Strings For Electric Mandolin
So I don't bury the lead under a bunch of anecdotal meandering - I need advice about getting new strings for my MandoBird IV.
OK. Now, then ... Strings And Beyond just now announced a special on Ernie Ball strings. How fortuitious, I thought. I ran into a problem two weeks ago, after having had none in the three years or so since I bought two MandoBirds and a MandoCaster. I was at a gig, just finished setting up, and opened my case to find a broken E string on the MandoBird. I played the first set with the acoustic, which sounded good, even rocking, through the effects and wah-wah, though of course I didn't have the string-bending capabilities of the single-string MandoBird. So I ran home during the first break to get the second MandoBird - only to find, to my astonishment and horror, it was in the same condition. So I pressed the MandoCaster into service, played the gig, and I have since swapped that E string to the MandoBird, though it is pretty dead.
So it seems obvious it is time to get new strings. Back to that fortuitious offer from S&B - free shipping on Ernie Ball strings, including many flavors of Slinky - but they are just guitar strings. I wonder whether there is a difference - other than length - though I must admit, finding an exact match for gauges looks to be unlikely. The best matches I have found to the J74 gauges (11 - 15 - 26 - 40) are:
Power Slinky 11-14-18-28-38-48
Beefy Slinky 11-15-22p-30-42-54
Not really that close. I wish I knew what I have on my instrument, because I really like them. I get an insane three-fret bend up the neck, and whatever I get, I want them to have that flexibility. I wouldn't mind beefing up the lower strings, or whatever the proper term is, to get them to project the same as the upper strings. So if anyone has any ideas about what to get, where to get them, and whether I can just put the balls from the old strings onto the J-74s (wouldn't that be nice - I already have those), I would greatly appreciate it. And in general, I am curious to learn what people useon their electrics and why.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
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