The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #31  
Old 12-19-2012, 11:14 PM
mustache79 mustache79 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Earth
Posts: 1,198
Default

This past summer I bough a B stock Samick Greg Bennett Mandolin. It's a nice solid top and sound pretty good if you ask me for $100-1/3 the cost of a non B stock. I did a nice setup on it and it plays great. After learning the basic chords and noodling for the past 6 months or so I've developed my technique and have begin writing songs and playing along with acoustic. My 3 1/2 month old son seems to really enjoy watchng me play, and I probably play more mandolin than I do acoustic guitar now days. Now I just bought a B stock ukulele- a Lanikai S-C Concert size with a solid spruce top. Goes for $159 new, got it for $65 because it has a scratch on the side.

Actually all of my instruments are B stock blemished models I found on ebay.
__________________
I actually have a goatee. ..
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 12-20-2012, 09:00 AM
Jim_G Jim_G is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Central Massachusetts
Posts: 1,078
Default

I have a Loar 220 I bought a couple of months ago. I also have a very dumb question. Last night I changed the strings on it for the first time. Took 30 minutes to get the cover plate off, it was stuck on their pretty good and I tend to break things when I force the issue.

But I did get it off, finally. And here's my dumb question, I have more loop hooks (or whatever they're called) than strings to attach to them. Some of them are perpindicular to the neck, and the high E's were using them. I couldn't figure out what this was all about. And I didn't put the new high E's on those either, but rather the parallel hooks, like all the rest.

Does it matter, did I do the wrong thing? I'm so clueless I didn't even know the bridge wasn't glued on. Good thing, because I had a serious intonation problem, and it took a couple of tries, but fixed that too.

Adding to the OP's concerns, I've been finding it easy to pickup, my difficulties here aside. The big problem I've had is that if I play the mandolin exclusively for a few days, when I switch back to guitar (J45), it feels enormous, like one of those Mexican Mariachi Bass monsters, that must have a name but I don't know what it is. It passes, but takes 10-15 minutes to adjust. Also the tone on the guitar sounds really dull in comparison. That passes a little quicker.

While I'm here, a thanks to Larry, if he's reading, for that great REM mando lesson he has on youtube. Second tune I learned, after what I've dubbed the 'Smoke on the Water' of beginning mandolin. That, of course, would be 'Copperhead Road'.

Last edited by Jim_G; 12-20-2012 at 09:13 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 12-20-2012, 09:09 AM
GerryinAZ GerryinAZ is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 808
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_G View Post
I have a Loar 220 I bought a couple of months ago. I also have a very dumb question. Last night I changed the strings on it for the first time. Took 30 minutes to get the cover plate off, it was stuck on their pretty good and I tend to break things when I force the issue.

But I did get it off, finally. And here's my dumb question, I have more loop hooks (or whatever they're called) than strings to attach to them. Some of them are perpindicular to the neck, and the high E's were using them. I couldn't figure out what this was all about. And I didn't put the new high E's on those either, but rather the parallel hooks, like all the rest.

Does it matter, did I do the wrong thing? I'm so clueless I didn't even know the bridge wasn't glued on. Good thing, because I had a serious intonation problem, and it took a couple of tries, but fixed that too.
Hi Jim,

Congrats on your new mando.

Your question is a good one. I have been playing mandolin for 30+ years and I did not know the answer. I went on over to the Mandolin Cafe forum and did a search. Here is what I came up with;

" ...If you are referring to the horizontally aligned hooks, these are there because they are on Gibson tailpieces... and the reason they are on those is that they date from the days when the end-windings (loops) were not as reliable as they are on modern strings, and these served to help 'lock' the windings in place, on the secondary hook..."

Thanks again for asking the question. It's good info to know.
__________________
Gerry



Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 12-20-2012, 09:23 AM
Jim_G Jim_G is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Central Massachusetts
Posts: 1,078
Default

Thanks Gerry! Another forum out there, do I dare join? I only use a computer at work and I'm already goofing off way too much.

Ah, what the heck, I can just lurk. I need to find out how long it takes to get comfortable with that Bill Monroe G chord. It's killing me and I've been fighting the urge to skip it altogether.
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 12-20-2012, 11:23 AM
GerryinAZ GerryinAZ is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 808
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim_G View Post
Thanks Gerry! Another forum out there, do I dare join? I only use a computer at work and I'm already goofing off way too much.

Ah, what the heck, I can just lurk. I need to find out how long it takes to get comfortable with that Bill Monroe G chord. It's killing me and I've been fighting the urge to skip it altogether.
Hi Jim,

You're certainly welcome.

It would probably be worth your while to look into the Mando Cafe. It's far and away the best site I've ever come across for anything "Mandolin Family".

As for that Monroe "G" chord... I feel your pain! You can always do what I did; since it's really only used as a chop chord in Bluegrass music... don't play Bluegrass!

I am glad my interest is in Irish Traditional and I don't have to use that chord shape.
__________________
Gerry




Last edited by GerryinAZ; 12-20-2012 at 01:17 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 12-20-2012, 07:56 PM
cu4life7 cu4life7 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Silverdale, Washington
Posts: 1,744
Default

Yeah, that stupid G is tough. I gone through spurts of trying to work on it, but I have mostly avoided it for the time being. I use a palm mute instead for chop chords, but then I don't play trad bluegrass...
__________________
My Therapy:
Martin 000-18GE 1937 Sunburst MFG
Martin 000-15
Kevin Enoch Tradesman Open Back Banjo
Collings MT2-O Honey Amber
Royce Burt #560 5-String Fiddle
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 12-22-2012, 06:16 AM
Murphy Slaw Murphy Slaw is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 2,977
Default

I bought Scotty Stonemans 1933 Gibson A-00 from Gruhns a few years back. Have learned it some and really enjoy playing it. It has quite the history and I got Chris Thile to sign the back of headstock.
__________________
The Murph Channel

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkomGsMJXH9qn-xLKCv4WOg
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 12-24-2012, 10:06 AM
kramster kramster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 5,971
Default

2 Custom made for me by Gypsy Music...regular and octave

__________________
YUP....
Emerald: X-20, Center hole X-10 (Maple) and X-7 (redwood), Spalted Chen Chen X 10 level 3,
CA: Early OX and Cargo
McPherson: Early Kevin Michael Proto
Some wood things by Epi, Harmony, Takamine, Good Time, PRS, Slick, Gypsy Music, keyboards, wind controllers.. etc
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 12-24-2012, 12:19 PM
GerryinAZ GerryinAZ is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 808
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kramster View Post
2 Custom made for me by Gypsy Music...regular and octave

Ha! Has Walt seen this picture?
__________________
Gerry



Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 12-25-2012, 07:43 AM
kramster kramster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 5,971
Default

Not sure..I have sooo many cool pics of these cool Mandos




__________________
YUP....
Emerald: X-20, Center hole X-10 (Maple) and X-7 (redwood), Spalted Chen Chen X 10 level 3,
CA: Early OX and Cargo
McPherson: Early Kevin Michael Proto
Some wood things by Epi, Harmony, Takamine, Good Time, PRS, Slick, Gypsy Music, keyboards, wind controllers.. etc

Last edited by kramster; 12-25-2012 at 07:51 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #41  
Old 12-25-2012, 08:07 AM
kramster kramster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 5,971
Default

And one of Walt himself trying the octave plugged into my Schertler Unico ....soooo nice...and then handing them over to lucky me and some other shots of here and there⬇






.





[img][http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8217/8...925_c.jpg/img]

__________________
YUP....
Emerald: X-20, Center hole X-10 (Maple) and X-7 (redwood), Spalted Chen Chen X 10 level 3,
CA: Early OX and Cargo
McPherson: Early Kevin Michael Proto
Some wood things by Epi, Harmony, Takamine, Good Time, PRS, Slick, Gypsy Music, keyboards, wind controllers.. etc
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 12-26-2012, 01:41 AM
GRW3 GRW3 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 1,103
Default

Kramster,

If you are a member of Mandolin Cafe some of these pictures belong on the long running "Women with Mandolins" Thread.

If you are not a member, you should be... If for no reason other than to add these pictures...
__________________
George Wilson
Weber Bighorn
Martin D-18 Del McCoury
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 12-26-2012, 07:20 PM
kramster kramster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 5,971
Default

I am a member for a while..thanks, I got more photos
__________________
YUP....
Emerald: X-20, Center hole X-10 (Maple) and X-7 (redwood), Spalted Chen Chen X 10 level 3,
CA: Early OX and Cargo
McPherson: Early Kevin Michael Proto
Some wood things by Epi, Harmony, Takamine, Good Time, PRS, Slick, Gypsy Music, keyboards, wind controllers.. etc
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 12-27-2012, 12:36 AM
pete12string pete12string is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Central New Jersey
Posts: 694
Default

A mandolin is probably my next experiment in the world of stringed instruments - that or a uke...
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 12-28-2012, 06:27 PM
kramster kramster is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, Az
Posts: 5,971
Default

Pics don't seem well received over there in the Cafe,,,,sigh

Any way, mandos are fun to play and really like the octave size.
__________________
YUP....
Emerald: X-20, Center hole X-10 (Maple) and X-7 (redwood), Spalted Chen Chen X 10 level 3,
CA: Early OX and Cargo
McPherson: Early Kevin Michael Proto
Some wood things by Epi, Harmony, Takamine, Good Time, PRS, Slick, Gypsy Music, keyboards, wind controllers.. etc
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Other Musical Instruments

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:25 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=