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Thread: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

  1. #51
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Wow, there's enough string between the silk windings for a 23" scale? Impressive. What kind of OM was it? Did you have the medium or light 174s on it?

    I wish they'd make 164s with an inch or two more silkless string to play with...

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  2. #52

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    It's a Richard Beard OM. I think they were Stark (Heavy). The 174's aren't a problem, only the 164 which barely fit a 16" H1 - and you can't use the cross pins on a stamped tailpiece - and of course you can't use a cast tailpiece with the pins right at the edge of the top.
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  3. #53
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Yeah... I have 164s on a 17" flattop - I had to get a new tailpiece with hooks farther up, and even with it, there's just a little room to spare - and now I'm seriously considering an even longer bodied CGDA instrument. But I won't do it unless I know I can somehow make the 164s fit, because I won't play roundwounds - that's not an option. (I'd first make an even longer tailpiece from ebony, if I could figure out how to design one so it'd be strong enough...)

    Very pretty OM there. What kind of back wood is that?

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  4. #54

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Flamed Koa. 174 Wiens - Light - might be an option for 17"+...
    Walt Kuhlman, Steve Sorensen, and Graham McDonald make ebony tailpieces... and there's one on the Eastman DGM1... I'll take some pics of mine...

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  6. #55
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    I've read every thread I can find about mandola strings and would appreciate some advice. I have a Weber Bitterroot Mandola (17") that is currently strung with D'Addario J72's (CGDA). I like the way they sound but I hate phosphor bronze strings (they seem to react to my skin). I also have a mandolin and I love D'Addario's FW74's. The steel flat wound sounds and feels great and they really last.

    So my question is, what is the closest thing in a mandola string to the mandolin FW74? I need/want a non-bronze, flat wound set. And I like the J72 weight. It appears this would be the TI 164, but from what I read they won't fit my carved top 17" mandola?? So that takes me to what - the TI 174L? But those say they are octave mandolin strings to be tuned GDAE. Thanks for the help.

    And dear D'Addario - please make your FW74's for a mandola!

  7. #56

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Look for Jazzdola strings - Ted Eschliman might still have a few sets. You could also try FT76 or perhaps the TI 174 Wiens (light). Thay can say what instrument they'd like to see them on, but it's up to you to put them on and tune to whatever you want...

  8. #57
    Chief Moderator/Shepherd Ted Eschliman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Negative on the JD13. I discontinued them because of perpetual construction flaws. They wouldn't fit a 17", anyway. Best bet is the 174W. Or make your own from a set of ball-less Chrome guitar singles.
    Ted Eschliman

    Author, Getting Into Jazz Mandolin

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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Thanks Ted.

    I talked to the guy at Emando.com and he has D'Addario flatwounds for the mandola. His "sets" are D'Addario guitar strings and he is clipping the ball ends off (just like Ted's site suggests). He has three different weight sets. $28 for the set and I don't have to mess with the clipping.

  11. #59

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    This is great to know. I'd like to try some on my Gallatin. Please update when you get them on. Thanks! -craig
    Quote Originally Posted by mandotx View Post
    Thanks Ted.

    I talked to the guy at Emando.com and he has D'Addario flatwounds for the mandola. His "sets" are D'Addario guitar strings and he is clipping the ball ends off (just like Ted's site suggests). He has three different weight sets. $28 for the set and I don't have to mess with the clipping.

  12. #60

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Martin Stillion (Emando.com) is a member here. I'm sure he'll be happy to any questions you might have.

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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    I put the D'Addario flat wound guitar strings on my mandola. I like them. However, not as much as I like the FW74's on my mandolin. Ted sent me some old JD13's to try and warned me the D would probably not hold. Just as he said, I broke them. I did not like the sound of the silk wounds on the mandola - too dead. The flat wounds are better but if the bronze rounds (J72's) would not deteriorate so fast I actually prefer them slightly.

    So I am glad I got to try the silk would flats. And I will probably stay with the chrome flats from emando. Thanks to Ted (Jazzmando)
    and Martin (emando) for the great customer service.

  14. #62

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by mandotx View Post
    I put the D'Addario flat wound guitar strings on my mandola. I like them. However, not as much as I like the FW74's on my mandolin. Ted sent me some old JD13's to try and warned me the D would probably not hold. Just as he said, I broke them. I did not like the sound of the silk wounds on the mandola - too dead. The flat wounds are better but if the bronze rounds (J72's) would not deteriorate so fast I actually prefer them slightly.

    So I am glad I got to try the silk would flats. And I will probably stay with the chrome flats from emando. Thanks to Ted (Jazzmando)
    and Martin (emando) for the great customer service.
    Thanks so much for the update. I'm likely to try a set from emando on my Gallatin when the current set of J72s go dead. What gauge did you get?

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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by bro.craig View Post
    Thanks so much for the update. I'm likely to try a set from emando on my Gallatin when the current set of J72s go dead. What gauge did you get?
    Got the light gauge. He has medium, light and an extra light that I might get for next set.

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  17. #64
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Do any of these mandola combos have wound A strings? Or is Thomastik still the only one for that?

    bratsche
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  18. #65

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    I didn't think the TI 164 A string was wound. The lightest wound string I have seen is a .018 (the inner core is .009 I think). A .018 is a very heavy gauge for a mandola - the FT76 and J76 A string is a .016 and a .015 respectively, the J72 A is .014.
    The wound A strings I have seen are all for Mandocello, or Octave Mandolin/Bouzouki

  19. #66
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    The TI 164 A string is definitely wound. That's why I like them so much. I don't know the gauge, though. Plain ones have all sounded 'twangy' to me. I wish I could buy single ones to possibly try with other sets, since they seem to be the only wound As for mandola. (And I wish they were 1-2" longer.)

    bratsche
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  20. #67

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Now you've got me thinking. I took out my DGm3 - 16" scale mandola with TI's on. Since the tailpiece has the prongs right at the edge of the top then I assume 174 (164 barely fit a H1 16" Scale with the stamped tailpiece. The silk is black so I assume Mittels, The A is plain.
    I no longer have the H2 that had the TI 164 starks on it - maybe that was a wound A?

    My 15" scale 10-string Vega has TI 164 with black silk (mittals?). The A is plain.

    I believe Starks (heavy) have green silk. The only Starks I have are 154 - plain A and E.

  21. #68
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    I've only ever seen 164 mittels (black winding), and all the As are wound. I have them on 3 instruments right now. Check again. They are very thin, and you may have to use magnification (I do) to actually see the windings. However, I've found them very durable, and have been known to keep them on an instrument 4+ years. In that time, they haven't broken, and the windings have not even unwound anywhere. BTW, the A strings on the 154 mandolin sets are wound, too (in all gauges). Only the Es are plain. Again, get out a magnifier and you'll see.

    But my ears can easily hear the difference between wound As and plain ones. I'm a violist, and we would never tolerate plain metal A strings on violas (or violins), either (if they even make such a thing - I don't know). If winding is so universal on viola & violin A strings, why is it so rare on mandola and mandolin A strings?

    bratsche
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  22. #69
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Just wanted to bump this thread with an update of interest. Because my next mandola (now being built) will have a longer body than my others do, I persuaded Keith Newell to make me a longer tailpiece than the ones I've gotten from him before, which I really like a lot. I made this request specifically because of the short working length of the Thomastik 164 strings, which I never plan to give up.

    I see Keith has these longer ones in the Classifieds now - here's the link, for anyone who's also interested:

    http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/74890

    (No financial interest; I'm just a happy user of Newell tailpieces!)

    bratsche
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  23. #70
    Traveling Tracks Traveling Tracks's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Hey guys and gals, some of you were helping me on my recent thread about TI stings for octave mandolin....and I don't mean to muddy the waters here...but the above discussions were about several different string varieties...and I do have the TI 174 set now on my 20" Weber octave mando....but the green winding is literally touching the nut. I never heard back from Eddie how these could possibly work on a 22" scale length octave mandolin if the green winding is touching the nut on my 20" octave mandolin....this is so confusing. (and the luthier had to scrape back the green winding to even make it work)
    Collings MF

  24. #71
    MandolaViola bratsche's Avatar
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Well, if your 20" Weber OM has the typical Weber tailpiece (with the string hooks right at the edge of the body), that would explain the difference. A different style, or even a longer style tailpiece could buy you 1-2" of additional critical string length.

    bratsche
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  26. #72
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Hello, mandola novice lurker here.

    Thomastik has a new website. On this website there is a document explaining how to order custom made strings from them:

    http://www.thomastik-infeld.com/site..._special_e.pdf

    Reading this, it appears that they will make strings of whatever length, tension, core etc. one requires. Would you agree? In which case, the woes of fine-flat-wound afficionado mandolists are over, as long as the expense isn't prohibitive.

    (I have an 18.5" scale euro-mandola I am tuning CGDA. I have some flat wound Dogals on it right now, which are okay, certainly, for current shedding. If custom strings from TI are indeed an option, I'll be trying them out in a while.)

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  28. #73
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by PhilGE View Post
    Actually, I think you want set 174. Set 154 won't have the string length to fit the scale of a Weber OM.

    Mike, thanks for your excellent service in the past. My question for you is this: I now own a 17" scale Spira flat-top mandola with a fixed pin-bridge. I currently have .045, .032, .021, and .013 strings on it. #I'm wondering, what TI ball-end strings you might recommend for it? This is a loud, bright instrument with lots of sustain. Not sure if I'll take the plunge on what might be a very expensive set, but I'm thinkng of it.

    -Phil
    Adding ball ends would help

  29. #74
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    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    The Thomastik Flatwound Mandola Strings allow you to turn your Mandola into a Mini Octave Mandolin & they're made like Violin strings.

  30. #75

    Default Re: Thomastik-Infeld Alto Mandolin/Mandola Strings

    Quote Originally Posted by s11141827 View Post
    The Thomastik Flatwound Mandola Strings allow you to turn your Mandola into a Mini Octave Mandolin & they're made like Violin strings.

    Just to make sure I understand and don't wreck anything. So I bought a set of Thomastik 170 Mediums for my Eastman MDA 315 Mandola, not realizing the whole European thing...can I use them on this Mandola and tune to EADG

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