D'Addario EJ74-3D 3 Pack Mandolin Phosphor Bronze Wound 11-40 Medium

D’Addario’s go-to phosphor bronze mandolin set, with warm, balanced tone and plenty of bluegrass punch.

If you play mandolin, there’s a good chance you’ve had a set of EJ74s on it at some point. D’Addario calls this medium 11-40 set the most popular phosphor bronze mandolin set in the world, and it’s easy to see why so many players keep coming back to it. It’s a great all-around set that sounds just as good chopping chords in a bluegrass jam as it does picking a fiddle tune or a quiet folk melody.

Phosphor bronze gives the EJ74s a warm, well-balanced voice with plenty of sparkle on top, so the high strings ring out clearly without getting harsh, and the wound G and D strings have a full, woody low end that gives your chop some real weight. The wraps are wound over a hexagonal high-carbon steel core that grips the winding tightly for consistent tone and reliable tuning, and the loop ends fit just about any mandolin tailpiece. They’re made at D’Addario’s facility in New York.

The medium gauge hits a nice sweet spot between playability and punch, with enough tension to really drive the top and get the volume and bark that bluegrass players are after, while still feeling comfortable under your fingers. It’s a set that works on everything from an A-style to an F-style mandolin, and it’s an easy one to keep on hand for your next string change.