I'm the lucky owner of this beauty - waiting for the shipping, I wonder..what kind of string should i put on - according to the owner the originals strings still on. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Strad-o-lin-...p2047675.l2557 Thanks
looks to be in great shape. Either lights or mediums. Heavy may (or may not) put a strain on the mandolin but most folks find mediums or light strings quite satisfactory...You should buy a few sets of strings so you have spares.... Strings begin degrading soon after you install them and if practising a lot you maybe should get in the habit of changing them every few months. Most of us don't cahnge them as often as we should but when you do change them you will be surprised at how bright the new strings are.... Go to frets.com for informationn on changing strngs and follow the instructions carefully... There is a right way and a wrong way to install strings, and the right way makes life a lot easier... Really!!!
I was -hoping- that the buyer of that mandolin would show up here. Congratulations on your purchase. It looks like an outstandingly well-maintained mandolin. I'll be extremely interested in the details of construction and whether there is a date stamp hidden inside. Of course, the thing that -matters- is the sound. Given the lack of apparent wear, it should be in great shape. I have one older mandolin with significant wear on the frets. I haven't known whether the frets can simply be dressed and have all be well, or perhaps it needs some new frets. But the play is not as good as others I've tried that look the same. I'm pretty sure that I'll have to tend the nut as well as the bridge height (adjustable bridge, if uncompensated). I have FT-74s on this and they are just fine by me. I've used other strings (J74s, TIs, Mangan, ....) and have heard different sounds coming from the same mandolin, so you have to pick the string that provides what you most like. But that may change, and it's fun to chase. Playing only for myself, as I do, the first thing that bothers me about old strings is work-hardening of the core and loss of elasticity. That shows up in variation of pitch with fret pressure and being very picky about tuning. I'm sure I'll eventually remember what I had wanted to ask the buyer of this mando, but for now: welcome to the group.
It is kind of amazing how work hardening of strings takes place in the stringing up of the mando.... Before I knew there was a proper way of stringing a mando I broke several E strings and an A string or two by unintentionally work hardening my strings as I installed them.. There was a woman who managed to break about 10 E strings in a row installing them. Never did figure out what she did wrong because she couldn't explain her process clearly. That can get expensive. i suspect that you will find that folks with new instruments near the price you paid will not have the tone you get from your Strad-O-Lin. I am always pleased and excited by the tone of both my Strad-O-Lins.
Thanks folks, i can hardly wait for the Strad. The shipping it from Jersey, via UPS... should be up here monday Bought some light elixirs today, that should do it. Tomorrow Bruce is in town, I have to check his new 5 piece horn section out :-))
This is a nice one folks! http://www.ebay.com/itm/STRADOLIN-VI...item3f1dd1fcf4
It has that tone, the kick...very happy with it. Tuners a bit rigid, but workable. I don't see a serial number anywhere.. Will make a video later today or sunday :-) Or today :-) I took it to a bluegrass jam yesterday, it hold it's own, chops, little licks..all good. Easy to play also..
Sorry for the unshaven face, folks :-) http://youtu.be/IRTe_pBrGeg
It just came up in my town, sounds like it is a great Strad: http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-se...AdIdZ435024580
