don't laugh too hysterically at this one:
    I currently have an EJ80 .012 E-string on my 23" scale octave. If I experiment a bit, what factors (thickness and material) would shift in the direction of a brighter sound and what would shift it in the warmer direction? Thank you.

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    Default Re: Octave mandolin e-string general question

    I’m laughing at you only to hide the fact that I don’t know what I’m talking about. On my 21.5 I went from a 12 to a 15 and it was much brighter. Trying a 14 next time.
    Gunga......Gunga.....Gu-Lunga

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    Timothy Tim Logan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave mandolin e-string general question

    Quote Originally Posted by ColdBeerGoCubs View Post
    I’m laughing at you only to hide the fact that I don’t know what I’m talking about. On my 21.5 I went from a 12 to a 15 and it was much brighter. Trying a 14 next time.
    Well we can laugh together - but your experience helps! The material is the same? Thank you!

    “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” ― Albert Schweitzer

    1925 Lyon & Healy Model A, #1674
    2015 Collings A (MT2-V)

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    Registered User Mandobart's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave mandolin e-string general question

    All plain steel strings are - wait for it - plain steel. So your unwound E's and A's are pretty much all the same, whether your strings are phosphor bronze, 80/20, monel, aluminum bronze, etc.

    I contacted D'addarrio, DR and Mangan last year asking this very question. There may be very slight metallurgical differences but remember there are a handful of music wire manufacturers in the world and all the string makers use the same ones.

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    '`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`' Jacob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave mandolin e-string general question

    Music wire manufactures in the US -
    Mount Joy Wire Corporation
    Mapes Strings

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    Timothy Tim Logan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave mandolin e-string general question

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobart View Post
    All plain steel strings are - wait for it - plain steel. So your unwound E's and A's are pretty much all the same, whether your strings are phosphor bronze, 80/20, monel, aluminum bronze, etc.

    I contacted D'addarrio, DR and Mangan last year asking this very question. There may be very slight metallurgical differences but remember there are a handful of music wire manufacturers in the world and all the string makers use the same ones.
    Got it - although I had the impression that some strings are a much harder "carbon steel" vrs a softer "plain steel". Sounds like that is not the case for E-strings? If the only difference between e-string sound is thickness, my gut says thinner strings would be brighter - but ColdBeerGoCubs got a brighter sound from a thicker string. Is that a "thumb rule" so to speak? Ok, you can resume laughing now ��

    “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” ― Albert Schweitzer

    1925 Lyon & Healy Model A, #1674
    2015 Collings A (MT2-V)

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    Registered User gspiess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave mandolin e-string general question

    'not sure if this is relevant to your discussion, but I was able to tone down the "twangyness" of the E strings on my octave by switching to a more rounded pick.
    Being right is overrated. Doing right is what matters.

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    Registered User Tom Wright's Avatar
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    Default Re: Octave mandolin e-string general question

    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Logan View Post
    Got it - although I had the impression that some strings are a much harder "carbon steel" vrs a softer "plain steel". Sounds like that is not the case for E-strings? If the only difference between e-string sound is thickness, my gut says thinner strings would be brighter - but ColdBeerGoCubs got a brighter sound from a thicker string. Is that a "thumb rule" so to speak? Ok, you can resume laughing now ��
    The amount of down-force on the bridge affects the top's response, and a high-tension string might constrain top movement. Singles at JustStrings (GHS) cost 50 cents each between .013 and .015". (D'Addario only offers packs of five.) try a few and see.

    https://www.juststrings.com/plainste...lestrings.html
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