Bumping up an old thread with an update.
I had every intention of putting some TIs on my MT for the last few years, but it seems like every time I needed strings I was in a bind and bought some locally, or just wasn't willing to drop the $50 at the time on a set of TIs. I finally decided to go for it.
My mandolin was due for a string-change this week so at last, though it's five years later, I finally have a set of TI stark/heavies on my mandolin. And though I didn't want to absolutely love a $50 set of strings, I do believe I've been converted.
The last set of strings I had on were EJ74s, the standard for almost everyone it seems. They are great strings, USA-made (that's still "a thing" for me), they are priced right, and I can get them locally when I'm in a bind. But I've never loved them. They are too heavy/stiff for me, and the brassy overtones never truly settle down on my mandolin.
I can see why BG players love them, but I'm not a BG player.
I've played many other phosphor bronze wound strings over the years, and while I like many of them much better than EJ74s, they all have the big brassy overtones by nature, and I feel like I end up hearing the sound of the strings more than the sound of the wood of my mandolin.
At any rate, since the EJ74s were the last thing I had on, it was a very stark (yes, a pun) contrast to when I put on the TI heavies.
I like everything about the TIs more than I do the EJ74s: rather than the big brassy tones, there is a mellower and softer "voice" to my mandolin now - much more nuanced and complex. But it's the FEEL that I am really enjoying. No more wrestling with bar chords and phrases that require big stretches. My mandolin is set up well with low action, but all the while I've always felt I had to fight with it when playing traditional medium strings. I immediately noticed a considerable drop in tension with the TIs and the mandolin is much easier and more enjoyable to play now. As soon as I got it strung up I went straight into the more complex pieces that always end up fatiguing my fret hand, but they were a breeze.
I think the reason some feel that they lose volume with flatwound strings is that the initial ring/zing from the wound bronze is gone. It does seem a bit quieter with the TIs, but the more you listen the more you hear the nuance in place of the old ring of the bronze. Granted, in a big jam situation that can help you be heard, but I don't play in jam sessions but at home for my own amusement.
I didn't do any setup/nut adjustment work with the TIs. I have to say the bit of green wrapping on the end of the strings is a very cool touch. Once you insert the string into the machine head, this little wrapping grips and holds the string in place while you wrap (see pic). The Collings tailpiece makes string-changing an absolute nightmare, but the little green wrapping feature made it a bit easier.
If these strings last six months or so, the price difference won't be all that much more than regular strings.
At any rate, I hope this review was helpful to anyone on the fence about investing in a set of TIs.
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