I've owned an A-style for 72 hours and already hate the shape

[MikeVB]

I love the mandolin. It's beautiful and sounds great. But this is my first A-style, and it's like trying to hold a greased watermelon in your lap.

Arrrggg!!!

[Bill McCall]

Use a strap.

[Mandobar]

What Bill said.

[MikeVB]

Use a strap.

Yeah, I'm working on that. But I've still never owned any other kind of instrument you can't play sitting down without a strap.

I never truly understood the points on F styles until now.

[Simon DS]

Use a strap.

The strap still has to be attached to the mandolin though.

Getting into shape is more of a personal thing.

[pops1]

I play A's, don't care for the F model. I can sit easily and play an A style with no strap. When I am out I use a strap, but at home I play daily without one and have no problem. Maybe it takes some time getting used to. I sold the F model I had, couldn't get used to it. Different laps I guess.

[geechee]

Velcro to belly. Actually, I've found a Tone-Gard helps. As others have mentioned, a strap can also reduce slippage.

[JeffD]

I play an A style and I often play sitting down without a strap. One can hold it still without clutching the mandolin to the belly. (It can even be done standing up, though I prefer a strap standing up.)

If I have been playing a while (several hours jamming) I prefer a strap because I get lazy.

As stated previously, a Tone-Gard is a really good idea. Because you can "clutch" it a little more without belly muting.

[CarlM]

One of the first things a teacher will tell you on fretted instruments, whether guitar, mandolin or banjo is to use a strap. I know, I know Jethro, even standing with an A style, didn't but he's Jethro.

[Simon DS]

Forget the strap. It would be better to buy a nice suit.
Even with 1000 dollars of lessons most of us still wouldn’t sound like Jethro.
At least with a nice suit you could look like him.

[DaveNils]

Fwiw, when I made a jump over to the A style I felt the exact same way. Your analogy actually made me chuckle out loud because it summed up my initial thoughts flawlessly in the first few days of ownership. A few months later I actually began to prefer the feeling of the A in my lap. I dont feel like I need to have my left foot up on a stool or something similar as I do with an F. I cant even describe the tweaks I made to get comfortable, it just happened naturally over time. I never added a strap. Give it some time and I think you'll find it will feel more and more natural to you without any sliding or movement.

[Mandobart]

I can't relate to this "problem." It's like complaining that it requires effort to learn how to press your fingers correctly to get clear tone or complaining about having to hold a pick.

The key word people need to remember is learning. This is all part of the process of transitioning from knowing nothing about mandolin (where most of us start) to making music with one in an effortless, enjoyable way.

Good suggestions have been offered already. I wear a strap when playing any of my A or F shape mandolins, mandola, octave mandolins, mandocello, resonator mando, banjolin, etc. whether seated or standing. I also use a Tone-gard on most all of them. They don't slip or slide around. Both hands are free to fret and pick respectively without having to focus about holding, supporting, restraining the instrument.

Or you can go the route of some I've seen - they think they just need the magic easy gear; they can't believe it may be a question of knowledge/technique/practice....

[UsuallyPickin]

One thing you might try is putting one foot higher than the other. This may give you enough to set your "A" on. R/

[Drew Egerton]

Try some of the cloth that is used under carpets or for drawer lining. Caterina Lichtenberg uses that for wrangling the bowl back and I have heard other folks with A styles have success with it as well.

[Mainer73]

Horses for courses. I own 2 As and an F. I only have a strap for the F. I have no problem with the As, including walking around the house picking them. Maybe it's just a different feel you need to get used to?

[MikeVB]

Horses for courses. I own 2 As and an F. I only have a strap for the F. I have no problem with the As, including walking around the house picking them. Maybe it's just a different feel you need to get used to?

Probably. My problem really boils down to I can't free up my left hand from the responsibility of holding the neck to be able to freely play the fretboard.

My OP and title were intended as humorous hyperbole, but internet interpretation is always a crapshoot.

[dulcillini]

I love the mandolin. It's beautiful and sounds great. But this is my first A-style, and it's like trying to hold a greased watermelon in your lap.

Arrrggg!!!

I had the same issue once. I used a piece of rubber no-slip drawer liner across my lap. The problem was solved immediately. Just a thought for you to consider.

[Don Grieser]

Great business opportunity for someone to come up with the "Add-A-Point" attachment for A models. Or the "Add-A-Scroll and Points" attachments. Or the "Squirrel Tail and Ears" attachments. Please send me my royalty checks after you take it to market.

[pops1]

I have seen a couple A's with a point, too late Don.

[Ky Slim]

Probably. My problem really boils down to I can't free up my left hand from the responsibility of holding the neck to be able to freely play the fretboard.

Are you trying to rest the mandolin on the top of your right leg only like the guy in this pic?



This would be difficult without a strap and yes, you're left hand would have to hold the neck up. Sit it in your lap.


Check this out:

[Mainer73]

Lest my first post sounded dismissive, I had meant to add that for me personally, the F is the opposite. I find the As are more comfortable whilst couch picking 🤣

I find the scroll and points less distracting when I'm standing, and with a strap, I think it's better than the As in that setting.

[rnjl]

Here's a video of two guys playing mandolins. The one with the F model uses a strap and the one playing the A model doesn't:



PS- a year or so before he died too young, I met Red at a folk festival and he played an F model and still didn't use a strap, neither standing up nor sitting down. Go figure. If you google images of him, you'll see even in his A model days, sitting down or standing up, no strap (and usually no hat either.) One of the best!

[Bill McCall]

And Red’s buddy Jethro didn’t use a strap either.

[Don Grieser]

I have seen a couple A's with a point, too late Don.

There's hundreds of thousands of A's without points. Still a business opportunity for someone. Even if it was just a wire cage that attached to a tonegard in some way, or a special tonegard for A's with a point built into it.

[tmsweeney]

it is very important to NOT hold the neck up with the left hand, you should be able to pull away your left hand and the mandolin should not change position in your lap.
This goes for any body style, guitars included.
i go between both F and A (straped and unstrapped), never really considered it a problem, a foot stand may be recommended in this particular case.