Question about my beater/traveller

Hope all is well with everybody!

Finally hopefully reaching the “any day” point on delivery of my Eastman 314. I wanted to buy it locally, they ordered it for me in early January, and I’m hoping it really will be here anyday

So, my Donner (Amazon) will become my “at work mandolin” I have a lot of downtime at work, sitting alone in a truck, so I’ll be bringing this guy with me to work. I have two questions..

1. This is a $100 mandolin, nothing too special, but actually not bad either. This summer, I’ll have some free time, and I’m thinking about really working at setting it up, using the popular guide available around here. This mandolin does not have a truss Rod, and shipped with some very cheap lightweight strings. I am wondering what you all would think about putting mediums on it? I know it’s an inexpensive instrument, but I still don’t want to break it. Should it handle mediums ok, or should I avoid it?

2. So yeah it will be pretty neat bringing this mandolin to work with me. I literally have a half an hour here and a half an hour there available throughout the night undisturbed by myself. Should make for some great practice time for me. One thing I’m thinking of though is my hands do you get pretty dirty/dusty. I am wondering what I should do to the mandolin, after playing, to help keep it in good shape. Would just wiping the fretboard with a cloth suffice?

In my car I have a 10 liter watercontainer where I have installed a small pump and a faucet with an electrical contact in the lid , so I have running water in the car and can wash hands when I want. It's much easier to wash hands than mandolins :grin:

Both are bought in a camper shop.

Coated strings may be a good idea. Learning some basic set up skills is always a good idea. A solid case is also good. My first mandolin had the headstock snapped because I left it on the sofa and it was sat on.

Your bigger problem will be storing the instrument inside a hot vehicle.

If you had a large cooler that fit the mandolin inside, would that be insulation enough inside the vehicle?

I’d think of it this way: There’s an infinite supply of low cost, functional mandolins. Each few tens of hours of use you get in is worth the cost of buying a new one, even if yours doesn’t stand up forever. Getting at one and learning setup is also valuable. Plus, there’s an even chance the Donner has a tough finish, plywood and plenty of glue, so it might survive much better than a ‘good’ instrument. No truss rod: don’t worry.
Better strings is usually a good move, as is having some spares. Cleaning is also not going to harm or help it to play. A soft case to prevent scratches, and a protected way to stash it in the cab, maybe even a box.
Since your shift is at night, even in MO heat shouldn’t be excessive; just take it out in the daytime if you can manage that.
But when you get the Eastman, you’ll have to be a bit more careful, but not to the point of not playing it!

Ya, the Eastman will be staying home with me. The Donner will be my “work mandolin” I work at night, home everyday.

One of the main things I was wondering is if it should be able to handle med gauge strings ok? I think I am going to go ahead and try it. Want to put some Silk and Steel on it.

I’ll just plan on wiping down the mandolin after playing at work. I’d Fast Fret also a good cleaner/conditioner?