(I have used the search function before asking this question, but it didn't answer all my questions...)
I'm looking to buy some new Mandolin strings for a friend for her bowl back mandolin (birthday present). The strings she has at the moment are the ones that the mandolin came with new. I think she needs loop ended ones. I also would not mind if her mandolin got a bit louder for our sessions... (Though I haven't said that last to her directly yet!) (She's been playing a lot longer than she's had this particular mandolin- but she's new to ITM.)
Price is not "not an issue", but nor is it the dominating one. Something like price corrected for expected lifetime would be useful (e.g. "Strings X cost three times as much as Y, but last twice as long and are therefore really only 50% more expensive...")
Some strings claim to be "coated" - as far as I understand, this means a coating to protect against finger sweat corroding the strings? Is this right? Does it work?
What brands do you recommend? Does flat bodied(bowl backed make any difference to the strings one wants?
(By the way, I'm a flute player, so comparisons with e.g. guitiar strings, violin, banjo will all go over my head...)
I've tried lots of different brands as I get through a load of strings. I tried coated strings, but although they last longer I still like the bright, clear sound of new strings, so I don't think for me that the extra expense is justified. I would think all top brand mandolin strings are made to a pretty good quality standard, but I've found I get more corrosion problems and breakages with the d'Addario unwound strings. At the moment I've got Martin SP 80/20 bronze strings medium gauge and I'm going to order a couple of spare packs because I really like these best of all.
I should add that they are all loop-ended except for the odd special set such as d'Addario EJ70 which are ball-ended. I think you need a medium gauge set for volume (.011 - .040)
I've heard that older bowlbacks might not do so well with some of the heavier strings that are used on flat backed instruments, because of the extra tension on the neck. Don't know if that's true, as the only ones I've played have been in junk shops. Maybe consider looking at the lighter, classical sets of strings?
If you search the mandolincafe.net messageboard, you're likely to find lots of threads on this topic (and probably lots of contradictory advice, too).
On many, if not all, "ball" ended strings, you can take the little metal ball out and create a loop-ended string. Just give it a slight twist to open up the loop. At least this used to be the case, back in the bronze age, when I played mandolin.
If you check out Calace Strings by Dogal made in Italy this is
what you want for the bowl back mandolin.If you go to
www.bernunzio.com in NY they have some @ $16 / $19.
Where do you live? This makes some difference as to what is available.
Bowl back mandolins require smaller gage strings than the typical carved top or flat back instrument. She will need lighter strings or risk exploding her mandolin. Mostly you will see light sets at .036 - .010 (or so) and those are the ones recommended for that kind of mandolin. The Calace strings are made specifically for bowl backs.
She will not get a lot more volume out of her instrument unless it is high end one that is designed for solo work. On the other hand, most mandolins will not be heard very well in a session that has a lot of instruments which I find to be an advantage when I go to Ireland <G>. If she gets a good F hole instrument or one of the top end carved topped instruments she may be heard. Another topic, however.
Yes, Mike is right about not putting too heavy a gauge on a bowl back. I've only played two, both of which were probably designed to hang on walls. One was lost by an absent-minded friend who borrowed it and left it on a cross-channel ferry (John, are you reading this!!!) It was 30 years ago, so I'd better forgive him, especially as he leaves his own instruments all over the place and never goes back for them (this has included a double bass and a sitar!). He can currently be heard busking on piano accordion around Southsea. Back to the subject - I tried La Bella strings recently and they were very nice - they do a light gauge .009 .012 .021w .036w that might be just right.
if your friend needs a louder mandolin, I suggest a new instrument, one of the resonator mandolins. Then she should be heard !
Of course, it is true that some women do play quietly and well rather than noisily and badly, like some men, This is a problem on the mandolin, which is not the loudest instrument on the block.
Alternatively, she could have a Red-Henry pattern bridge fitted on her instrument. Actually not sure you could fit one of those bridges to a bowl-back.
Mikeyes, would a set of Thomastik Mittels work well on a bowlback? Some mandolin orchestras use them
They are about £22 a set, which is unusually expensive for strings (normally +/-£6) so would be a good present , if you don't mind spending that much, as the person is unlikely to buy them herself. They last more than long enough to justify their cost though.
As for volume, you are unlikely to ever get enough volume for a noisy session from a bowlback but they have a wonderfully sweet sound on their own and are fine in combination with fiddle or quietly played guitar.
I am not that familiar with which of the TI strings would be best, I suspect that the Weich (Soft) with the .030-.009 strings would work best on a run of the mill bowl back. They would not be very loud, but then no matter what you did, they would not be loud. They will last forever. I have them on one of my F5 mandolins and they are very easy to play with a soft sound.
The Mittels are .033-.010 and the Stark are .034-.010 so there will be more stress on the bowl back. They would make a very nice present for her. Check out Juststrings at http://www.juststrings.com/thomastik-infeldmandolin.html
BTW, bowl backs already have a one piece bridge for the most part.
Thanks everyone for the help. I am in Germany and I ended up buying from Thomann.de. Two sets of d'Addario exp strings (11.50€ each). Medium weight - her mandolin seems to be built fairly stably, so hopefully they are ok.
Mandolin strings
Mandolin strings
(I have used the search function before asking this question, but it didn't answer all my questions...)
I'm looking to buy some new Mandolin strings for a friend for her bowl back mandolin (birthday present). The strings she has at the moment are the ones that the mandolin came with new. I think she needs loop ended ones. I also would not mind if her mandolin got a bit louder for our sessions... (Though I haven't said that last to her directly yet!) (She's been playing a lot longer than she's had this particular mandolin- but she's new to ITM.)
Price is not "not an issue", but nor is it the dominating one. Something like price corrected for expected lifetime would be useful (e.g. "Strings X cost three times as much as Y, but last twice as long and are therefore really only 50% more expensive...")
Some strings claim to be "coated" - as far as I understand, this means a coating to protect against finger sweat corroding the strings? Is this right? Does it work?
What brands do you recommend? Does flat bodied(bowl backed make any difference to the strings one wants?
(By the way, I'm a flute player, so comparisons with e.g. guitiar strings, violin, banjo will all go over my head...)
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by Crackpot
Re: Mandolin strings
I've tried lots of different brands as I get through a load of strings. I tried coated strings, but although they last longer I still like the bright, clear sound of new strings, so I don't think for me that the extra expense is justified. I would think all top brand mandolin strings are made to a pretty good quality standard, but I've found I get more corrosion problems and breakages with the d'Addario unwound strings. At the moment I've got Martin SP 80/20 bronze strings medium gauge and I'm going to order a couple of spare packs because I really like these best of all.
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by RichardB
Re: Mandolin strings
I should add that they are all loop-ended except for the odd special set such as d'Addario EJ70 which are ball-ended. I think you need a medium gauge set for volume (.011 - .040)
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by RichardB
Re: Mandolin strings
I've heard that older bowlbacks might not do so well with some of the heavier strings that are used on flat backed instruments, because of the extra tension on the neck. Don't know if that's true, as the only ones I've played have been in junk shops. Maybe consider looking at the lighter, classical sets of strings?
If you search the mandolincafe.net messageboard, you're likely to find lots of threads on this topic (and probably lots of contradictory advice, too).
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by Ceratonia
Re: Mandolin strings
On many, if not all, "ball" ended strings, you can take the little metal ball out and create a loop-ended string. Just give it a slight twist to open up the loop. At least this used to be the case, back in the bronze age, when I played mandolin.
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by Tracie
Re: Mandolin strings
If you check out Calace Strings by Dogal made in Italy this is
what you want for the bowl back mandolin.If you go to
www.bernunzio.com in NY they have some @ $16 / $19.
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by celtic strings
Re: Mandolin strings
Crackpot,
Where do you live? This makes some difference as to what is available.
Bowl back mandolins require smaller gage strings than the typical carved top or flat back instrument. She will need lighter strings or risk exploding her mandolin. Mostly you will see light sets at .036 - .010 (or so) and those are the ones recommended for that kind of mandolin. The Calace strings are made specifically for bowl backs.
She will not get a lot more volume out of her instrument unless it is high end one that is designed for solo work. On the other hand, most mandolins will not be heard very well in a session that has a lot of instruments which I find to be an advantage when I go to Ireland <G>. If she gets a good F hole instrument or one of the top end carved topped instruments she may be heard. Another topic, however.
MIke Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
http://www.mikekeyes.com
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by mikeyes
Re: Mandolin strings
Yes, Mike is right about not putting too heavy a gauge on a bowl back. I've only played two, both of which were probably designed to hang on walls. One was lost by an absent-minded friend who borrowed it and left it on a cross-channel ferry (John, are you reading this!!!) It was 30 years ago, so I'd better forgive him, especially as he leaves his own instruments all over the place and never goes back for them (this has included a double bass and a sitar!). He can currently be heard busking on piano accordion around Southsea. Back to the subject - I tried La Bella strings recently and they were very nice - they do a light gauge .009 .012 .021w .036w that might be just right.
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by RichardB
Re: Mandolin strings
if your friend needs a louder mandolin, I suggest a new instrument, one of the resonator mandolins. Then she should be heard !
Of course, it is true that some women do play quietly and well rather than noisily and badly, like some men, This is a problem on the mandolin, which is not the loudest instrument on the block.
Alternatively, she could have a Red-Henry pattern bridge fitted on her instrument. Actually not sure you could fit one of those bridges to a bowl-back.
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Mandolin strings
Mikeyes, would a set of Thomastik Mittels work well on a bowlback? Some mandolin orchestras use them
They are about £22 a set, which is unusually expensive for strings (normally +/-£6) so would be a good present , if you don't mind spending that much, as the person is unlikely to buy them herself. They last more than long enough to justify their cost though.
As for volume, you are unlikely to ever get enough volume for a noisy session from a bowlback but they have a wonderfully sweet sound on their own and are fine in combination with fiddle or quietly played guitar.
# Posted on July 6th 2007 by Bren
Re: Mandolin strings
I am not that familiar with which of the TI strings would be best, I suspect that the Weich (Soft) with the .030-.009 strings would work best on a run of the mill bowl back. They would not be very loud, but then no matter what you did, they would not be loud. They will last forever. I have them on one of my F5 mandolins and they are very easy to play with a soft sound.
The Mittels are .033-.010 and the Stark are .034-.010 so there will be more stress on the bowl back. They would make a very nice present for her. Check out Juststrings at http://www.juststrings.com/thomastik-infeldmandolin.html
BTW, bowl backs already have a one piece bridge for the most part.
Mike Keyes
http://www.mikekeyes.com
http://www.banjosessions.com
# Posted on July 7th 2007 by mikeyes
Re: Mandolin strings
D'Addario, about £7. If you want to be fancy, and they do last longer and are great strings, Elixir, about £11.
That will do.
# Posted on July 8th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Mandolin strings
Elixir is a great mandolin string but I've also found Martin's to be as good at a better price.
# Posted on July 9th 2007 by stevequincy
Re: Mandolin strings
Thanks everyone for the help. I am in Germany and I ended up buying from Thomann.de. Two sets of d'Addario exp strings (11.50€ each). Medium weight - her mandolin seems to be built fairly stably, so hopefully they are ok.
'bye,
Chris.
# Posted on July 12th 2007 by Crackpot