I've experimented with different sets of strings - never have gone the route of different gauges from different sets at once.
I've had a Daley standard for 6 years. With my mando, I think in addition to the tension of the strings a couple of other factors affect the sound. I've noticed that the humidity really affects the top. I have to raise the action during the winter when the humidity is low and lower it when the humidity gets back up. Seems like its looses a little tone during the winter, especially if I use the J75's. During the summer with normal high humidity (normal for the south), it sounds best with J75s. So during the winter I use J74's and during the summer J75's. A buddy here in town with a couple of Daley's suggested that the deflection of the top is also a big factor. As I understand it the deflection is the amount the top moves down when under the stress of a set of strings. We figure if you use up all the deflection with too heavy a set of strings, you may loose some tone. We're thinking Sim carves the tops with a certain amount of deflection in mind. He recommends medium strings. Anyway, seems like the string gauges, the humidity, and the deflection of the top are all related variables you need to consider to give your mando its best sound. Too much physics for my brain to comprehend. Wish that link that calcs the tension would let you enter humidity, temperature, and ideal deflection and then tell me which string gauges I need to use. John Gay Memphis -----Original Message----- From: Don Christy <[email protected]> To: Taterbugmando <[email protected]> Sent: Wed, Feb 10, 2010 3:40 pm Subject: Re: Tenor banjo strings on Mandolins Well that didnt format very well! Suffice to say the strings in a set of 74s all have around 23 - 25 # er string EXCEPT the A which is only 19. If you replace that .015 ith a .016 you have 22# of tension, which is closer to the others. on n Feb 10, 3:30 pm, Don Christy <[email protected]> wrote: On the advice of Will Kimble, I tried using a 016 A string with my normal EXP74s. It makes for consistent tension. from the D'Addario site, normal exp74s are: Diameter Tension Item# Note inches mm lbs kg EXP7401 E 0.011 0.28 23.2 10.53 EXP7401 E 0.011 0.28 23.2 10.53 EXP7402 A 0.015 0.38 19.2 8.72 EXP7402 A 0.015 0.38 19.2 8.72 EXP7403 D 0.026 0.66 23.3 10.59 EXP7403 D 0.026 0.66 23.3 10.59 EXP7404 G 0.040 1.02 25.1 11.37 EXP7404 G 0.040 1.02 25.1 11.3 So you can see the 015 A has a few pounds less tension. Using a 016 A gives you about 22# of tension per string, much more consistent with the other strings. You can order them from FQMS as individual strings (tell them D'Addario loop end singles). They won't be coated strings though if that matters. Don On Wed, Feb 10, 2010 at 1:13 PM, Dasspunk <[email protected]> wrote: > Well I suppose it's good that you have extra strings David--12s or > otherwise--as you broke the 74s I brought you in less than a set. What > DO you do to that poor mando that makes it act out like that? > Whatever it is, keep doing it. > B > On Feb 3, 1:48 pm, David Long <[email protected]> wrote: > > This might be of interest to some. > > I don't know about some of you, but I frequently pick up my mandolin and > am > > immediately struck with the slightest sense of annoy regarding tension > and > > thickness of the E strings. Then it hit me: Why not a .012 gauge? So I > > found some tenor banjo strings (.012) with loop ends and BINGO! Problem > > solved. Maybe the luthiers on here could weigh in but they don't seem to > be > > too heavy. I'm using them with the Exp-J74s. > > My next experiment is the J-74's on the G and D's, 75's on the A's, and > .012 > > tenors on the E's. Has anyone else ever tried this? > > Reporting live, > > Miles > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Taterbugmando" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<taterbugmando%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at >http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. -- ou received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Taterbugmando" group. o post to this group, send email to [email protected]. o unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. or more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en.
