Weber string recommendations?

  1. TwoByFour
    TwoByFour
    Howdy all,

    Just got my first Weber mandolin a month ago. It's a lovely Yellowstone two-point (Jethro fan, so it had to be the two point!). It has some cosmetic flaws, which is how it got down into my price range.

    Right now it feels like the top hasn't really opened up yet, but even with the month of playing I've put in on it the volume has really grown. I am hopeful that another six months will really bring out the best.

    I am looking for string recommendations for Webers. Because I like to play jazz (Dixieland, swing era, old stuff!), I was hopeful that flatwounds would work out well. In retrospect, this was poorly thought out. I tried the D'Addario EFW74 set. The feel is amazing, great slides on the G and D strings, and they just feel great to the touch. The tone was... "unfortunate" is the kindest description I can give. Very flubby in the bass.

    Just from handling the instrument, it feels a little heavier and more solidly built than my Kentucky or Collings (just subjective, I didn't actually weigh anything). So I moved to the EXP74CM string set yesterday, thinking that the heavier gauges in the A and E strings would help drive the top. Huge improvement.

    Does anyone have thoughts on string sets that work especially well on Webers? Do heavy or light gauge tend to work better? Or is this specific to each instrument? I'm wondering if I should just go ahead up to the J75s. Thanks for your thoughts!
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