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I tried to do a search on this, but could not find any info. Do any of you prefer J75's on your mt? I have always used 74's but am thinking about trying the 75's. I think I will have to have it set up for the heavier gauge though, so I wanted to see what experience people have wit this combo. Thanks!
I use 75s but it took a couple of months for my MT to open up again. I'm still using them so I like them. (They sound good and it's much easier to keep the A strings in tune for some reason)
I have an MF, but it's pretty similar in sound and playability (as one would expect) to the MT's I've tried. I use J75's, and like them the best of the strings I've tried (J74, JS74, Gibson monels, Martin Bluegrass) for tone. Other stuff may be easier on the fingers or less work, but the J75's sound great.
When I had my MT (which I still miss, but that's another story), after much trial & error, I settled on Gibson Sam Bush Monels. To my ears, they just sounded great & lasted a long, long time.
With monels, that MT had tone to die for. You can not!! find a better mandolin anywhere for the money than an MT.
I have a recently purchased MT Blackface and I tend to go back and forth between J74 and J75's. This week I like the J75's, in a couple weeks it will probably be J74's. I don't need to set up the action any differently either way. After only a couple months the MT seems to be opening up on the bass end, but the treble is just amazing! I can just row through the double stops up the neck and it feels like I've just spent $5000. Maybe it's that Engleman spruce?
I tried a set of j75s on my MT, but didn't care for them. Too stiff under the fingers, and I felt they constricted the sound a bit. J74s are good, but I prefer the GHS A270 (medium gauge, phosphor bronze). Just a better sounding and longer lasting string, IMO.
If, like me you prefer 'solid' over 'sparkly' (for want of any better words) I say go with the J75's. I learned years ago (with Bob Applebaum's help) that for me there is no substitute for good, solid pairs of .012" and .016" in the top.