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Thread: Q. Re: up-tuned Eastman mandocello

  1. #1
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    Default Q. Re: up-tuned Eastman mandocello

    I've coveted a mandocello since the day i heard someone playing an old Gibson K-1. This was the creamiest mandocritter I had ever tasted.
    Recently, I went looking for something that might have a similar sound. I couldn't find it. The Eastman Mandocello had the right look, and almost fit my budget, but all the videos I found had way too much rubber band buzz. Especially in the low notes.
    At that point I remembered that the 'cellist I remembered actually tuned his K-1 to BEAD. It made a massive difference in the sound. Has anyone tried this with an Eastman? What happened?
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Q. Re: up-tuned Eastman mandocello

    BEAD: is that low to high or vice versa? If the latter that would be one step up from standard. If the former then tuned to fourths.
    Jim

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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: Q. Re: up-tuned Eastman mandocello

    Eastman recommends a very light C string: .056 gauge. A heavier C might take some of the buzz out.
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Q. Re: up-tuned Eastman mandocello

    I was lent an Eastman MC since the NY orchestra was reading players. I used to own a Gibson. The Eastman was based on their archtop guitar but they kept the same neck width and scale length. Plus it was really not set up properly. The space between the bass strings was too wide. With good setup and perhaps slimming of the neck it would have been all right. I assume scale length was 25.5” which is partly why they said to use a guitar string for the low C. Gibsons were about 24” so they required more like .074 or so.
    Jim

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  5. #5
    Layer of Complexity Kevin Knippa's Avatar
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    Default Re: Q. Re: up-tuned Eastman mandocello

    About five years ago I bought the medium set of round wound ball end strings from Martin/mrmando and had my Eastman MC setup with a proper nut and the bridge reslotted. It is much easier to play, no buzz, and the neck width is not a problem with the right string spacing. This is after playing it for about six years the way it came from Eastman.

  6. #6
    Registered User meow-n-dolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Q. Re: up-tuned Eastman mandocello

    [QUOTE=s1m0n;1784101]I've coveted a mandocello since the day i heard someone playing an old Gibson K-1. This was the creamiest mandocritter I had ever tasted.
    The Eastman Mandocello had the right look, and almost fit my budget, but all the videos I found had way too much rubber band buzz. Especially in the low notes.

    When I got my first Eastman (later lost in a fire), the low strings were notably "rubber-band-ish." As someone else noted, at one point (maybe still) Eastman was recommending using pretty light strings. The heavier strings, either D'Addarrio or Thomastik, with the heavier strings in the .070 to .074 range, seems to solve is. That being said, making sure your fingers are "in shape" is definitely important. I took me some time get mine in shape (and if I don't practice regularly, the buzz will raise it's ugly head). Someone reported that "non-professional" players often use a single "C" string in lieu of the pair. For me, that sort of defeats the purpose.

    One advantage i gained playing the 'cello regularly is that my guitar (strung 13 to 58), my mandolin (TK Starks) and my recently-acquired Eastman OM, seem to play like butter,... or maybe a well-set-up Strat.

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