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Thread: My tale of woe!!!

  1. #1
    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default My tale of woe!!!

    After recently purchasing one of my favourite mandolins (The Fylde Lucetta) I find a major problem.
    I wear hearing aids in both ears but the frequency of this particular mandolin hurts my ears, I've taken them out and the mandolin sounds awful to me. Friends and fellow musicians say it sounds awesome, what can I do before selling it comes into the equation.
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Go see your audiologist and have them make the necessary adjustments. Be sure to take the mandolin with you.

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    Registered User CelticDude's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    What kind of adjustments can you make on the hearing aids? I'm assuming volume; how about tone? Even if it's just volume, you might try playing with that. You might affect the overtones you're hearing.

    I'm also assuming replacing the hearing aids themselves would be expensive, maybe even prohibitively so. Otherwise you could go that route.

    Tough problem. Maybe Roger will trade it for a custom one and work with you on finding a pleasant sound for your ears.

    DWP

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    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by George R. Lane View Post
    Go see your audiologist and have them make the necessary adjustments. Be sure to take the mandolin with you.
    I agree with George, and if that Audiologist can't help, I'd try another just to be sure.

    Also, how about trying different strings. They can make a big difference in how a mandolin sounds. Perhaps that would help. Maybe switching to flat-wounds would change what your hearing aids are amplifying.

    I really hope this works out for you.

    Best wishes,

    Bob

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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    I would second the strings option. Cheap and easy.

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    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Clark View Post
    I agree with George, and if that Audiologist can't help, I'd try another just to be sure.

    Also, how about trying different strings. They can make a big difference in how a mandolin sounds. Perhaps that would help. Maybe switching to flat-wounds would change what your hearing aids are amplifying.

    I really hope this works out for you.

    Best wishes,

    Bob
    I need the hearing aids for more than just the mandolin unfortunately, so altering the frequency for the aids is not really an option.
    Could changing the string guage make a frequency difference?
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
    Gibson Alrite Model D.

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    Mediocre but OK with that Paul Busman's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    I don't know what type of aids you have, but there are new ones that can be programmed for various different hearing locations eg normal conversation in a quiet place, conversation in a noisy restaurant etc. You could have your audiologist set up a program for your mandolin. You press a button to switch between programs. I wear (only) one and it works very well. Mine even has a Bluetooth connection to my iPhone-- I can make adjustments via an app, stream music to my aid, etc. Big drawback is that they're VERY expensive.
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    Registered User Isaac Revard's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Try least invasive to most. Start with your pick, then strings, maybe even the room you are in, then mandolin or hearing aids.

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    Unfamous String Buster Beanzy's Avatar
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    Eoin



    "Forget that anyone is listening to you and always listen to yourself" - Fryderyk Chopin

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    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by G7MOF View Post
    I need the hearing aids for more than just the mandolin unfortunately, so altering the frequency for the aids is not really an option.
    Could changing the string guage make a frequency difference?
    Not so much the gauge as the type of strings. I find a big difference in the sound produced by different types of strings, flat-wound vs flat-top vs regular, and also the different types of metal they are made of. It's only a guess, but maybe different strings on this mandolin would change the sound sufficiently that you would not have the problems you are now experiencing.

    It's a cheap thing to test, and assuming you are using regular strings now, I'd go to flat-wound next for the biggest single-change difference. Maybe it won't make any difference at all, but if it does, you're home and dry for very little expense.

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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    i use hearing aids to correct hearing some hearing loss at higher frequencies. Since I'm in the UK (like you), I got them through the NHS. A friend, who has severe hearing loss, advised me that his experience the quality of NHS audiologists is much better than that of those in private practice. What I first got them, playing my mandolin and guitar gave me an effect like a delay pedal. I explained that at a follow up appointment. My audiologist told me that setting hearing aids for musical instruments can be challenging. She tweaked the settings and things are now fine. Without the hearing aids, the instrument sounds pretty dull and one dimensional. So do go back to the audiologist and see if the devices can be adjusted. The adjustment for me has not reduced the general effectiveness of the hearing aids.

    That said, you list a Touchstone as one of your mandolins as well. Are you having any problem with that? If so, it might tend to confirm that the hearing aids need a tweak. If not, then maybe it is something about the Lucetta.

    Alastair
    Alastair

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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    One thing I do remember about my failed hearing aid experiences is that the audiologist can adjust the levels of what you are hearing.

    If you cannot play without the hearing aids, I'd 2nd the recommendation to take them back to your audiologist and ask them to adjust the levels *as you are playing the mandolin*.

    I'd also recommend waiting to change the strings until after you've tried this, because otherwise you're changing the tone of the instrument for everyone else to hear, without giving your hearing aids a real chance to do their job...

    If you do want to try flat wound strings, I can vouch for the D'Addario Flat Tops, but keep in mind that your high strings will not be wound, so if the troublesome tone you're hearing comes from the non-wound strings, you're probably not going to be able to solve the issue with strings.

    Good luck!

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    It might not be the 'primary' frequencies that are upsetting your hearing,but 'overtones' - tones that are at a much higher pitch.
    Try damping the strings behind the bridge to see if that works. I don't have any hearing loss (fortunately),but i do have a form of Tinitus in my left ear - Hyperacusis. It's a very low level of Tinitus & 99% of the time it doesn't bother me,but sometimes,certain types of noise set off a vibration in my left ear drum which gives me hell.It's like having a bat flapping around in my ear. If you can't get things to settle down,then bite the bullet & sell the 'Lucetta'. It'll only be a permanent annoyance if you don't,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Would it be completely off the mark to suggest trying an octave mandolin ?

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    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by roysboy View Post
    Would it be completely off the mark to suggest trying an octave mandolin ?
    I can recommend the one from Fylde
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

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    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by AN Brown View Post
    i use hearing aids to correct hearing some hearing loss at higher frequencies. Since I'm in the UK (like you), I got them through the NHS. A friend, who has severe hearing loss, advised me that his experience the quality of NHS audiologists is much better than that of those in private practice. What I first got them, playing my mandolin and guitar gave me an effect like a delay pedal. I explained that at a follow up appointment. My audiologist told me that setting hearing aids for musical instruments can be challenging. She tweaked the settings and things are now fine. Without the hearing aids, the instrument sounds pretty dull and one dimensional. So do go back to the audiologist and see if the devices can be adjusted. The adjustment for me has not reduced the general effectiveness of the hearing aids.

    That said, you list a Touchstone as one of your mandolins as well. Are you having any problem with that? If so, it might tend to confirm that the hearing aids need a tweak. If not, then maybe it is something about the Lucetta.

    Alastair
    The Touchstone mandolin is fine, It has a deeper sound which will give it a totally different resonance.
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
    Gibson Alrite Model D.

  18. #17
    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by roysboy View Post
    Would it be completely off the mark to suggest trying an octave mandolin ?
    No other mandolin has caused this problem before. I've had a Flatiron 1N in the past which also has a high frequency but this was fine. My Touchstone mandolin is also great, it just seems to be my Lucetta. (It has a tiny body, but so did the 1N).
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
    Gibson Alrite Model D.

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    Mandolin Botherer Shelagh Moore's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    It sounds to me like a change in string type might help... perhaps to flatwounds. I hated the harsh sound of the John Pearse strings that my National RM-1 came with, but changing them to D'Addario FW-74s gave a beautiful sound.

  20. #19
    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    What is the difference between FW strings and say my J74s (Apart from the windings). Do they have totally different properties?
    I'm going to give them a go and see if there is a great difference!
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
    Gibson Alrite Model D.

  21. #20
    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    I've contacted my audiology dep't for a check up and to see what can be done.
    They have indicated that there will be a substantial change to some frequencies in my general hearing as well, (We'll see how it goes)
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
    Gibson Alrite Model D.

  22. #21
    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Hearing test today, I'm even going to take my mandolin!
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
    Gibson Alrite Model D.

  23. #22
    Unfamous String Buster Beanzy's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Get a readout of anything they have, especially the settings they leave it on. If you then change other things like the strings you can compare later. Hope it goes well.
    Eoin



    "Forget that anyone is listening to you and always listen to yourself" - Fryderyk Chopin

  24. #23
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by G7MOF View Post
    Hearing test today, I'm even going to take my mandolin!
    Good Luck! I hope you will have good news to share later in the day.

  25. #24
    Registered User spufman's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    This is very interesting and I sure hope you get it sorted out soon. I would certainly give different strings a try before doing anything drastic.
    Blow on, man.

  26. #25
    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: My tale of woe!!!

    That was so cool, I managed to play my mandolin in a hospital type environment!
    This didn't prove to be a good move, they could change the frequencies of my hearing aids so the mandolin was tolerable but I struggled with some of the examiners speech frequencies so this isn't the answer. He said I could have 2 hearing aids but the price was way off the mark.
    Flat wound strings didn't give the result I hoped either, so it's looking like I'm going to have to put the mandolin up for sale.
    It's only one of the many mandolins out there so my loss will be someone elses gain, as long as they don't have to wear hearing aids...
    I never fail at anything, I just succeed at doing things that never work....


    Fylde Touchstone Walnut Mandolin.
    Gibson Alrite Model D.

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