One more item that IMO is worthy of note: when discussing preferred string brands/gauges, types, it really matters what type of instrument you're talkng about. Strings that work beautifully on an archtop cannot be relied upon to work equally well on a solidbody or semihollow instrument. Nor can results you get with one type of string from a given manufacturer be expected to hold with strings of a different type that they make.
I periodically restring one of my archtops with strings other than T-I, in the hope that I can identify a cheaper string that works for me. So far, I haven't found any, but I still look from time to time.
Jay
