D'Addario Mandolin Strings - Mandolin Strings - Phosphor Bronze - For 8 String Mandolin - Warm, Bright, Balanced Tone - EJ73 - Light, 10-38

The sound is fantastic, and the controls are simple to use. My teacher, Mike Marshall, suggested that I switch to light gauge strings because I was having trouble getting a nice sustained tone on my mandolin with medium/heavy gauge strings. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to produce a dark sound and that I wouldn't be able to play as loudly. I'm pleased to report that I can now better hold down the strings, resulting in a more sustained tone, while still being able to play loudly and with a tone that is nearly as dark. Mr. Marshall went over my last video lesson with me and complimented me on how much my tone had improved. I'm used to coated strings as well, but these have a better tone to them. I'm sure they won't last as long as coated strings, but the tone and ease of play appear to make it worthwhile to change them more frequently. I've only done one gig, four rehearsals, and two church services, so I don't see why I should change them now. Also, unlike some other users, I had no issues with strings breaking. I strongly advise you to experiment with a light set of strings. It's great for beginners as well as seasoned players like myself.

Yareli Best

| Sep 10, 2021

I give it a five-star rating. The strings were exactly as described and arrived on time. Having said that, I installed them on a custom-built mandolin that I had been using mediums on for years. Someone advised me to go with medium/heavy, claiming that the volume and tone would improve. That was not the case, as it turned out. I checked the data on the increased pressure load from the heavier string weight before installing and determined that it would not make a significant difference. In fact, it had a significant impact. Because of the increased pressure on the sound board, the "E" string notes in the higher register became muffled or distorted. I was about to adjust the truss rod after adjusting the bridge height three or four times (which helped but increased the action to unacceptable levels). Then fate stepped in and changed everything. When one of the strings snapped, the whole thing came crashing down. It was a sign from on high, I thought. After replacing the strings with mediums, the instrument quickly returned to normal (after readjusting the bridge to restore the original sweet spot). There will be no more. Next time, I'll try lights, but not this time!.

Kabir Roy

| Sep 14, 2021

For my Savannah SA-II, I purchased these strings. Mandolin number one hundred. When I decided to learn to play the mandolin, I didn't want to spend a lot of money if I didn't enjoy it. I enjoyed it, to be sure. I did some research and discovered that, while the mandolin was brand new, the strings were not, and that strings, whether used or not, deteriorate over time. I chose these strings after reading reviews and other materials. I grabbed a wire cutter and a winder, and I got to work. In the last 30 years, I haven't changed the strings on a single instrument. I took my time, especially with the higher-pitched strings, and worked on one pair at a time until they were all in place and intact. But that's not the best part: they were able to keep a tune for a short period of time. I expected to have to re-enter my information. Tune all of the time, but after 2-minutes, it's time to move on. Only minor tuning adjustments were required over the course of three days. Second, I was so happy with the progress that I almost cried. I was already enjoying learning to play the mandolin before I put these strings on, but once I did, I was completely enamored with the instrument. They have a rich tone and are far easier on my fingers than the old strings. My daughter is learning to play as well, and I advised her to experiment with different strings. She plays an acoustic/electric mandolin, and it was suggested that she experiment with different D'Addario strings. After she switched hers, she had a similar reaction. I may be in the market for a higher-end mandolin in the near future, but I'll make sure these D'Addario strings are installed.

Mary Lara

| Oct 24, 2021

I just got my new mandolin strings today and attempted to string them up. Bronze phosphor, medium gauge. So far, only one out of four high E strings have not failed at the loop end of the installation. I never even got it tuned (and no, I'm not a musician). I didn't go overboard with anything. tighten - When the loops failed and the string popped off (which I've done many times), I did this. br>Over the years, I've purchased a large number of D'Addario strings. This is the first time this has happened to me. My 7-string mando isn't cutting it for me.

Amirah CHAMBERLAIN

| Dec 14, 2021

On two of the three sets, loops came undone on both E strings. This had to come from a bad batch. br>br>I didn't wind them too tightly, and I used the clip-on method. On a Korg tuner, I kept going up until I got to E. It took three or four days for the entire set to stretch out enough to stay in tune, but this may not be the correct time because I had also installed a new bridge, and the bridge may have settled on its own as well, especially given that I had to carve groves for the A and E strings on the bridge with a pocket knife. (I've had to do that a couple of times before, so it's nothing out of the ordinary for me. ) "br>br>Then one day, the outboard E string was found to be far too loose. I figured it was probably the kids, so I started tuning without thinking about it, but after a few tunes, it just plopped down octaves below, so I realized what was going on. I kept going, hoping that the loop would tighten and hold, but it came undone before I even got to the pitch. br>br>I replaced it with a new one from set 2, but the same thing happened: all four strings from two sets came undone. I had just let it happen to see if it was just one set or if there would be a problem with the other set as well. br>br>However, I did not discard the two E strings from the second set, and instead created a loop manually using the technique used on Indian Sitar or Tanpura, which I have been familiar with since I was a teenager, and which I use on mandolins as well. br>br>Once fully stretched/settled in, the set sounds fine, just fine rather than out of this world. Neither bright nor mellow, it's right in the middle of a typical $400iss Gold Tone F-. There are 35 acoustic guitars in this collection.

Kelly Banks

| Oct 31, 2021