,I bit on the J74's

[Steve Farling]

OK, after hearing Compton and Long, and talking to Will Kimbel in Indy last sunday night, I bit on the D'Addario J-74's. What can I expect now. I ordered A couple of sets and some Pro-Plec picks from Big City Strings. I've been an advocate of TI's Starks, for about a year now, but maybe my ear has matured or whatever, and the sound these guys were getting, was so much more, I just had to try them on my F5-G Gibson. It should sound as good or at least close to Mike's Gilchrist, shouldn't it? What is the life expectancy of these strings? I guess I've got great expectations! I should sound exactly like Mike and David, right? HA HA HA! Please just give me some idea of the life of the strings, and if I should maybe consider the extended play strings.
Thanks, and a Merry Christmas to all!

[Hoovetone]

The're the best I've ever used. I get about 3 months out of them, but I don't have hand acid syndrone.
I just put a set of J-75's on and don't like them as well.

[Dfyngravity]

Well I started off with the Flattops and loved them. But then I changed to the J74s because I was getting a little bit more volume, not as good of tone on the A string but the price difference really helped my decision to change. So I have been using them for over a year and I love them. It's time to change strings again, so I will buy a pack of J74's but also the new elixirs nanowebbing strings....gotta give em a try to see why Thile is using them.

[Keith Newell]

I find that every instrument seems to respond better to what ever gauge fits their particulars.
I have built manolins that just rocked on J75's and sucked J74's and vise versa. I really think this is an area that there is not going be a single or even general answer. Throw in the mix the listener and now you have a real hornets nest. Define punch, woody (in sound), sustain, projection, ring, and any other description and you will have 20 others that say "now way" you are wrong so buy some, try some and get sense of that one particlar mando likes.
Keith

[swampstomper]

I use the 2/3 rule: 2 string changes the same old favourite and the third I try something new just to see how the mando(s) sound. Sometimes the different strings get you into playing other repertoire. For example the flat-tops lead me to more jazz practice and J75's have me whomping on my chop chords. It's good to expand one's mind and tonal range.

[Jim Garber]

I used to use J74s and have switched to EXP74s on my carved tops which are the same only coated and more expensive. The EXPs seem to last forever without losing tone. YMMV.

Jim

[Kevin Briggs]

J75s give you that big, meaty sound. I tried the J74s and they sounded significantly "thinner." I wanted to like them better, because they are not as stiff as J75s, but if I have to choose between tone and playability, I will choose tone every time. My fingers can adapt.

[Kevin Briggs]

Tracking this topic.

[250sc]

Another vote for J75s and lower action.

[SternART]

Just wait a day or two to judge the tone.

[Moose]

I agree with Keith N.(above)- I have "interchanged" J-74's/75's - here was/is my experience: I bought a NEW Silver Angel "A"(by Laura) - called Ken to find out the strings on it(loved the "sound"/"punch"/woody) - he said "..75's" - Great! sooooo, I proceded to change my other mandos! - well, my Flatiron "A" - I had 74's on - sounded "dead" - louder yes, but "thunk"/boom - NO "cut" - hmmmm ; my Horner "A" with 74's for years, sounded same as above - took 75's off!$$?? and put 74's back on ; YES!!! just like "new"!...- I took the 75's off the SA and tried 74's - el-crapo!### - "tinn-ey"!## - sooo, BACK to the/my and Ken's "choices". Keep in mind this was MY ear and experience - Your milage may vary.... Just my .02 - Moose.

[250sc]

Moose,

After switching from J74s to J75s it took about 2 months for my collings to loosen up and sound 'broken in' again. Now the whole thing shakes but as you found, every instrument will respond differently.

[Mark Walker]

Moose #- I think you're right on. #Different instruments react differently. #My first Silver Angel F-style came with J-75's and I alternated between those and J-74's. #It barked with either one on, but sounded a bit more 'tinny' with the 74's. #I had some GHS strings someone gave me as a gift and those sounded TERRIBLE on my Silver Angel, but sound fine on my old Lotus A-Style. # ##So I suspect strings will indeed alter the tone from instrument-to-instrument. #The wood, bridge, notches in the nut, and half a dozen other things that can vary from mandolin to mandolin all can affect how strings sound on each one! #That's the view from here - IMHO! #

[Kevin Briggs]

I also tried the GHS silk and steel, based on the recommendation of a good local player who plays a nice 1992 Flatiron.

The GHS fit my Maple Bitteroot with Tone bars and trad. bridge well. I got a nice tone and some improved playability, but the tone's always great. However, the Bitteroot is not the easiest playing mandolin I've played. It's pretty stiff. Will that change?

In the end, the GHS silk and steel strings did not have the chunk the J75s give. Like I said, I tried J74s to get some looser action, and it did help a little. I missed the bigger sound of the J75s though. I will say that the J74s appeared to darken with age. They were so bright and thin sounding at first, but did mature. However, that was right about when I broke one of 'em, so they got gonged.

[Stephanie Reiser]

I know one thing - on the mando I'm mostly playing, I had been using FT74's, and then only put on a set of Nanowebs in an emergency situation. THose Elixirs were terrible on this particular instrument. I just got in a new supply of FT74's from JustStrings, and will be switching back to my FT74's. I've used the J74's but really prefer that wound A and the flat-wound feel. I play mostly solo, so volume isnt an issue with me.

[jasona]

Moose, you're right about it being in the ear of the beholder (?). I thought the 75s sounded dull on that very same mandolin--SternArt and Joe Craven asked if the strings were dead when I asked Joe to play a tune with it--and they were only 2 days old! I've only used the 74s since, except for one time with the js-74s, which I think add a bit more wood to the tone.

The j-74s do have to play in a bit however before they sound their best.

[MandoRebel]

J74s on my Eastman are the better choice. I've used Silk and Steel, but they don't have the volum. Light strings are weak. I can't play with heavy strings so J74s are perfect.

[Zed]

My MT was a bit tight sounding with the J75s for a little while but then opened up into big, booming tone. I wish the J74s would work, too, just to make it a little easier on my hand, but like someone else said, i'll take chunk and volume any day over a little harder play (don't misunderstand... the MT still plays like buttah even with the 75s )

[Steve Farling]

Well, I got the J-74's yesterday and installed them. My opinion of them as of last night with about two hours play time is, I don't like the sound. The G and D sets of strings sound tinny. I'm guessing there's just too much difference in tension between them and the Tomastik Starks I had on. I'll give the mando a couple of days and see if it adjusts. If not, I've got another set of the TI's to put back on.

[250sc]

Mandy-Man

Phos bronze strings are very bright and loud compared to other materials and they might not be what your looking for on your instrument.

I've heard people here at the 'cafe that like the Sam Bush, monel steel strings. They might be worth a try.

Good luck.

[Zed]

Give them a good solid week, Steve. I hate the sound of new J75s or 74s for a good week. They lose that tinniness after that and round out. I tried the Monels on my MT... now those babies are tinny, ack. At any rate, i'm sure the TIs sound much, much different than the J74s. They are 2 very different animals.

[Steve Farling]

Well Guys, I gave the strings two days and off they came. Mandy just didn't like them! No offense Zeek, but I cant imagine having to wait a week for strings to sound good. The Tomastiks are "good to go" right off! I think some of the guys are right about different strings for different mandos. Mine also likes the Gibson Bill Monroe signatures, but not the Sam Bush's. Oh well, I'll try the J75's before I give up on the D'Addario's, but the tone and the longevity of the Tomastiks is a hard act to follow. Thanks again for all the imput.

[futrconslr]

[QUOTE]No offense Zeek, but I cant imagine having to wait a week for strings to sound good.

It usually takes two to three days sometimes up to a week just for the mando to get "right" after a total string change. I would give it longer than a couple of days.

As to frequency of string change. I usually went 3-4 mos. with j74s moderate to heavy playing. Im going 5 mos on the current exp74s and they just keep getting better.

[Tom C]

2-3 days of good playing should do it. I remember when I got my first good mando -Flation F. It's sounded great, then I changed strings. Geez, tinny. I brought the strings back and the person told me that is the nature. Sure enough, after a couple of days, they sounded great.

It did take my ears training to realize the tone I originally liked was "dead". And how much more alive and crisp new strings are after the initial work in period. But even during that period, the tone is better than a dead tone.