E course String Problem

[yankees1]

I have a new Eastman 915 with new Elixir strings. Playing both E course strings open, they sound great up and down the fretboard. With my finger on both E course strings from fret 1-4 , both strings sound good and in tune with each other. From fret five up to fret eleven is where the problems are. With my finger on both strings , the lower E string ( closest to A string) rings out clear but the higher E string is muted . On fret nine both E course strings are dead and the only sound you hear is the pick sound on the strings. On frets ten and eleven the lower E string rings and the higher E string is muted. From fret twelve on up the clear sound returns ( both E strings) all the way up the fetboard! I am puzzled! Instrument was set up professionally ! Ideas?

[Michael Lewis]

Sounds like loose frets ends. Tap the frets with some small metal object and listen for the quality of "click". Clear and definite click means good solid fret, dull response means loose fret.

[yankees1]

Sounds like loose frets ends. Tap the frets with some small metal object and listen for the quality of "click". Clear and definite click means good solid fret, dull response means loose fret. Thanks for suggestion! I did check fretwire #9 with a magnifying glass and there is a space with daylight showing through between the fretwire and fretboard at the end! Other fretwires appear fine with no space showing! Thanks!

[Michael Lewis]

Tap them and listen for the "click".

[lenf12]

Hi Yankees1,

First of all, follow Michael's advice to eliminate loose frets as a cause of your problems. If it were my mandolin, I would then try raising the bridge somewhat to see if that clears up the problem. If it does and the action is not too extreme (or manly as WSM might've said), you may be back in business. It could be just a case of a few frets being a bit too high or need for a trussrod adjustment. You say it was professionally setup. You may want to go back to your professional and have them diagnose the problem if none of these steps help you. Also, it could've been setup in a dry (or wet or cold or warm) section of the country and you live in the opposite type of climate.
These little mandolins are very dynamic and could easily double as a weather forecasting devices. Bottom line is it doesn't sound like a serious problem at all. Just a relatively minor adjustment is all that's needed.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL