Thanks so much, Erik. I'll try all these solutions (assuming I can find the Markely strings) and report what I find. It is the balance between tension and sound, I think. I really need to find the optimal string choice for this mandolin. It has the potential to be very sweet yet with a good projection. As to my other problem: Do you (or anyone) have any clue about why getting the pairs in tune on a particular kind of string should be so difficult? This is a new problem ... that slightly buzzy sound. Everything is "in tune" according to tuners and my ear (which doesn't always agree with the tuner) and the pairs sound clear when I play them, suggesting that they are in synch, but when I finger them I get that slightly toothy buzzy sound that suggests they are not in tune. Aargh!
On Feb 10, 1:38 pm, erik berry <[email protected]> wrote: > I use three mandolins with three different guages, so I'll share what > I do. On my F I use the J75s (or J74s, depending on what I can find > when I need strings). On my '30s Kalamazoo A oval hole I use the GHS > silk and Steels, which are "spongy" feeling, but coupled with the oval > soundhole I think sounds good, even though it does feel odd to my > fingers. > > The third mando is a Michael Kelly A which is my on-stage backup. J75s > and J74s are too much for it. It feels "right" becasue I'm used to > those guages, but it doesn't sound right to my ears so I've played > around. Currently there is a set of J67s. These are nickel wound > 11-14-25-39. I like 'em okay, but what I liked better on it was a set > of Dean Markley Lights, also nickel wound guage 11-14-24-37. This set > is hard to find though 'cuz you gotta find someone who stocks Dean > Markely strings. Ironically, in Duluth, MN, the closest music store to > me, they're easy to find. On the road is another story. I used to use > the J62s, but, again to my ears, the combination of light guage and > bronze equals weak sound (probably because I have a beefier mandolin > set up with heavy bronze strings). I have the MK for a backup because > I needed a backup and the price was only $300. I used to disrespect it > a lot (for about 18 months) but after changing the guage to the nickel > and a little lighter, I was surprised at what a fun little instrument > it is. Sometimes I play it for encores, just for fun and so people can > see me use "that other mandolin you got up on stage, there..." > > Hope this helps, > erik > > PS: back in high school, on the advice of Stevie Ray Vaughn via Guitar > Player magazine, I used to by the heaviest guage electric guitar > string I could find (jazz heavies) and throw away the high E. Then I > buy a single bass guitar D string. Then I'd string the instrument > 13-17-24-36-46-64 (I think--it's been a number of years now)...now > that's a heavy set of strings! > > On Feb 10, 5:33 am, Linda <[email protected]> wrote:> Val, I found those > silk and ?? bronze GHS strings spongy and took em > > off before time. > > I am using steel strings and its ok. > > I miss the Thomastiks, but understand they just don't hold up under > > pressure of regular playing. So,\still looking for the perfect > > solution, so far the steel strings seems the closest to what I want. > > Yes, it is annoying. > > ljt -- 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.
