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Thread: new mando player (send help)

  1. #1

    Default new mando player (send help)

    hello! recent conservatoire grad here, i picked up a lovely 2nd hand mando a few weeks ago (i've always wanted to learn) but am tearing my hair out - have spent 8+ hours across the last week trying to change my strings and i honestly don't think anyone could be worse at it 😩

    there was a brief moment of joy last night where ALL 8 were present and correct but untuned (until i began to tune the E today and it slipped off the fingerboard again + again)

    i have watched many fab YT tutorials, facetimed my guitar-playing pals for help and still failing miserably at what is probably the easiest step. any tips before i give up and sell the mandolin on?! so keen to practice but literally cannot get these strings on or to stay in tune - feeling v stupid haha. any replies gratefully received 💛

  2. #2
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    what kind of mandolin do you have? bowlback, flat-top, carved -- just checking you have a playable mandolin and not a mandolin-shaped object. Not that that helps with string changes, but it shouldn't be that tough. And what size strings are you using? ultra-lights, lights, medium, heavy ... i know when i was using some ultralights, the E string kept breaking which was frustrating -- turned out i had a bad set of strings. also, check that the bridge is correct. Just make sure it's not upside down. Also, I once tried to string an instrument without a bridge (OK, so it was years ago and I was an idiot) and that didn't work out so good. so, just putting that out there.
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    Moderator JEStanek's Avatar
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    I like this method on Frets.com but, if you have a slot head, that can be more challenging. I straight up "cheat" with a capo on the neck after I get the loop secured to do the peg work. It really helps.

    Jamie
    There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and, after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. Logan Pearsall Smith, 1865 - 1946

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  5. #4
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    Either I'm an idiot savant when it comes to string changing, or just lucky, but I've never found it that hard. I remember to bend the string just above the loop, to facilitate it going over the bend in the tailpiece, and I leave enough "extra" length after I thread the string through the tuning peg -- and lock it, by reversing the string end under the threaded string -- to ensure a couple extra turns around the peg when it's cranked up to pitch.

    Plus, I invariably take all the strings off, so I can clean the fingerboard and polish the mandolin, and then replace them all. I relocate the bridge by the "footprints" in the finish, and put on one 1st-course and one 4th-course string first, to hold the bridge in place while I add the other strings.

    And yes, if I have a Gibson-type tailpiece with the "extra" hooks that put a 90º bend in the string ends inside the tailpiece, I follow the Gospel of Orville G and thread the 1st- and 2nd-course strings through both sets of hooks. Why? 'Cause that's the way it's supposed to be done, I guess.

    It's a time-consuming task, as compared to guitar or banjo: more strings, more fussing to anchor the string, dealing with the "floating" bridge, etc. Which is probably why I change strings infrequently. But it shouldn't be as frustrating as described above.
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    Registered User Ranald's Avatar
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    Can you go to either a store or mandolin player, and ask them to show you how to change the strings? (I know, it's Co-vid times, but later perhaps.) If going to a store, be courteous enough to buy a set of strings there. I'm not a person who likes changing strings, but, as Allen says, it shouldn't be that frustrating -- otherwise, there would be far fewer mandolin players in the world.
    Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
    "I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
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    Registered User Eric F.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    Is it a "clamshell" tailpiece like this one? Those are a bear. I bend the string around a pencil just before the loop.
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    For this type of tailpiece, also bend the string at the loop, but not as much. Slide the loop end in and up.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    You can also use a capo to hold the string in place, as suggested above, if that's causing you problems.

    You say a string "slipped off the fingerboard" when you tried to tune it. I'd guess it was not locked at the tuner, but it's hard to know. I'd like to hear more specifics about what's going on.

    Check out the link Jamie provided. Frets.com has the answer to many of the common issues with stringed instruments.

    Good luck, and don't give up!

  8. #7

    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    hahaha ! thanks for the reply, Randi - I have a wee second-hand Savannah (so according to the reviews, maybe closer to a mandolin-shaped object...) but just wanted to try it out and see if it stuck before investing. I went for a set of D'Addario Phosphor Bronze as recommended by a pal. are these okay? and then of course after snapping my first two E strings, replaced with D'Addario singles 0.11s. thanks for the reassurance!!!! if the bridge wasn't already on the mandolin when i bought it, i'm sure i would have tried to string it bridgeless too ...

    thank you so much for the reply! really appreciate! ��

  9. #8

    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    Quote Originally Posted by Ranald View Post
    Can you go to either a store or mandolin player, and ask them to show you how to change the strings? (I know, it's Co-vid times, but later perhaps.) If going to a store, be courteous enough to buy a set of strings there. I'm not a person who likes changing strings, but, as Allen says, it shouldn't be that frustrating -- otherwise, there would be far fewer mandolin players in the world.
    thanks for the reply, Ranald - really appreciate this! i had actually considered reaching out as this might be the easiest way to do it. there's a lovely guitar workshop nearby who might be able to help out but wasn't sure if this was a daft request!

  10. #9

    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    Quote Originally Posted by JEStanek View Post
    I like this method on Frets.com but, if you have a slot head, that can be more challenging. I straight up "cheat" with a capo on the neck after I get the loop secured to do the peg work. It really helps.

    Jamie
    ta for the reply Jamie!!! not come across Frets.com but this looks super helpful. may take some deep breaths before diving in for another attempt haha. thanks for reaching out! :-)

  11. #10

    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    Quote Originally Posted by allenhopkins View Post
    Either I'm an idiot savant when it comes to string changing, or just lucky, but I've never found it that hard. I remember to bend the string just above the loop, to facilitate it going over the bend in the tailpiece, and I leave enough "extra" length after I thread the string through the tuning peg -- and lock it, by reversing the string end under the threaded string -- to ensure a couple extra turns around the peg when it's cranked up to pitch.

    Plus, I invariably take all the strings off, so I can clean the fingerboard and polish the mandolin, and then replace them all. I relocate the bridge by the "footprints" in the finish, and put on one 1st-course and one 4th-course string first, to hold the bridge in place while I add the other strings.

    And yes, if I have a Gibson-type tailpiece with the "extra" hooks that put a 90º bend in the string ends inside the tailpiece, I follow the Gospel of Orville G and thread the 1st- and 2nd-course strings through both sets of hooks. Why? 'Cause that's the way it's supposed to be done, I guess.

    It's a time-consuming task, as compared to guitar or banjo: more strings, more fussing to anchor the string, dealing with the "floating" bridge, etc. Which is probably why I change strings infrequently. But it shouldn't be as frustrating as described above.
    thanks for the reply, Allen, i really appreciate it! i think i must just be doing it wrong but don't know enough about mandolins to work out specifically where i'm messing up (catch-22, anyone?) i did try the 1st-course / 4th-course on first to keep the bridge in place but snapped one E string and then couldn't keep the other on so reverted to good ol masking tape. possibly i have been trying too many different methods as well. will try the frets.com route and then give up i think haha. thank you so much for your reply - good to hear from you!

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  13. #11
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    I switched out the two piece stamped metal tail piece on all my mandolins to a cast style tail piece mainly because the stamped metal cover piece would dig in to my fore arm and make playing uncomfortable. Didn't like that distraction. A side benefit I found out was it was it made string changing easier. Straight in line through the tail piece, single peg for the loop, no bending the loop end etc. And ditto using a capo to hold the string in place on the finger board. Frees up your hands for the task at hand.
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    Moderator JEStanek's Avatar
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    I had a savannah. When properly set up it was a fine mandolin. For realz. It may be all the mandolin you ever need even if it's not the last one you want. If it holds tune and is intonated, it's a good enough mandolin. Most non mandolin players can't really hear that much of a difference between a Savannah and a high end mandolin. You will as you get better. Is it enough to warrant a change... maybe but maybe not really.

    Jamie
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)


  16. #14
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: new mando player (send help)

    Quote Originally Posted by hartofgold View Post
    thanks for the reply, Allen, i really appreciate it! i think i must just be doing it wrong but don't know enough about mandolins to work out specifically where i'm messing up (catch-22, anyone?) i did try the 1st-course / 4th-course on first to keep the bridge in place but snapped one E string and then couldn't keep the other on so reverted to good ol masking tape. possibly i have been trying too many different methods as well. will try the frets.com route and then give up i think haha. thank you so much for your reply - good to hear from you!
    That frets.com method for stringing up mandolins is very straightforward and works really well - I just re-strung my mandolin at the weekend and it was fairly quick to do using that method - some folks comment that they don't think the frets.com method leaves enough winds on the the post but I've been using this method for YEARS to restring my guitars, mandolins and tenor banjos and it's never let me down, no string slippage or tuning issues at all for me. If you're repeatedly snapping the E strings it might mean that you're not leaving enough slack in the string when you start off.
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