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Iron
Feb-25-2014, 11:14am
I want to try a few differnt sets of strings on my Weber Fern, do you think a set of heavy strings would cause any problems ?

Bill Baldridge
Feb-25-2014, 11:21am
Have you asked Weber?

sgarrity
Feb-25-2014, 11:25am
The answer is no they won't cause any problems.

FLATROCK HILL
Feb-25-2014, 11:30am
I've been running J-75s on my Weber Fern for six months or so. No issues and they sound a little fuller to my ears than the J-74s.
Another Cafe member likes DR MD-11s on his Fern. They are also heavier strings than the D'Addario J-74s I believe. Have yet to try them myself, but they will be my next set.

Cheryl Watson
Feb-25-2014, 11:37am
Yes, as far as being structurally damaging, best to ask the source, Weber, but also the heavier strings could overdrive the top and kill the tone. I've had this happen with mandolins and guitars and I had to go back to lighter gauge strings. I don't know of any "heavy" mandolin strings, but there are J75s that are medium-heavy.

Iron
Feb-25-2014, 11:57am
I'm thinking the DR 12's are the heaviest I've seen and what I want to try, I guess I could email Bruce just thought the cafe folks had some experience with these and would clue me in, I don't think they would hurt but....................

sgarrity
Feb-25-2014, 1:03pm
Those DR 12's are heavy. I can't imagine my left hand liking anything heavier than J-75's. And Cheryl is right, you can over load the top and kill the tone. Each Mando is different. You just have to experiment and see what works best. I'm looking forward to the D'Addario Thile set. .40 and .26 on the bass and .16 and .115 on the treble.

Iron
Feb-25-2014, 1:20pm
Have you asked Weber?

Just got an answer from Bruce Weber and he said they outa be fine.

Iron
Feb-25-2014, 1:21pm
Those DR 12's are heavy. I can't imagine my left hand liking anything heavier than J-75's. And Cheryl is right, you can over load the top and kill the tone. Each Mando is different. You just have to experiment and see what works best. I'm looking forward to the D'Addario Thile set. .40 and .26 on the bass and .16 and .115 on the treble.

I don't know that I will like them either we will see shortly
Thank

Eddie Sheehy
Feb-25-2014, 1:30pm
I got the all-clear from Bruce to use Ti-76 (very heavy mandola strings) on a Bitterroot 17" scale mandola - now that's a lot of tension (over 35lbs per string). It handled it easily. Weber's, while works of art, are not delicate...

Iron
Feb-25-2014, 1:42pm
Well so much for my test all strings in place except the last e and it poped so off they come and back to j75's

Ivan Kelsall
Feb-26-2014, 4:11am
Well,about 4 months ago,acting on remarks made by a well known & respected Cafe member, & instrument repair guy 'Big' Joe Vest,i bought a couple of sets of DR MD11 medium strings,the same gauges as J74's & put a set on each of my mandolins.They did nothing for my Lebeda,but on my Weber Fern,it was a whole new ball game. Imagine all the tone gained from playing the mandolin over a 7 year period still being there,but at the same time,getting twice the 'power' for the same effort of picking. My own Fern sounds like a totally different instrument regarding it's volume & it's sheer 'punch'. Another Cafe member &e-mail friend of mine has a Summit mandolin & used to use J75's. He put a set of DR MD12's on it & set me a one word e-mail - "Wow !". Another Summit owner & another good friend of mine & Cafe member, who owns a beutiful Heiden "A" style,have both recently used MD11's & have been rather more than pleased with the result. For 'some' mandolins,i think that heavier gauge strings can actually have an adverse effect. I used to own a Weber "Beartooth" oval hole "A" style. It came with J75's on it & it wasn't until i put J74's on it that it's real potential was realised. It was far,far louder with J74's on it than J75's.
I can't predict how DR MD11's will sound on anybody else's Weber Fern,but they've transformed mine - totally !,
Ivan

multidon
Feb-26-2014, 8:03am
The standard set of strings new Webers ship with is now John Pearse heavys. Mine came back from work at the shop with a new set. I have to say I like thrm better than the medium D Addarios I was using. The JP are 80/20 not phosphor and I think that makes a difference too. Obviously Bruce has no problem with heavy gauge on his instruments if that is the gauge they ship with.

UsuallyPickin
Feb-26-2014, 8:22am
Hmmmm DR makes a good string and I am a J75 aficionado. I may have to give them a try. I always find it interesting that each mandolin has a set of strings that just works better whether build or player . It adds a level of personification to the mix. R/

texaspaul
Feb-26-2014, 9:18am
I have a small builder from Houston, Bill Nirthcutt F style. Big Joe did some work on it for me and put on DR 11's, I have used JP's, J 74's and others that I have forgotten. I found I like the med Elixers best.
On my 1976 Guild J 50 the DR's were by far and away the best. It does seem that each individual instrument responds differently to different set of string brands and gauges.
I find that some of my instruments respond to a heavier gauge string better than others and when I am going to be playing live or jamming a lot I will use them, then go back to a lighter gauge string for times where optimum volume & tone is not so important to ease any extra stress on my instruments.

nickster60
Feb-26-2014, 9:25am
I have a Weber Bitterroot F. The Weber F mandolin seem to be built like tanks. There is nothing flimsy about these mandolins.

Kevin Briggs
Feb-26-2014, 11:01am
Hi, Everyone:

I agree that Webers can handle the heavier strings. I owned two F style and they were indeed heavy duty instruments. My Morris is light and delicate (although loud), but My Fern and Bitteroot were heavier and sturdy. You could just feel it.

That said, I eventually stopped using J75s because they were too stiff on my Webers. The tonee was there, but I found the tone there for J74s too, and the action as much better. Just experiment. It's as much about you as it is about the strings and the instrument.

nickster60
Feb-26-2014, 12:18pm
As for DR strings I used them for years on Electric Bass. In my opinion they were the best strings I used. I am sure there mandolin strings are just as good. I think will have orders set for the Bitteroot.

Paul Merlo
Feb-26-2014, 1:03pm
My Weber Custom Vintage A (2008) came with GHS medium gauge strings and I think I liked the sound better than the J74s I've got on it now. I think I'm gonna try the Dean Markleys (similar gauge) soon based on the responses above. Thanks for the input.

Iron
Feb-26-2014, 1:31pm
I guess what I should have done was stick a j75 e string on it and go, but I took them off not thinking I guess I don't believe the MD12's will work for me anyway .
When I bought them I also bought a set of MD11's so in a few weeks I'll stick them on my weber and see if I like them any better'n the j75's, just seems like I get more volume outa the 75's compared to the 74's

shortymack
Feb-26-2014, 7:09pm
I just changed strings on my 315 from 75's to 74's cuz thats all I had left. I can totally tell a difference in tone and projection, especially the latter, considerably less punch. That being said the tone might actually sound sweeter with the 74's, but then again old cruddy strings vs new ones will do that too.

George R. Lane
Feb-26-2014, 7:29pm
My Weber Custom Vintage A (2008) came with GHS medium gauge strings and I think I liked the sound better than the J74s I've got on it now. I think I'm gonna try the Dean Markleys (similar gauge) soon based on the responses above. Thanks for the input.

Paul,
You might want to try the GHS Silk and Bronze. I used them on my Vintage A and they sounded great.

Iron
Feb-26-2014, 7:48pm
I'm gonna try and buy me a Weber Bighorn and use j75's on it and probably j74's on my Weber Fern, guess I'm just a Weber man.