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Thread: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

  1. #1
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    So, I've been working on Mike Marshall's ArtistWorks course lately. Mike is playing an F style mando, but my Stradolin's an A. Since I have no points to do the job, Mike wants me to get some carpet underlayment to put in my lap in order to keep the mando in place.

    What is that stuff made of? Is it bad for a mandolin's finish? I don't think it's rubber. I looked at some in a store today, and it said nothing about what it's made out of. One on Amazon says "Polyester Coated Scrim" whatever that is.

    Right now, I'm using one of those rubber things used to open jars. But it has a tendency to fall on the floor.

    Anybody have any thoughts?

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    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    I think a chamois cloth will work. I recall Keith Harris suggesting that in his book. "The Mandolin Game". i tried that but preferred a strap.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Never thought of a chamois cloth, I will look in the garage and see if there are any unused ones.
    I did consider one of those rubber mats that goes in a sink. I've got a strap already, I guess he wants me to use both.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    How about a kitchen drawer liner? I’ve seen some soft rubber mesh stuff that would be pretty grippy yet supple and it comes in rolls so you can make it any size you want.

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  6. #5

    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    The rubber mesh kitchen drawer liner will work to an extent. I too am taking Mike's course at ArtistWorks. I have not been able to find a comfortable position resting an "A" style mandolin on my left leg - every position seems to hurt my back. I finally gave up trying it his way and now just use a strap. This works better for me and allows me to practice sitting or standing.

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    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    a strap?

    Related, but unrelated. . .

    I played one time with a ukulele. Dude was likely 10 years older than I am. I was about 60 at that time. Well this ukulele dude was from the Kingston trio era.

    Night of our performance, there he was with his v-neck sweater on. Guy could really play that ukulele too!

    After the event, I looked over his ukulele and noticed two strips of velcro affixed to the back of his '50's era Martin ukulele. I'm like, "What?" He told me he always plays his ukulele with a v-neck sweater. Who needs a strap!?

    f-d
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    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by tooday View Post
    The rubber mesh kitchen drawer liner will work to an extent. I too am taking Mike's course at ArtistWorks. I have not been able to find a comfortable position resting an "A" style mandolin on my left leg - every position seems to hurt my back. I finally gave up trying it his way and now just use a strap. This works better for me and allows me to practice sitting or standing.
    I also have this folding footrest thingy, which because of the shape,angle, and black rubber on top, my husband calls "your gas pedal" *
    It's adjustable, and I find it helpful.

    *It really should be called my clutch pedal, though, because I put my left foot on it

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    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    I also have this folding footrest thingy, which because of the shape,angle, and black rubber on top, my husband calls "your gas pedal" *
    It's adjustable, and I find it helpful.

    *It really should be called my clutch pedal, though, because I put my left foot on it
    My footrest worked okay until I stood up, once.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

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    Timothy Tim Logan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Hi Sue - I tried a bunch of stuff, mostly from Joann's, and chamois. None of it was any less slippery than my blue jeans. Then I ordered the mat that Mike's wife Caterina uses, from Terkel, in Germany. Yeah, I know, it sounds ridiculous to do that LOL. I ordered the larger one and cut in half so that a roughly 6x12 piece hangs over each thigh. I don't know what the stuff is but it works superbly with my Collings A and bowlback. It's great! I do use a guitar footrest for my left foot as well. And here is the good news: I bought an extra one which I will mail you for free. Just send me a personal message with your mailing address, ok? When you get it I recommend you cut it in half and put one piece on each leg. You won't even notice it's there. (Oh, and I never use a strap - always sitting and always chipping away at classical)
    Last edited by Tim Logan; Mar-08-2021 at 5:21pm.

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    Registered User lowtone2's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    I use a footrest and drawer liner from walmart to play my L&H A, which has no means of attaching a strap, but with my modern style A model I use a strap. If you play with a strap, there is no reason to support the mandolin in your lap.

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    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by lowtone2 View Post
    I use a footrest and drawer liner from walmart to play my L&H A, which has no means of attaching a strap, but with my modern style A model I use a strap. If you play with a strap, there is no reason to support the mandolin in your lap.
    Well, yeah, I always just used my strap before, but MM has seen my strap in two different videos and mentioned the mat both times. Since he's MM and I'm a newbie, I'm going to try it his way for awhile

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    Registered User Billy Packard's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    FWIW, The year I played with the Aurora Mandolin Orchestra I noticed that all the classic style mandolin (round back) players used the rug underlay. It's cheap and has no effect on a mandolin's finish.

    If you are using a strap that should do it. I played an A style exclusively for years and years with only a strap. I gotta have a strap though...

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    I never had any need for my Gibsons but when I started playing more classical on bowlbacks I did use rubberized shelf liner or chamois and a foot rest. I never even used a strap on my carved mandolins unless I was standing. I joked with my other classical playing friends that we should just get a formal-styled wet suit pants and then not having to worry about the mandolin slipping.
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  23. #14

    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Well, if you’ve got a Tone-Gard (tm), magnets oughtta work.

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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by Richard500 View Post
    Well, if you’ve got a Tone-Gard (tm), magnets oughtta work.
    Sounds a bit uncomfortable

  25. #16

    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    All of my A's have straps attached at the heel (I only play standing) so lack of points hasn't been an issue for me. As far as padding goes, I would think a scrap of yoga mat would give you the grip you need.

    We now know that Richard has rare earth magnets superglued to his belly. How does he make it through airport security?

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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    The joke’s on them. Magnetic eddy-current metal detectors can’t see magnets - especially those. But I do have to take off my tin hat!
    America is so prone to quack stuff these days that I’m afraid to even Google the topic: somebody out there must be selling magnets to glue to places other than wrists to cure everything.

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    Registered User lowtone2's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    Well, yeah, I always just used my strap before, but MM has seen my strap in two different videos and mentioned the mat both times. Since he's MM and I'm a newbie, I'm going to try it his way for awhile
    Good plan. If you're paying a teacher, you might as well do what he says.

    Ergonomic advice from MM is kind of funny though. He has giant hands, for one thing. For me to hold a mandolin per MM, I would either have to grow a lot or the mandolin would have to shrink to about half size.

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    Pataphysician Joe Bartl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    I've used shelf liner. And I've used chamois. For my bowlbacks, my As, and my F, nothing works as well as the cloth mentioned by Tim Logan above. I bought mine from Bob Margo at CMSA a couple years ago. I'll never use anything else. Tim, you're a generous guy for sending one out to Sue!

    Joe

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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    +1 for shelf liner

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    Registered User Ranald's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    Right now, I'm using one of those rubber things used to open jars. But it has a tendency to fall on the floor.
    Those "things" are available in larger sizes, about the size of a placemat (at Dollarama, in my neck of the woods). I cut one down to about half-size to use with my banjolin. It works better than the jar-opener type, which is to say, it doesn't fall off my lap until I stand up. They seem to last quite a while as well.
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  36. #22
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Bartl View Post
    I've used shelf liner. And I've used chamois. For my bowlbacks, my As, and my F, nothing works as well as the cloth mentioned by Tim Logan above. I bought mine from Bob Margo at CMSA a couple years ago. I'll never use anything else. Tim, you're a generous guy for sending one out to Sue!

    Joe
    He sure is! I have to say there's a fair lot of kindness and generosity around here; generally excellent folks. It's one of the reasons this is such an awesome place to hang out

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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    I'm a couch player. I have an A style. I don't use a strap or have any problem keeping my instrument in place or with it sliding. I don't trash on it hard. I reckon different playing styles bring different results

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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post
    So, I've been working on Mike Marshall's ArtistWorks course lately. Mike is playing an F style mando, but my Stradolin's an A. Since I have no points to do the job, Mike wants me to get some carpet underlayment to put in my lap in order to keep the mando in place.

    What is that stuff made of? Is it bad for a mandolin's finish? I don't think it's rubber. I looked at some in a store today, and it said nothing about what it's made out of. One on Amazon says "Polyester Coated Scrim" whatever that is.

    Right now, I'm using one of those rubber things used to open jars. But it has a tendency to fall on the floor.

    Anybody have any thoughts?
    Mike is adamant about setting your mando on your knee and not using your fretting hand to secure the instrument. After a few lectures via video I got a stool and a footrest. I don't notice any difference but I am willing to give it some time. I assume he means something like this

    https://www.amazon.com/Non-Slip-Rug-...dp/B088TRVJLH/

    There is also shelving pads that using that non-slip waffle design

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    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Keeping an A Mandolin in place with rug underlayment

    I’d be leery of the rubber liner stuff, it might cause issues with finishes. Well, some finishes. I will never forget a customer bringing in his guitar in with big areas of finish on the bottom, part of the back and neck bubbling and ruined. He had left the poor thing on his Naugahyde couch on a warm evening. Lacquer reacts to some of the least expected material.
    Timothy F. Lewis
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