All In, at last

[Rockyjohnstone]

Hello - After a failed attempt to purchase a used Kentucky 855 earlier this year (broken by the shipper) I decided to buy something less expensive.

I found a used Kentucky KM-250s, certainly nothing special, but it'll do for now. The seller bought it for his son years ago who didn't play it much. So it spent most of it's life in he case. I don't believe it was ever set up. I filed down the not slots, lowered the action at the bridge, and to my surprise, it sounds much better than I expected for the price. There is a however a slight bow in the neck (no truss rod) but not so much that its hard to play.

I'll be asking' plenty of newbie type questions, so please be patient. here's a couple:

String gauge recommendations - (Heavier the better without additional neck damage)

And - The sharp corners at the bass side of the saddle annoys my right hand in the fleshy area below the thumb. Is it common practice to slightly round these edges? I intend to do so, just wondering if others do as well.

Thank you,

[Mike Bunting]

Hello - After a failed attempt to purchase a used Kentucky 855 earlier this year (broken by the shipper) I decided to buy something less expensive.

I found a used Kentucky KM-250s, certainly nothing special, but it'll do for now. The seller bought it for his son years ago who didn't play it much. So it spent most of it's life in he case. I don't believe it was ever set up. I filed down the not slots, lowered the action at the bridge, and to my surprise, it sounds much better than I expected for the price. There is a however a slight bow in the neck (no truss rod) but not so much that its hard to play.

I'll be asking' plenty of newbie type questions, so please be patient. here's a couple:

String gauge recommendations - (Heavier the better without additional neck damage)

And - The sharp corners at the bass side of the saddle annoys my right hand in the fleshy area below the thumb. Is it common practice to slightly round these edges? I intend to do so, just wondering if others do as well.

Thank you,

I did, it's easy.

[TheArimathean]

The sharp corners at the bass side of the saddle annoys my right hand in the fleshy area below the thumb.

I know this is an extremely novice question, but what is the saddle and what do you do to it with your hand...?

[Rockyjohnstone]

Coming from the guitar side of things, I may have I've used the wrong verbiage. The bridge contacts the top, and the saddle (typically bone or tusq on an acoustic guitar) sits on the bridge making contact with the strings. On a mandolin, I'm referring to the saddle as the portion of the bridge assembly above the adjustment wheels on that type of arrangement.

I pick with a closed right hand and don't anchor with a pinky or fingers. I just sort of float the right hand, which brushes lightly on the saddle at times. I found that the very squared sharp edges on the mandolin that I have (saddle/bridge) ain't working for me. So I've rounded the edges on the bass side just enough to mitigate the problem. Seems to have solved the issue for me.

As far a novice goes, my hand went up... This seems to be a fussy instrument to get things just right, even more so than a fiddle. Now I've spotted an area where the bridge isn't perfectly flush with the top on the treble side. To be continued...