The mandolin world could inarguably use another brand of (loop end) flatwound options for the lower, long scale mandolin instruments like the Octave and Mandola. We actually started partnering a project with D'addario Strings about 18 months ago discussing this, having personally used their existing D'addario Chrome Electric Guitar Set singles (removing the balls) for the studio's OM, and now, a recently acquired 10-string. After some conference calls with the market research team, we suggested on two SKUs to work on. First the set for mandolin (similar to the Labella JM11) with the following gauges:

LE011
LE015
CG024 (loop)
CG036 (loop)

We also highly recommended a compromise collection of loop end flatwounds that would function as both Mandola and Octave mandolin sets. Gauging between these is not all that different among existing mass market offerings.

LE013
CG024 (loop)
CG035 (loop)
CG045 (loop) (possibly CG048)

The company's R&D team is more prone to address high demand for other more broadly popular instruments, but D'addario is committed to the niche spectrums of the fretted, and agrees this is a project worth tackling. We are currently stalled in development, but since the string already exists in a ball-end version, we think the loop-end incarnation would not be far away. As a bonus, the price would be considerably less than current competitive options.

We could use your help lending feedback in support of this project. Please take some time to weigh in at the official D'addario Team Blog. With your voice, we might persuade them to move this up the priority list. Your comments are a direct voice into the ears of the D'addario product development team.

Click into D'addario blogs and let them know you support this notion: D'addario Blogs

Posted by Ted at June 27, 2009 5:59 AM