Mando Setup

[warfrat73]

I've tried a bit here and there to play mando, big fat fingers aside, one of the things I struggle with is the setup. Particularly, on my mandos, it seems that the nut slots are a bit too high, and playing in first position is difficult.

I'm fairly competent at setting up guitars. But I'm not sure exactly how much of that directly applies.

In particular i'm curious about the best way to gauge action at the nut. On a guitar I hold down the string at the third fret and check clearance at the first. Does that approach work on mandos, or should i be busting out the feeler gauges?

Anything else substantially different about setting up a mandolin.

What clearances should I be aiming for as a general benchmark?

[Mandobart]

Find Rob Meldrum's free ebook on mandolin setup on Google.

[Caddy]

I built my own F-5 mandolin from scratch back in the early 90’s while I was playing mandolin in a pretty good bluegrass band. Built it from blueprints of a 1928 Gibson F-5. Still have it and still play it. Not something I would ever want to take on again!

I did the nut slots much the same as a guitar. Just clearing the first fret when fretting the third. Playing near the nut on a mandolin is not going to feel the same as a guitar because of the higher tension on the strings, besides fretting two strings instead of one. Of course it will always have even more resistance near the nut due to the proximity to the strings anchor point.

[Denny B]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

Find Rob Meldrum's free ebook on mandolin setup on Google.

I second this piece of advice...

[M19]

E-mail Rob with the subject line: Mandolin Set-up and he'll happily reply with his wonderful guide to all things Mandolin.

[email protected]

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by M19

E-mail Rob with the subject line: Mandolin Set-up and he'll happily reply with his wonderful guide to all things Mandolin.

[email protected]

I'll jump on the bandwagon. I don't know what mandolin you have, but the cheaper it was, the more work it needs. Rob will get you going with about $20 worth of tools, but having real nut files is nice. The foundation is a good bridge fit. As a side note, buy a bunch of e strings while doing the setup. Likely you will break a few as you slacken and tighten them getting the string height right.

I bought a blowout Michael Kelly and got it playing well. While ballpark works for guitar, it won't for mandolin. I'm also a believer in leveling frets. After a fret level, you can get the action that much better. Have some thin viscosity superglue handy for when you cut the nutslots too deep. Likely you will have to do the glue and bone dust fix at least once.

If you continue with mandolin, buy an Eastman or Kentucky 150 or better ASAP. Buy it from The Mandolin Store or Gryphon or Elderly and it will be good to go. Eastman does a pretty good job, but the Eastmans I've played factory direct aren't as well set up as the ones I play at Gryphon. And like most everything, a Weber or Northfield or Collings will have you playing extra hours.

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

If you continue with mandolin, buy an Eastman or Kentucky 150 or better ASAP. Buy it from The Mandolin Store or Gryphon or Elderly and it will be good to go. Eastman does a pretty good job, but the Eastmans I've played factory direct aren't as well set up as the ones I play at Gryphon. And like most everything, a Weber or Northfield or Collings will have you playing extra hours.

Currently I have a Kentucky KM-174 and Gold Tone GM-35. I've not done any kind of set up on either of them, but the Kentucky definitely plays better (I bought it used, from Elderly I think, but don't recall for certain), and the Gold Tone gets dragged by some folks for not being competitive at its price point, but I got it for about half the current going rate with a surprisingly nice case.

I do have nut files for guitar setup... but I supposed those won't be the right thing for the mando.

I was thinking about buying or trying to trade for an Eastman. But I've never stuck with it long enough to justify the cost. This is, at least in part, because of poor setups... and the big fat fingers (but everybody says that David Grisman has big fat fingers too, so maybe that's just an excuse).

[warfrat73]

So, the setup on the Kentucky is actually pretty decent, now that I've gone and looked at it again. But the GT could use some work... that's the more bluegrass oriented one, so that's the one I tend to reach for (plus F-styles are cool).

[M19]

Bought my Eastman MD615 from the Mandolin Store. Pretty well set up IMO.

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

Currently I have a Kentucky KM-174 and Gold Tone GM-35. I've not done any kind of set up on either of them, but the Kentucky definitely plays better (I bought it used, from Elderly I think, but don't recall for certain), and the Gold Tone gets dragged by some folks for not being competitive at its price point, but I got it for about half the current going rate with a surprisingly nice case.

I do have nut files for guitar setup... but I supposed those won't be the right thing for the mando.

I was thinking about buying or trying to trade for an Eastman. But I've never stuck with it long enough to justify the cost. This is, at least in part, because of poor setups... and the big fat fingers (but everybody says that David Grisman has big fat fingers too, so maybe that's just an excuse).

Well, I think you are on to something. I used the small hands excuse for guitar for years. Thought I'd have it made with mandolin, until I tried to grab a G chop chord. Or play a closed position scale. I had to play stretching exercises Tristan Scorggins gave me for two months until I got the extra eighth of an inch reach I needed. Every physical trait that's good for one thing is bad for another. Your mandolin can hold you back though, so I'd go all in or quit. I started on an Eastman from the Mandolin Store. It played ok, but I played a Collings one day. Didn't buy a Collings, but I did find a used Silverangel. $1500 used can get you a very good A style mandolin that will make you want to play. When you play a lot you get better faster.

Also seek out a wide neck. That might work for you, but there are many playing the Gibson 1 1/8 neck.