D'Addario Mandolin Strings, XT Phosphor Bronze Coated, XTM11540, Custom Medium 11.5-40, 8-String Set, Pack of 1

Let's be real. Changing strings on a mandolin is not something any of us look forward to, so if you find strings that last a little longer that's a huge plus! These coated strings from one of the most respected names in music accessories fit that need beautifully, all while sounding and feeling great. They're available in a variety of gauges. Yeah, they're a couple of dollars more than the uncoated "old standby" strings, but the longer life make them worth it. Give 'em a try!

These are nice strings that are supposed to last several months. When I changed strings, I found that these hold tune better than the old ones. OEM for Eastman MD315 mandolin.

I’ve been playing mandolin for 25 years and have always used D’Addario EJ74’s but I thought I’d give the XT’s coated a try. At first I was skeptical but these XT’s are great. Warm tone, feels great on the fingers, not slippery for coated strings, feels like my J74’s. Love the tone and last twice as long. You don’t lose that bark from your chop chords. Cost twice as much but well worth it. I highly recommend these.

I haven't personally noticed any difference in sound compared to untreated strings. These strings sound plenty loud and bright and have good tone overall.They are a little pricey but they really do last a lot longer. The last time I changed sets, the strings I removed had a lot of play left in them and were staying in tune.As far as whether these gauge strings are good for beginners or not. My opinion is that heavy strings can be good for a beginner, it's going to hurt in the beginning whatever you start with. Pushing down too hard without precision is the biggest cause of pain/fatigue. If you have a quality mandolin and it is well setup for heavier strings, I don't see any harm in starting with that. Granted, you have to like the feel of heavier strings, if you like lighter better, go with that.

I wish my new mandolin had been shipped to me with these on it, to be honest. Comfortable feel, great sound quality, and I'm hopeful they will wear/last similar to my go-to Elixir brand coated phosphor bronze guitar strings. My only quibble is that the strings are marked in pairs instead of individually, which is fine for replacing all 8 at once, but less ideal for an emergency musical repair kit.

I usually use Elixir coated strings, but I thought I'd give these a shot since they're normally less expensive. I play outdoors often, so I really prefer coated strings since they resist the deadening that often happens with humidity and don't pick up the dirt as easily. These strings seem strong enough, but they lack some of the "snap" I'm used to. They basically sound like a well-broken-in string from the moment you put them on. The packaging can be a pro, or a con depending on what you expect. They are all in a sealed plastic package, not individual paper wrappers like many other strings. They use color-coded "flags" (for lack of a better term) that make it somewhat difficult to determine which string is which gauge. There's a chart on the package telling you which color denotes which gauge, but that's not as easy as just reading an envelope. Overall, depending on the price, or if you prefer the all-in-one packaging, these are good strings and a valid alternative to Elixir strings.

Warm deep tones. Clear midrange. Higher tones are good but not as piercing and I’m ok with that. Overall, I’m very happy with the performance of the strings. Makes playing more enjoyable.

I’ve been using D’Addario string since the late 70’s.They always sound good.