I found them to last 2-3x as long as uncoated strings. For me, a plus is that the tone is consistently through the whole life of the strings, not harsh when new and muddy when old. Yes they do feel a...
Type: Posts; User: Berto Boy
I found them to last 2-3x as long as uncoated strings. For me, a plus is that the tone is consistently through the whole life of the strings, not harsh when new and muddy when old. Yes they do feel a...
If you've listened to their CD's you know what to expect. Their live performances are flawless. Top notch musicians all the way around.
I have Rubners on my last build and find they hold tune just fine. 26:1 is a huge ratio, I've never heard of mandolin tuners with that ration.
Daryl, Thanks for posting these. Anytime I see you've posted a video, I know they are worth watching. I was at Swanannoah last summer and they were three Loars their. To my ears, John's had the best...
I recently wrestled with this issue on my fifth build mando which is loud and, to my ears, a little harsher than I like. I tried a light gauge set of D'Adarrio nickel bronze strings and it turns out...
I would consider a Hiscox case. Their closed cell foam insulation really slows down temperature changes inside the case.
Yes, those two have been collaborating for decades. I happened to be fortunate enough to attend the first week of Swannanoah last summer and heard the two of them play together several times… along...
The EQ for guitar and mandolin can be quite different. Grace Designs makes a two channel preamp which is very popular with the pros but it is well over $1000. If I'm not mistaken, the EQ is...
I think I posted this in another thread recently. The Kutzall spiky donut (fine grade) does create a huge amount of fine dust (done outside with respirator and eye protection). For me, it's very...
The strings should be really low at the first fret. On the high E, 0.005-0.007" clearance is all you need. The tension on those strings is so high that they wobble WAY less than a guitar E string....
I agree that you really don't have a lot to worry about because the plates are well glued to the tail blocks. I think your idea of hot hide glue is a good one. You could work some CA glue into the...
The OP, I would raise the action by one full turn of the wheel at a time until you get the clean tone you're looking for. You can then lower it by 1/2 a turn and see if it retains the sound you want....
I would say it's always a trade-off. With less mass in the top, it's free to vibrate quickly to less imputed force. You'll get sound with less work albeit the note will have less volume and perhaps...
Ralf, the tension on those high E strings is so high that you can bring them down as low as 0.005" first fret clearance and have it still play cleanly. Since you're new to the game, I'd aim for...
Heavier strings don't require higher action, they can tolerate lower action (other things being equal) because they wobble less. You might want to experiment with adjusting the action while you still...
You may need to raise the bridge another half turn on the treble side. For me personally, I find 0.050" to be the minimum action I can use and still get the tone I like. Of course, it all depends on...
I can't help but wonder if you got a a knock off set. I've used Grovers on several builds and never had any trouble with them. I remember looking on ebay for Rotomatics a few years ago and found some...
"blatty" sounds like a candidate for raising the treble action some. Also, yes to heavier strings. I've taken to using the 11.5 medium heavy strings on one mando who's E is a little thin. The strings...
Yes to the tuners, they are an absolute bear to use. The bridges I've seen are OK and fitted well. The tailpiece is actually easy to use and Eastman will replace it for free if one of the tines break.
In these times, $1300 is cheap for a hand carved, f-hole instrument. The 515 is a veritable monster of a mando for the money. Play it in good health. and start saving… the next step up is easily...
I only built five mandolins and knew that it would take me a lot of practice to get an acceptable tapered dovetail (the obviously superior joint) so I devised a method of cutting a straight dovetail....
The Eastmans I've played were loud for the money. F hole instruments project more than you'd expect, someone 3 feet in front of you is going to here more sound than you will playing it. Go in the...
I agree with Drew's suggestion. Inflation has hit musical instruments drastically in the past few years. What was $3k is now $5k. Even though they are crafted in China, Northfield is going to be your...
I own that case and my A's (more a contemporary shape like a Collings) fit fine. They also fit fine with a tone guard installed. The only shortcoming IMO is the beige canvas covering. It's likely to...
Those tines look fine to me. I don't believe that's an Eastman tailpiece though, theirs are cast, and ironically prone to failure of their cast tines. I agree with using the cover, there are some...