Any banjo or mandolin players?

[ambient]

A slightly bizarre request .

I'm still searching for a flat wound high F string. I was just reading a thread on a site, someone wondering why string manufacturers make mandolin and banjo strings almost twice as long as they need to be. So I'm wondering just how long are they?

If anyone plays banjo or mandolin, and they happen to have a set of flat wound strings lying around, could they measure them please? The string gauge needs to be something like a .025, or thereabouts.

[RhysP]

I play mandolin, don't use flats though.
The strings are quite long but they wouldn't be long enough to use on a bass.

Mandola or bouzouki strings might be a better choice.

Edited May 8, 2017 by RhysP

[Dan Dare]

As Rhys says, I very much doubt you'll find mandolin strings long enough and most, apart from some very light sets used by classical players, are roundwound, anyway. I'd look at jazz guitar strings.

[pete.young]

Think this is bogus. No one uses flats. Mandolin strings are too short. Most banjo strings are loop end. I have an Irish tenor set with a .028 wound 3rd and a 5 string set with an .024 wound 4th and they are both just under 1 metre long.

Your best bet is to contact Newtone and ask them to make you some specials.

[ambient]

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1494277704' post='3294698']
Think this is bogus. No one uses flats. Mandolin strings are too short. Most banjo strings are loop end. I have an Irish tenor set with a .028 wound 3rd and a 5 string set with an .024 wound 4th and they are both just under 1 metre long.

Your best bet is to contact Newtone and ask them to make you some specials.
[/quote]

I've tried Newtone, they don't make flats.

It needs to be 93cm from ball end to the silk. They do sell flat wound banjo strings, a loop end would be fine.

[ivansc]

Thought of using a Baritone string? Mine is a 30" scale, so you could probably find one that would work.

[ambient]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1494539245' post='3296913']
Thought of using a Baritone string? Mine is a 30" scale, so you could probably find one that would work.
[/quote]

Thanks, I'll try that. I've emailed a few specialist shops asking for details of their strings.

[alyctes]

Would Status Hotwire make one? They used to do custom strings, IIRC.

[samhay]

D'Adarrio do a wound 0.024 in their 12-52 set of Chromes for guitar, so you should be able to buy this as a single.
Their guitar strings are supposed to be 1M long, which may just be long enough.

p.s. Status still don't have flats in stock, so I don't think you will have any joy there.

Edited May 12, 2017 by samhay

[ambient]

[quote name='samhay' timestamp='1494578518' post='3297050']
D'Adarrio do a wound 0.024 in their 12-52 set of Chromes for guitar, so you should be able to buy this as a single.
Their guitar strings are supposed to be 1M long, which may just be long enough.

p.s. Status still don't have flats in stock, so I don't think you will have any joy there.
[/quote]

Brilliant thanks!

I'm currently using a plain string along with a set of Thomastik flats, it just doesn't quite sit right.

[Sonic_Groove]

I found this [url="https://www.rimmersmusic.co.uk/thomastik-infeld-thomastik-jazz-swing-string-g-flatwound-0-020-js20-p7046"]https://www.rimmersmusic.co.uk/thomastik-infeld-thomastik-jazz-swing-string-g-flatwound-0-020-js20-p7046[/url]

But I don't know the length?

Brendan