How I upgraded a cheapo mandolin with minimal modifications.

[John Clay]

This is an update (if I recall correctly) to a post I once made about buying a cheapo manolin.

I made a random impulse purchase of a cheap ($299) "The Loar" F-5 at some point (over a year ago), and made a few modifications that made a world of difference.

I suppose in hindsight that I would buy domestically now, because I am more mindful of the need to support local businesses than I was back then - after seeing so many local shops going out of business during prolonged social distancing. But my experience with minor upgrades turned out well, and these kinds of modifications could be applied to any brand that has a line of cheap mandos with a solid-wood top.

I bought the mando from the Mandolin Store and the set up was fine but the volume was too quiet.


Then I ordered a Tone-Gard from TonyP. He has two standard sizes - one for mandos in a Gibson spec range and a larger size more mandolins that are slightly wider, like some vintage instruments (and some Pacific Rim imports like "The Loar.). The larger size fit perfectly. No contact between my stomach and the mandolin's back improved the sound. I made a post about that on the Mandolin Cafe (with more specifics) back in 2019.


Then I studied Robert Meldrup's free mandolin set-up book (thank you, Mr. Meldrup!) to see if there are minor ways for a non-luthier like me to improve sound.

Problem 1: the mando's tailpiece was some kind of cheap alloy that was making firm contact with the top of the mandolin. I tried the "lift with a shoelace" trick to create some clearance, but the string tension gradually pulled down the tailpiece until it was making contact again (thus reducing the top's resonance). Solution - I bought an inexpensive tailpiece via Amazon, made of stronger metal.

Problem 2: the bridge was too flimsy - the strings were pulling the top piece of the bridge toward the neck (like a warped fiddle bridge that is starting to collapse) even though the feet were resting squarely on the mandolin's top. Solution: I ordered an inexpensive (under $20) but solidly-made two-piece ebony bridge from Stew Mac. Then I sanded the feet by hand to contour them to the body, based on advice in Mr. Meldrup's book. More contact with the mandolin top = more volume. I think in hindsight, however, that I could have addressed this even more cheaply if I had simply replacedmthe cheap allow thumb screws with a more solid alloy - the wood was fine in the original bridge but the metal was weak.

The end result is a cheap mandolin with a solid top and truss road that has improved tone and volume. I think the modifications may have cost around $120 - $130.00 in total (the finger-rest bumped it over $100, but I wanted to add that because I am used to making contact with the finger-rest on my more expensive domestic mando).

I enjoy having a mando that I am not always fearful of damaging - the neck and nut were set up well originally by the mandolin store and thses additional mods greatly improved the sound. But the total combo is not so expensive that I am afraid of playing outside in less favorable weather. Plus I can wear it all day and doodle while walking around the house doing chores during the interminable quarantine - if I bump into a door walking from one room to another, it's not the end of the world.

The only problem is that I like the playability of the newer mando so much that I now want to address the worn down frets and long-overdue need for a new setup on my nicer mando. And that could end up costing more than I paid to buy the cheapo import.....

But it's no fun if your only mandolin is too nice to want to take it with you through airports or bring it along on a camping trip. So on the whole, I think this little experiment turned out really well.