I too am a great fan of Thomastik M154 strings for mandolin. They are smooth with solid, clear tone. Also very stable and long-lasting. I used them when I was playing lots of JSBach. Note that these...
Type: Posts; User: Strabo
I too am a great fan of Thomastik M154 strings for mandolin. They are smooth with solid, clear tone. Also very stable and long-lasting. I used them when I was playing lots of JSBach. Note that these...
Yup, I’m one of those retrograde Stradolin fans. I know they are pressed plywood or papier-mache or some other cheesy material, but they are quite wunnerful. I keep mine close at hand, hanging right...
Helicores provide a very good, smooth tone, and they are stable. While all violin strings are astonishingly expensive, Helicores are not too bad. But I use Prims for a more direct sound for BG and...
Why does a violin need a soundpost and a mandolin doesn’t?
My Stradolin had that funky little bridge. The instrument is a player, not a museum treasure, so I put that little bridge in the case and fitted a modern Cumberland Acoustics bridge. That allowed me...
I have an A-Jr., still original, still strong. A good, honest instrument. It’s a little louder than my Stradolin, but just as friendly.
I am fortunate to be the steward of a wonderful 100...
Found this old thread -- dunno if it’s still alive...
Anyway, I realized again this morning how much I benefit from having both fiddle and mandolin. It’s especially helpful when I’m trying to make...
Similar story here. After many years playing mando, I took up fiddle. Now three years later, I can play fiddle reasonably well. But the ergonomics were very difficult to get right -- lots of trial &...
I tried Guitar Center and Sam Ash a few times, but all they had was low quality instruments, not even very useful for complete beginners. Mandolin Cafe classifieds have worked well for me, also...
Yes, the journey is a hoot. I find that this particular journey, like some others, is not amenable to total planning or control -- and I think I like it like that. This journey has an element of...
I now spend more time on fiddle than on mando -- there’s something about that dern Devil’s Box that challenges me to make the most of its weird versatility. But the mandolin is an essential companion...
I have an Eastman mandola that I use for playing J.S. Bach. Recently one of the tailpiece hooks broke off. I contacted Eastman and they responded immediately with a replacement tailpiece under...
I have played this on mandolin for some time -- a great tune, key of D in Steve Parker’s book. Having now become a shadetree fiddler, I figured I’d trot out my fiddle and give it a rip. Well, that...
I like playing JSBach and the mandola is perfect for that. The low C string provides depth and sustain that propels the music.
For other music, the mandola’s range is nice — it’s something like a...
Reflecting some comments above: Why should a musical instrument be considered a work of art solely on its visual appearance ??
One of the most famous violins, renowned for its great beauty, is...
Good topic, interesting comments. This thread has apparently been around for w while...
I came from classical guitar. Then my memory got shaky and I didn’t have that rock-solid memory that allowed...
I'm a mandolin player who is learning to play fiddle. I have heard and read many times that I will need weekly lessons and multiple years of practice before I can produce an acceptable noise. Of...
Agreed, these guys are great. Highly recommended.
Agreed, they are the best.
Agreed. The 174w strings work well for Bach on my Eastman mandola -- much better than anything else.
Not an OM, but I use Thomastik flat wound strings on my mandola for Bach. Very clear and accurate.
i like mine hanging on the wall. They are works of art, and I think they should be honored as such. My A-Jr is 100 years old. It has been in continuous action for a century, and in my judgment should...
Yall have done a great job, thank you!
Thanks for your good work, Doug. I have three, two on mandolins and one on a mandola using a viola clamp. They all look good, work great and prevent my arm from developing a permanent crease.
I use the cheapo guitar stands that suspend the mandolin. The mandolin hangs straight down so the body of the instrument doesn't touch anything. Easy peasy.193393