New Toy

M

mwerner

Joined
Apr 23, 2002
Messages
5,354
I'm surrounded by a variety of stringed instruments, but I've always wanted a mandolin. A couple of years ago, I built a mandola, an instrument in the same category but with a longer scale and tuned down a fifth.

I went for the bigger instrument because of the limitations of working with cigar boxes...
The Mandola is fun to play but has problems; the longer scale makes reaching the traditional mandolin chords (what we call "chop" chords) difficult.
So, after an orgy of bike-repair and selling, I took some of my mad money and bought one of these:

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It's an "entry level" Fender mandolin, came in one of those boxed kits with a variety of accessories. On sale for 200 bucks....
Not much compared to the current top-of-the-line Gibson F5... About 16,000 for a new one...

Still, sounds good and though far from fancy it's well put together by those clever Chinese lads.
I assure you, Sam Bush is in no danger.
 
Nice. I have an Epiphone mandolin for those times when a mandolin is needed. Craftsmanship is actually top notch. I just bought a Squire telecaster instead of the American made tele because the finish and set up was better. Hardware isnt as good, but that can be replaced later. Fender should be ashamed of themselves for having their $200 Squire series out perform their flagship American made products.
 
Someday I hope to own a Gibson F5 mandolin... someday.

I picked up the mandolin in college. The violin has been a passion of mine since I was eight years old, but I was worried about the noise it would make practicing in a college dorm, so I figured the mandolin would be a good alternative for practice since it's tuned and fingered the same.

But then I fell in love with the instrument.

I don't have anything really high end, but I have a very nice Mid-Missouri A style mando, and a Fender five string electric (tuned C, G, D, A, E from top to bottom).

They're a finger shredder, but so much fun to play.

X, as to the Fender American made products, they're not what they used to be. I have an '83 American standard Strat that's just about the most comfortable guitar I've ever played, but the stock electronics are horrible. The pickups were replaced with Texas Specials and it sounds great now, but the tone knob has developed some hiss, so it'll have to go soon.
 
Funny, I bought one of those "Squier" Fenders at a pawn shop some months ago to furnish raw materials for a cigar-box six-string.
Just got it up and making noise today. I took the Squier's neck and electrics and transplanted them into a large cigar-box. A solid hardwood piece runs through the box, and the bridge is screwed directly into that.
I only used two of the original pickups, so the 5-position switch only functions on three...
Still, I just strung it up and put it in open "G" tuning and it sounds pretty sweet!

When you take one of these apart, you can see where there's a little "cheap-out" going on... The pickups simply have a bar magnet running under the pole-pieces, for instance.
Still, construction appeared very nice and the neck is well-done.
 
Nice, I'd love to learn how to play some of the more abstract string instruments. Hammered Dulcimer is at the top of the list
 
I have always been a strict guitar player all my life but when Eddie Vedder came out with the soundtrack for "Into the Wild", I had to have a mandolin. I bought a beginner Rogue model and have really enjoy learning this new instrument !!!
 
I give credit where credit is due for mandolin and violin players. My hands aren't big, but the feel like polish sausages when I pick either of those two instruments up. I miss both my ghetto Ariana mandolin and my cumbus mandolin, it's a sound you don't forget.
 
Sweet man! Always loved the Mandolin. I dabble in Guitar, Banjo, Native American Flute (Lakota 5 hole), Didgeridoo, and Djembe, Ukulele, and a few others, and have at least one of each of those. Never gotten to play a Mandy, but love their sound and what people can do with them. Especially in the bluegrass style, it's just great to listen to.

Great purchase. Playing music makes you smarter ya know! Or so they say....doesn't seem to be working for me...
 
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