Re: Skill Progression/Benchmarks, MAS and Instrument Upgrades
I bought my first mandolin about eight years ago. It was kind of an impulse buy, and it was maybe the second cheapest option available. It seemed OK to me at the time. I actually remember going into a Guitar Center maybe a year or so after I bought it, and I saw a Gretsch New Yorker. I played it for a few minutes and had to put it down immediately. I was kicking myself with the newfound knowledge that had I spent just a smidge more, I could have gotten a far better instrument.
I played that first mandolin on and off again, never really committing to learning it. Then the pandemic happened! I went in full steam ahead, signed up for video lessons, and took my cheapo mando to the local luthier to have it professionally set up for the first time. That was... eye-opening. The luthier told me that there wasn't much he could do in terms of setup:
- The bridge was as low as it could go, but the action was still too high.
- The neck was slightly bent, so the intonation was completely out of whack. (20 cents sharp at the 12th fret, to be exact, and bridge adjustments weren't going to help that)
- It would be far too costly to modify the instrument in ways that would only make mild improvements, at best.
In order to lower the action further, he ended up filing down the slots in the nut and sanding down the feet of the bridge. He also told me that I should really consider investing in an intermediate-level instrument, specifically something with a truss rod. I took it back to him for a restring a few weeks later, and the original nut cracked. He reiterated his recommendation for a new instrument.
At that point, I had had my eye on the Eastman MD304 for a while. With the pandemic still ongoing, those were in rather short supply. After much deliberation, I ended up springing for the MD504 instead. I intend to hang onto it for a while. I can't say I'm immune to GAS, but I highly doubt I'll be purchasing a second mandolin anytime soon.
Eastman MD504
Curt Mangan Monel, Light
Dunlop Ultex Sharp, 1.14 mm
IG: @standing.wav
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