Strings again

[Alekos]

Hello friiends, I'm quite new in electric mandolins. Last month I've purchased my new handmade 8string e-mando and I started thining about replacing strings, because the original strings are too hard for me. Do you have some idea about lighter strings that would be suitable for 8string electric mandolin? Thanks, Alex.

[mrmando]

Alex, do you know what the gauges are on the original strings? Perhaps I can send you some lighter sets ... I sell them at emando.com.

But first, tell us more about your Pavel Sucek emando! Looks like an EM200 with a Breedlove headstock ... cool!

[Alekos]

Thanks for reply Martin. I'm afraid that I don't know the gauges of the original strings, I only know that they are for electric guitar - GHS strings (hard). Do you think I could use for exapmle D'Addario J67? They seems to be much lighter and aren't bronze wounded (according to my informations, when using bronze wounded strings the electromagnetic induction is working worse, than by nickel wounded strings, so the signal is more weak).

Regarding Pavel Sucek mandolin, you're right.. the main idea was to follow Gibson EM200 with some new factors (like pickup or headstock). In brief.. the body is maked from solid alder, top is from wallnut (flat), pickup is noiseless single coil with volume and tone controls. The sound is very close to the sound of the acoustic mandolin with nice long sustain. This mandolin is prototype, but next one is comming (Pavel is building it for one MC member). But in generel Pavel like most of other czech builders, builds mostly acoustic mandolins. If you wish, you can publish that picture and informations about Pavel Sucek on your website..

[mrmando]

Alex, you are correct about nickel vs. bronze strings. If you can get J67s, try them ... they will give the pickup a better signal. If they are still too heavy, then you can look for a lighter set. At least we know the gauges of J67s.