more volume

[MysTiK PiKn]

Caught me off guard with this one. But, my answer would have to be no. I haven't.

I've had my ears burned by bagpipes more than a few times - friends involved w local pipe bands. Those things are LOUD. And 30 of them just kinda take over your entire consciousness.
Yes, I'm stretching the truth a wee bit - but I find the Gstrings can get a little "drone" -ish now and then. I also mentioned it cos bonny prince charlie is a scot - same idea w the 'wee dram' mentioned. That's a shot of scotch, as if you "dunna knowit".

[MysTiK PiKn]

hi all
as I said before thanks for the great response to my problem....will try heaver gauge string first then go for bridge...does anyone Cumberland acoustics e mail address have one here..cumbacoustic@aol.com... now that for some reason does not send it come back to sender may be they have changed e mail address....help
regards charlie

I understand you might not want to get into the "mechanix" of the mandolin - it's a bit scary esp. w a new mando. But raising bridge height is pretty easy, and you can try various bridge heights, all the while watching how it affects the action (ease of playability). Truss rod adjusts are a little more daunting, and so I linked you to some sites for accurate info. But most "adjustments" involve detuning (loosening) and retuning strings - which is hard on strings. So I would hack around with bridge height, cos that's easy, a few times - and then consider new strings. Pretty simple and cost = 0.
I don't recommend heavy strings, but medium should be ok - problem with increased tension is that it puts more load on the top of the mando - and I have seen my wrecky old Harmony reshape itself (the top) - which is the mando threatening to collapse. Remember, there are actually 8 strings under high tension - it's a load, pressure, etc.
Do what is best and easiest for you. You will eventually learn some about the mechanicals; it comes naturally over time.

[mandroid]

Just restate my observation: [Devils advocate , so to say]

Mass Produced Lower cost mandolins have relatively thick wood left in their machine shaped spruce tops ,
They may just not be resonant enough and small changes may not turn that around..

Higher priced instruments reject sound board wood that a lower cost
But shipped to meet the Export Order quota even though it's not so good, just looks Ok once it's lacquered.

Hope this one is not just a Plank, I cant say either way just suggesting dont get too hopeful..

The Upgrade Jar .. rather than put a bunch of money into tailpieces and Bridges on a weak out put Box.

Perhaps put it in the jar to buy a Mandolin that is louder out of the Case.

Heavier strings and whack it harder with a stiff thick Pick

would be a way to make it louder put more force into moving the strings and the bridge to work a top which
Perhaps is not so resonant.

Hope you may be luckier , but it's a roulette wheel as to whether you got a tuesday or a friday build attention.

[Timbofood]

I still hold that re shaping the saddle is going to help a lot, having the e strings buried in the saddle like that is just not going to help volume, tone, or playability.
There are several threads about how to make height adjustments using the thumbscrews (after all that's what they are for) either under string tension, as I do, or by loosening the strings. The loosening method may be less frustrating for the first timer, both work just fine.
Just an opinion.

[MysTiK PiKn]

I've been bouncing my bridge up and down a bunch lately - and while it is possible to adjust it DOWN at full tension, MAYBE, it pretty much is really hard on my delicate fingers. Going UP, I lower tension to not quite slack, still making a lowish note, but a trace of tension will HOLD THE BRIDGE in place, so that all that intonation stuff is hopefully not required. Having said that, I'm getting faster at re-intonating - I've had the bridge off for filing a few times. I'm just enjoying this - not - but I am getting close to what I want. I never thought I'd have the courage to work on a new mando, usually reserve some of these trix for my beater. Best part is I am learning; albeit, the hard way. Never say die. !!!!

Funny - last night after touching up filing for the 3rd time (omg), while tuning up, I blew another string, a tiny little E. So I robbed my beater mando, took off the old string - and then something happened - I stood up, went somewhere, came back - and I haven't seen the replacement E string since. I think it was on my lap when I stood up. It's here somewhere; but I think I have to run a vacuum cleaner to find it - they are almost invisible, esp. w no ball end. Might be time to buy strings. (sigh). Murphy's Law seems pretty rampant around here lately.

[Timbofood]

Don't have a cat, do you? Mine used to try to steal them right out of hand when restringing.
Mystik, the trick with adjustment under tension is one a respected luthier showed me and I was very concerned until he stood next to me and walked me through the process. Once you have made the adjustment a couple of times the hair on the back of the neck settles down and it's like anything else in maintainence.

He used a wide bladed flat screwdriver, slide the blade between saddle and bridge base and "gently" twist to relieve the tension on the saddle. Then, adjust the thumbscrews, the small adjustments needed will not destroy your fingertips at all.
I know, it sounds scary and the first time or two it is a little unsettling but, I figure if he does this on instruments of the value he restores or builds, it's safe enough as long as you think abut what you're doing carefully.

[MysTiK PiKn]

wow. yep. sounds scary. I have had a bridge break before. Also had top sinking with normal string tension; but not collapse. That's definitely increasing the tension - please don't try that on my mando. And how did you know I had hair on the back of my neck?? Or was that your cat? no, don't have one.

btw - I found the lost string, right where I left it - doh!! in the garbage - along with the broken string - doh!! So I put it on the mando - and I guess it just wasn't meant to be - almost tuned up to high E ->>> kaboom. busted. (just not my day).

later.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Anybody on here's who's read any thread on strings in general to which i've contributed,will know that i really like DR brand strings.
I have DR MD11's on my Weber "Fern & my Ellis "A" style. I've been using the heavier MD12's on my larger than standard Lebeda.
However,after using MD12's for over 6 months (at least),i found myself wondering about how much more effort it's taken to get the same volume from the Lebeda as my other mandolins. Despite the tiny differences in string gauge,i did need to pick harder. So, a few weeks back,i decided that i'd put a set of MD11's on it (it did have MD11's on it at one time) again. My reasoning being that if i put the same effort into picking the lighter strings as i did in picking the heavier ones,i'd get more volume. I put on a set of MD11's 2 days ago & it's worked. All it took was a change in thinking about playing it. I know that it might sound like common sense & i should have done it in the first instance,but the Lebeda is a larger instrument - 3/4 Lb heavier that either of my others,& i reasoned that it needed heavier strings to get it kick started - it didn't,just a bit more right hand input,
Ivan

[Timbofood]

That technique isn't for everyone, I have never broken a bridge, short of structural problem, I don't know how one would break under normal wear. Not saying it doesn't happen but, it's never happened to me. I play pretty hard, have played a long time with stupid heavy strings, in my youthful days (12,16,28, 42), high action the whole McGilla. I must lead a charmed mandolin life! It just goes to show how things change. Now, stock A-270 or J-74 strings and reasonable action. I am reminded of an old song....
"Time changes everything"
Just watch, next week:
Bridge failure
Top failure!
I'm hoping that does not happen though.

"There's Nobody Like People!"
Charlie Waller

[Timbofood]

Giving this a bump.
Charles, have you remedied your volume issue and, if so, how?

[Lord of the Badgers]

Almeria's suggestion of putting a set of DR MD11's on it would be the first thing i'd try. I use DR strings on my 3 mandolins & i've found no other string that packs the sheer 'punch' that the DR's have.
Ivan

i was waiting for this post

(just joshing Ivan!)