String recommendations for Eastman 305 Mando

[gibpicker]

Other than EJ74's? I bought it from the mandolin store with the owner always suggesting the 74's, but was wondering if others here have had good experiences with other strings? Also thoughts on the 305, good, ok, etc.

[DungBeatle]

I use these:
https://www.thomastik-infeld.com/en/...dolin/mandolin

~Bob

[Mandobart]

A few years ago I came across Curt Mangan strings. I've been using them on all my guitars and mandolins, mandola, octave mandolin and mandocello.

To me they have great volume, sustain and richer tone than anything else I've tried (all the usually discussed brands).

[keith.rogers]

I like the D'Addario XS strings (same gauge as E74s) on my mandolins. They last forever for me. (I don't like the XTs.)

I have not played the MD305, but had an older MD815v (gave to son) and it responded better to the XS set than the regular E74s or the slightly heavier (11.5s) in XTs.

But, for inexpensive, those E74s are hard to beat IMHO. (I am very easy on strings, though, so get good life from almost anything.)

[posternutbag]

The 305 is a good mandolin. It is my standard recommendation for a beginning mandolin; it is, IMO, the best choice in this price range, and I wouldn’t hesitate to gig one. I also gave one to my best friend as a wedding gift, so I think highly of them.

One I will say is that every Eastman I have played has benefited from heavier strings, so you might want to try 75s.

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

The 305 is a good mandolin. It is my standard recommendation for a beginning mandolin; it is, IMO, the best choice in this price range, and I wouldn’t hesitate to gig one. I also gave one to my best friend as a wedding gift, so I think highly of them.

One I will say is that every Eastman I have played has benefited from heavier strings, so you might want to try 75s.

I thought this too, until my luthier put very light SIT strings on my Weber Yellowstone after making a new nut and doing a fret level. The mandolin sounds really good. Would that be D'Addario 73? So I think it is worthwhile to try a few sets. Some really like silk and steel, or nickle bronze. But as a go to string, the 74s are hard to beat. The 305 is as good as it gets for the price, as is the Kentucky KM 150. It's just subjective.

And file this away for future reference. Resist the temptation to climb the import ladder. I had the opportunity at The Mandolin Store when they were in Phoenix. The upper ranges are pretty, but don't cross the hurdle into the tone you will want long term. You can shop the used market in the $1500-2000 range and get a pretty great mandolin, or even a Silverangel Econo A new.

[posternutbag]

My home base is bluegrass, so my default strings are D’Addario EJ75 med/heavy strings to push the top harder. But if the mandolin is lightly built, the extra tension might actually “smother” the tone. It really is horses for courses, but my experience specifically with Eastman is that heavier strings tend to help tame the glassiness/brightness/shrillness that many people complain about with their Eastmans.

[gibpicker]

I bought my first mando (a 515) several years ago. Played it or about a year, then it just stayed in it's case and I sold it. Then I tried it again with the 305 that actually sounds better to my ears, and will see if I can get back into mando again.

Right now my fingers will have to get used to playing mando and guitar again after this lay off. The thin strings sound interesting, but not sure about that. I need to bite the bullet and just dive in.

Good advice not to go up the ladder with imports and possibly still not getting the sound I'd be looking for. Actually good advice from all. I guess I'm lucky San Diego doesn't have a mando store, as that would be a dangerous place for me.

[packmule]

Second vote for Curt Mangan strings, I switched from J74's to the Curt Mangan Bluegrass medium set and wouldn't go back.

[Silly Moustache]

I proudly own a 1995 build F5 Premium by Jiri Lebeda.

This was/is my last mandolin and it is as near to perfect a mandolin as I can imagine. Jiri made his money had a divorce and closed his workshop now building as he wishes for private clients.

After many years ofEj74, and Dunlop equivalents, I now use Dunlop nickel or D'addario NB nickel-bronze on all my archtop instruments and of course my wunnerful mando.

[PineMarten]

I really enjoy the sound of flatwound strings on mandolin, they lose the clang on the bottom two strings leaving you with a clean, round note. They probably wouldn't be right for a bluegrass rhythm sound though. Currently I'm using Galli flatwound strings, as they're more affordable and more conventional in tension than the Thomastik sets. I have the 10-32 set as my mandolin is a pressed birch Harmony Monterey that's quite lightly built, but there's also an 11-36 set that might be worth trying on a carved archtop.

[Br1ck]

That clang is what premium mandolins solve. Expensive and worth it. By expensive I mean $1500 used A style. After that you get minimal increase in tone for maximum money.

Fortunately/unfortunately my shop is Gryphon, so I played a lot of Collings and Northfield mandolins. It was always the Eastman G strings that bothered me.

[MikeVB]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

That clang is what premium mandolins solve. Expensive and worth it. By expensive I mean $1500 used A style. After that you get minimal increase in tone for maximum money.

Fortunately/unfortunately my shop is Gryphon, so I played a lot of Collings and Northfield mandolins. It was always the Eastman G strings that bothered me.

There seems to be a big gap in used A-model prices between about $800 up until about a minimum of $2000 from what I'm seen in my shopping the last couple months.

I was fortunate and was tipped off to a very nice used Northfield A5 at a good price. It played and sounded great, but I decided to sell it because the neck wasn't agreeing with my old hand and wrist. Been watching for a good quality, used wide nut A model.

[FingahPickah]

I use GHS A275 - Americana Medium Mandolin Strings (11-40) on my Eastman MD305. I prefer the .016 for the A string pair as they seem to hold tune better and provide a little more presence.

[Br1ck]

In the used market, the more exacting you get, the harder it is to find something. Northfield makes wide nut mandolins, but I've never seen one on an A 5. The F 5 S is a dandy instrument though. See how fast you can aproach four grand in the mandolin world?

Disclaimer: I've never played a five year old Eastman. The G string could mellow out with time. I'd say play a 305 to get hopelessly hooked, then spend big. It is insanity, but you could be happy in a padded room with A Collings, Northfield, or Gibson.