Search:

I like using a compressor when playing with a loud band, it helps equalize volume levels when switching between playing single-note lines and chords. I'd also repeat the recommendation of an eq...

I remember seeing a violin shop that would ship instruments to you on a rent or buy option. There was a rental period (a week? a month?, something like that), after which you either purchased it...

I played in a band with a guitar who bought and sold a guitar pretty much every month. It think it was just his thing in the world, he was always super enthused about each guitar, and none of them...

I have a couple of RCF 10 inch speakers, very clear, lots of headroom. The QSC 10 is also great. I have a couple of altos 10 inch we use as monitors, they are okay.

The soundcraft UI mixers...

I have one of the foam gator bags, inexpensive, reasonably sturdy. You would not want to baggage check it, safe enough for most other situations. I carry a fender acoustic/electric in it. I...

Yep, try to get that stage around $2k-$3k where you can find potential lifetime instruments used from small makers or flatiron, weber, Northfield, Collings etc. These will tend to be A body and used,...

Well, dealers seem to sell used instruments at roughly 2/3 the current new price of the same instrument for most instruments, so 2/3 of $3725 is $2483.

But that 2/3 is just a ballpark, Collings...

After seeing Bill McCall's comment above about just how much the player matters in a demo recording of a mandolin, I went to youtube and listened to a number of demos of different mandolins from a...

No, the best instruments just don't go to dive bars, and I used to play dive bars, alternative music clubs. Loud, a bit rough, but a lot of fun. I have inexpensive but serviceable instruments...

I used to have this problem, I don't seem to any more. But, when this was happening to me, I found the Blue Chip picks to be easier to keep in place than anything else I tried. They are...

I'd have to agree that that down-down-up is not a particularly efficient pattern. If you can get the sound you want on a tune using more efficient picking, then I"m all for that! My comment was...

Some of the picking patterns used are not about speed, but about sound. The down down up pattern sounds different than the down up down pattern. So that's part of what is going on.

I have one mando with an endpin jack (drilled out) and one with a carpenter jack mount. I much prefer the endpin jack, far less of a bother. If you really don't want to drill, the tapastring looks...

Strings too high off the fingerboard at the nut cause this effect, as mentioned earlier. That might not be your problem, but I've seen it on many, many instruments.

Good luck with it, if it's...

Looks to me like the dummy coil is wired in series with the piezo, so the net impedance would be greater than that of the piezo alone.

You could build yourself a test rig easily enough, just add...

While it is always best to plain an instrument before buying, Collings Mandolins are very consistent. The Collings MT (A style body) is another alternative to consider if you are buying online,...

If you haven't already tried this, figure out just how much pressure you need apply to the strings with your left hand fingers to get the notes to sound cleanly. Then practice playing a bit...

You could probably set up strummachine to play this pattern so you can play along with it.

It's more fun than it sounds :)

I used to practice things around a circle of fifths, (or backwards, making it a circle of fourths), just play each chord for two or four beats and on to the next
C-G-D-A-E-B-F#-Db-Ab-Eb-Bb-F-C. ...

A bit of lubrication with tri-flow, as suggested above, can make a big difference. Trying that first could save you some money.

I have used heavier strings (a mandola set) on a trinity octave mandolin. It worked a lot better for me.

Sounds like you have the bug for sure! Enjoy it.

The Eastman is great for the price, but the Flatiron is in the next big step up in mandolins. If it is in good shape and stays that way, you can get your money back out of it later. If you can...

The flatiron mentioned above is Montana made model with a pickup, hard to beat that at the price

This is a great thread, the video link is great. While people probably do us this to play melody, it looks useful to me in playing breaks, or in "comping" or accompanying other parts. The...