Problem fretting two strings on old mandolin

[Chris Bowler]

Greetings

I have an old Bowlback mandolin.I bought it a few months ago in a streetmarket in Kygizstan on holiday. It is Russian made in a factory in St Petersburg Soviet union according to decaying label inside. Folk instrument factory set up in 1925
Fallin love with it, cleaned it up put strings on and having lots of fun learning to play it.

Problems the first string pair when fretted after the 2nd Fret gives a plink sound- replicated on the remaining Frets all the way up.
The second string -same thing but starting at the 3rd fret.

Is this something that can be fixed? Would love to do some things with kids at a school I teach at but need the strings to play cleanly
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.
Thank you

[DavidKOS]

It's hard to tell from the picture, but I assume that the frets may need leveling.

[billhay4]

Or the neck is bent or lifting.
Bill

[Chris Bowler]

Thank you for that David -I'll investigate that option

[Chris Bowler]

Thanks Bill the neck seems straight to my eye. I am suspecting the very top two frets the string is very close when open unlike the ones below it left fret is highest on the neck

Edit* Pesky pic posted upside down so the right is the topmost!the neck over the sound hole does seem to lift at that point
This is right way up

[pops1]

A picture of the entire neck would tell more, but looks like there is some bowing going on there.

[Nevin]

Not the best picture but the neck looks bowed and the frets aren't even close to level.

[Chris Bowler]

looks like bowed neck yes. I think if I take out the top two frets the strings will be clear and stop them damping by touching the higher frets

[billhay4]

Frets are in very poor shape and the neck looks bowed to me, too.

Bill

[gtani7]

looks like bowed neck yes. I think if I take out the top two frets the strings will be clear and stop them damping by touching the higher frets

(assuming you've put proper light gauge strings on)

Those are quite wide frets, so lots of material for level/milling and crowning.

One thing you could do is polish the frets and look at the curve of string reflections on them. That way, you can see high frets, hump over the neck joint, twisting/uneven bowing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBzirIfsQPo. Very possible you have multiple issues happening there. Also you want to protect the fingerboard wood when polishing: http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools...rd_Guards.html

the last few frets over the soundhole could be part of the problem, and easily pulled (if you pull them, you want to fill the slots

(Depending on how much time/money you want to spend) the other thing a luthier might be able to do is to straighten with steam, or the really expensive one: remove frets, plane fingerboard.

Also i recommend Rob M's pdf doc about setup, you can read about fret leveling etc http://jazzmando.com/tips/archives/002490.shtml

[DavidKOS]

Yup, these guys are right, you need to have some work done to the neck and frets.

[Chris Bowler]

Thanks so much for the advice and the links- I have learnt a lot.looking at the top of the neck down the fret board was a shock ! The end left of the board curls. I think the top has bowed up at some time and a crack along the length has beed repaired. Big job
It does have a lovely mellow tone though so Ill persist and fiddle with the frets first.
Problemfor being a sucker with old orphan instruments- I have a Psaltery and violin to look at to yet! going to run with this first

[pops1]

Most likely you won't play up there, so pulling all the frets over the body won't hurt anything. I would refret it anyway, but maybe this will get you by. Very light strings are a must for these too.

[Chris Bowler]

Hi Pops
I already popped out the 2 top frets - quite narrow, then noticed the strings were catching the wood of the neck at the very end over the sound hole where the neck has bent up. Filed this area down and now much better but after reading Rob Meldrums great pdf I notice the frets need dressing / replacing
as there a re few dodgy spots I think I have traced these. Going to enjoy learning to play it for next few weeks and when I have more time have a proper go at it.
Thanks