Probably. My problem really boils down to I can't free up my left hand from the responsibility of holding the neck to be able to freely play the fretboard.
My OP and title were intended as...
Type: Posts; User: MikeVB
Probably. My problem really boils down to I can't free up my left hand from the responsibility of holding the neck to be able to freely play the fretboard.
My OP and title were intended as...
Yeah, I'm working on that. But I've still never owned any other kind of instrument you can't play sitting down without a strap.
I never truly understood the points on F styles until now.
I love the mandolin. It's beautiful and sounds great. But this is my first A-style, and it's like trying to hold a greased watermelon in your lap.
Arrrggg!!!
The Northfield A Special arrived yesterday. I waited 24 hrs to open it until this morning as the box commanded me to do. It's a beautiful instrument. Fit and finish are flawless other than a few...
Yeah, it kinda makes me go...Hmmm? LOL
Not a big deal guys. I was mainly just wondering if I was missing an available option for searching.
Thanks for your suggestions anyway.
Now, considering the finish is spirit varnish would it be a bad idea to try a Tone-Gard and armrest if I decide to keep this Northfield?
Definitely will.
Thanks, and thanks for contributing to the discussion.
I just ordered it. Thanks for the heads up.
Wondered if a Northfield M would be a BIG leap up from the Eastman MD505 or even an 805? Thanks.
Playing before buying is not a realistic option.
Yeah, that didn't work. Still get a lot of new mandolins and even other categories.
Not complaining, just wondering if there's a way to separate out the used mando listings.
Someone must've snatched up whatever was advertised.
Thanks for the suggestions. These give me some good jumping off points for exploration.
I'm not set on each and every desired spec. It's just kind of a wish list of what I'd like in a mando...
I played a StewMac F5 that I built from a kit. Took about 6 months off my life working on that thing every night, and the finish wasn't attractive. But I carved and sanded until it was lightweight...
That’s the best way to do it, but not really a practical option in my situation.
Hi, I'm looking to get back into playing mandolin for the first time since about 2009. I haven't kept up with makers and models, so I'm looking for suggestions.
I'm thinking I'd like an A-style,...
I don't doubt some skilled and experiencd people can tap and carve until they get close to a tone they believe gives them the best ending result. But...and I say this with all due respect...as a...
Having gone down this same route ahead of you a few years ago my advice is to check the books out from the library and save your money. Unless you're going to get into really high-end wood finishing...
Two things I've noticed/discovered that really sped up my flatpicking.
1) Pros on guitar/mando often use more of a controlled right hand strum than a picking motion. Gotta really synchronize...
No offense intended, but your post makes me wonder if you read and understood my original post at all.
I have done it. I carved my F5 in 2002 down to Loar specs. But without a plane(s) and thickness gauge I don't want to do it myself.
I'd like to build myself an A-style mandolin. But, being honest with myself I don't want to reinvest in specialized finger planes and such for carving tops and backs.
I built myself an F-style SM...
This is kind of my feeling as well. I know all the big dealers to search for new instruments. I like scanning the MC Classifieds for quality used mandos from members of a good online community.
Haven't been around The Cafe much the last few years, but it seems like the classifieds have really shifted to a lot of new instruments being listed by dealers and/or builders.
Was there a change...