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Thread: Expensive but totally worth it

  1. #1

    Default Expensive but totally worth it

    I just put a set of TI flatwounds on my Flatiron Festival yesterday. These are expensive strings, and were made more expensive by the low Canadian dollar, but they were totally worth it. I mean, they sound terrible, and I will be taking them off very soon and replacing them with DR 11s or with a set of D'Addario EXPs that I got a while back. But it was totally worth $70 to find out for myself that I don't like flatwounds (on this mandolin). Money well spent!

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  3. #2

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I don't know, but for me I'd rather not spend money to find out I don't like something.

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  5. #3
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    It's called "tuition". Every so often, you have to buy yourself an education.

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  7. #4
    Gummy Bears and Scotch BrianWilliam's Avatar
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    To franc it seems, the glass is half full

  8. #5
    Registered User Francis J's Avatar
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I've done it too! Every day a school day.

  9. #6

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I dislike flatwounds on any string instrument. I've certainly blown enough money on things I've discovered I don't really like.

    Price of an education...
    Lynn Tillman

  10. #7

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I have a Weber Bitterroot that I put TI heavy flatwounds on, this was after I put a set on my Collings MT and fell in love with them. I didn't have them on long, as it just didn't fit the Weber's personality. I'd guess my Weber is similar to your Flatiron, and it makes sense we'd come to the same conclusion.

    Just picked up my Collings to confirm how much I like them on that mandolin. Practiced Red Haired Boy, Callahan and it felt a bit bland. Then did Fisher's Hornpipe, a couple of jigs, and a choro, and that is where the TI's shined. Not to say that the flatwounds only sound good on certain types of music, but I think they are harder to drive than typical "bluegrass" strings.

    I am sure its more of how I learned the songs, as I tend to pick up the Weber for new material. For choros and Irish tunes, I tend to learn them on the Weber and refine them on the Collings.
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  11. #8

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I think that EFW74's would have proven the same point for a lot less...

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  13. #9
    Registered User James Rankine's Avatar
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I once put a set of those long lasting coated strings on the day before a gig, took them off straight away as they were way too bright and threw them in the bin in disgust. I subsequently thought I'd been a bit too hasty as I hadn't really given them a chance to settle in because of the impending gig, so I poked around in the bin to try to retrive them but gave up when I encountered vegetable material. Lesson learnt - don't try out new strings the day before a gig.

  14. #10

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    For myself, flatwounds do not sound good on acoustic instruments, in general. The do, however, have a wonderful feel on your fingers, almost like playing "jewelry" for lack of a better description. They just don't ring out.

    On the electric guitar, however, most people still don't like them, mostly because they have never tried them. And yes, even on an electric guitar, they don't sustain, as well as roundwounds do. Their key usage beside Jazz, is in duplicating the tone of 50's Rock'n'Roll, because that is all they had back then. Also, people who study the Beatles in detail, say you can only properly duplicate their guitar tone with Nickel Flatwounds by Pyramid. I personally like Thomastik's for this sound. Most electric guitarists don't like a wound 3rd either or heavy gauge strings, which are also part of the 50's 60's early r'n'r guitar tone. They also seem to sound more 'in tune' than roundwounds, probably due to the wound third, in part.

  15. #11
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I use the EFW74s. I tried the TI and found them to be too flat sounding. The EFW74 is a better balance, I think due to the unwound A string, but also different construction in the wound strings. I get plenty of volume out of my mandolins with them. My mandolin teacher uses the TIs and he makes them sound just about any way he wants, so there's that.
    Last edited by colorado_al; May-09-2016 at 1:16pm.

  16. #12
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    FHL....I tried DR-11`s on my Flatiron Festival and the wound strings do sound great but the unwound strings are just to high pitched for my taste, so I swapped out the A and E strings with those from a set of GHS A-270`s and liked what I heard...The E strings are the same gauge but the A strings are .016 compared to .015 on the DR`ii`s, could be a different alloy also...who knows?

    On Black Friday I ordered a set of Dunlop med. string that were on a special sale and installed them on my Flatiron and they sound great, from what I have read they were made with some help from the same engineer that helped with the Dr-11`s

    One has to try different strings and picks to see what is out there to make his/her mandolin sound it`s best and that can get right expensive, the string makers know that so they keep the prices as high as they can as long as people keep buying their strings....Look for special deals when you are searching for different strings...For my money you can`t beat GHS A-270 strings and Prime Tone picks, they seem to go together....

    Willie

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  18. #13
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I tried a set of TIs (not flatwound, regular roundwound) on my strad because I wanted a more muted/darker sound than the J-74s were giving me and I, too, didn't care much for them. I got them at a discount, too, and a lot of people swear by them, especially for classical - and maybe if i'd put them on my bowlback I would have felt differently. But I guess I'm twice shy. I've never bought another set and just smile when people sing their praises. I tried flat tops, too, and didn't care for them (I've never tried flatwounds) either. so it's nice to see topics like this so I don't think I have to change up strings just because it's been years since I last tried something new ...
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  19. #14

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I agree flats, especiqlly low tesion TIs dont drive the top as do equivalent gauged bronze.
    But.....
    1 they are long lasting
    2 Stable in tuning like no others-for stage well worth it getting in tune and more or less staying there.....for hours.
    3. Easy to play on the highest frets-i like this enough to use them, as i play up there more than many.
    4. Fast and slick on the fingers, like a les paul fretless wonder imho.
    5 decay is a bit faster, or so it seems....a mixed blessing i think.

    And....
    Believe it or not, over a mic, imho, are indistinguishable from PBs.
    The cup half full or empty, is apt, but, i found, that once your ears attune, the difference is less important.
    Dramatii when you go back to PB. But i live with mine almost a year between changes, and overall, i live just fine with the tone and projection, albeit both are slightly "less" accoustically.

    What i will say, if i play a lot, like 2-3 hours + daily, they are easier on the hand, less pressure for me at least.

    I will also say, on an Addy top, which can be mighty stiff, they seem to beleast desirable, simply because they dont drive it as much as say spruce of some sort.

    Oddly, i have recently gone back to TI flats from a few years of JT75s, and find i still love them, desptie the price. I use the medium TIs because they are so "soft" in tension.
    Back in the day, o was lucky enough to buy half a dozen sets from Ted at about 25 set....days long gone.

  20. #15
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Quote Originally Posted by Franc Homier Lieu View Post
    I just put a set of TI flatwounds on my Flatiron Festival yesterday. These are expensive strings, and were made more expensive by the low Canadian dollar, but they were totally worth it. I mean, they sound terrible, and I will be taking them off very soon and replacing them with DR 11s or with a set of D'Addario EXPs that I got a while back. But it was totally worth $70 to find out for myself that I don't like flatwounds (on this mandolin). Money well spent!
    Well, i wasn't expecting to read that! Heh!

    Maybe as an alternative people can go to guitar shops that have jazz archtop guitars, which are usually strung with flatwounds and often only a neck pickup and try playing those to get an idea about those. (I have a few instruments with flatwounds but what else are you supposed to put on a violin or viola?)
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  21. #16

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Quote Originally Posted by gtani7 View Post
    Well, i wasn't expecting to read that! Heh!

    Maybe as an alternative people can go to guitar shops that have jazz archtop guitars, which are usually strung with flatwounds and often only a neck pickup and try playing those to get an idea about those. (I have a few instruments with flatwounds but what else are you supposed to put on a violin or viola?)
    Oddly, i have 13 PBs (roundwounds) on my L5c,and i like them.

  22. #17
    Pittsburgh Bill
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I did this with a $ 35.00 pick that was used for less than 15 minutes.
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  23. #18
    acoustically inert F-2 Dave's Avatar
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Franc, don't be too quick to remove the TI's. I tried them on an old A-4 and found out after a short (week or so) breaking in period they sounded quite nice.
    "Mongo only pawn in game of life." --- Mongo

  24. #19
    Registered User DougC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    There is a lot of talk on MandolinCafe about strings. I wonder if people just don't know how to find the information here.

    As for adding to this conversation, I have to say that you have to ask what kind of mandolin you are using and what style of music before you state any 'opinion' about strings.

    Would I put expensive strings on a Flatiron mandolin? Yea, I'm foolish enough. For sure. I'm really curious.
    Decipit exemplar vitiis imitabile

  25. #20
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Quote Originally Posted by BrianWilliam View Post
    To franc it seems, the glass is half full
    'Half Full….Half Empty" ….. I'll let y'all in on a little secret….. Glasses are refillable.

  26. #21

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Quote Originally Posted by michaelcj View Post
    'Half Full….Half Empty" ….. I'll let y'all in on a little secret….. Glasses are refillable.
    The glass is always full- it is half liquid and half air, but it is full!

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  28. #22

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    I am using flat-tops on my current mandolin, and really like the lack of pick noise. There is a warmth to the strings... some may not like it. I go back and forth between traditional 74's and flat-tops.

  29. #23
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Yup, I'm using the D'Addario Flat-Tops on my F-9. Love the tone. I'll continue using them.

    -- Don

  30. #24

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Before I put the flatwounds on, I had read many, many posts here by members with TIs on many different kinds of mandolins (including many by members who insist that EFW74s are not at all the same as TIs). I had also played a friend's mandolin that had TIs on it (a Breedlove Crossover). I had watched this video comparison:



    But now I actually know what they are like on my mandolin. The TIs do have many virtues: they tuned effortlessly; I basically brought them up to pitch while putting them on and hardly had to tune them after that. I have never had so little trouble getting the two strings in a course to get into and stay in unison, and they stayed in tune like no strings I have ever used. They feel amazing under my fingers, and improved the intonation all the way up the neck. They have a very pure tone, and the pick glides right through them. All good stuff. But the overall sound was not there for me, so I took them off and will pass them along to my friend who likes them.

    So, next time I want to know something will I save the money and start a "should I put flatwounds on my Flatiron" type thread? I think not. I will continue to pay the "tuition."
    Last edited by Franc Homier Lieu; May-12-2016 at 10:22am.

  31. #25

    Default Re: Expensive but totally worth it

    Nice pickin !

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