Martin Mando Equipment Questions

[allezlesbleus]

Howdy,

I recently got a Martin A mandolin and I've looked at a whole bunch of postings but am still a bit confused. I've seen 99% info about Gibsonesque instruments and 1% about everything else...or at least it seems that way. I haven't really been able to distill the information I'm looking for.

I'm a long time fiddle player blessed/cursed with a decent ear. I got the Martin because the woody tone with good sustain attracted me. I'm looking to play Irish and Swedish fiddle tunes on it. My session instrument is the fiddle, the mando is just for my own pleasure so I'm not concerned too much with volume, more a sweet, dark tone that would bring out the best in the Martin. More a gut string tone rather than a steel string tone.

1) What strings would you recommend? I've read about J74s, flatwound strings, Lenzers, Infelds...

2) I liked the Tone Gard, are there any other brands of this kind of "bodyrest"? The mando sounds much better when I hold it off my body.

3) Is there a particular kind of arm rest that you'd recommend? One that would fit what I've got?

4) Do picks make that big a difference in playing? If so, any kind that would be good for what I'm looking for?

Thanks for all your help and I promise I'll keep the answers handy for the next clueless newbie.

ALB

[JGWoods]

Welcome-
You didn't say quite enough about your Martin A to get very specific opinions. Is it a carved top, f hole model, or the more common, delightful, flat/cant top oval hole kind?

I have some opinions based on rather limited playing and owning similar instruments.
Use light strings on the oval hole A model flat tops, 10-36 or so. they were not made for todays typical strings which run 11-40 or so. Personally I like DR lights.

Most folks play mandolin with fairly thick picks compared to guitar players, and rounded points, my favorite being the 1.5mm Wegens. Many players may chime in and disagree, but that's my impression from reading many posts.

Tone guards and arm rests- can't help you there. I don't use them, and find I can get good tone if I position the mandolin to get it- keeping it away from me while sitting. most OT players are sitter downers so we can do that.

I think the old Martin flat tops, cant tops, whatever you want to call them, are great instruments. The short scale makes them easier to play, and the tone is great for anything but bluegrass. I have an SS Stewart all koa model, made by Martin most likely, that's a pleasure to play.

enjoy
jgwoods

[allezlesbleus]

It's the delightful kind.

[Eugene]

1. I agree with JGWoods. My favorites on canted-top mandolins are by a little Italian firm named Dogal, their "Calace" brand carbon steel. They are only available in the US from a CA shop, Classic Bows.

2. Try holding it like a classical guitar: at a slight angle with the back suspended free, only making contact with the very edges of the istrument.

3. Sorry, not my bag.

4. Absolutely. While bluegrassers with f-holed mandolins, heavy strings, and the need to execute the "chop," yes, thick, blunt picks are the norm. However, lightly strung, canted-top mandolins respond better to thinner, pointier picks. The standard wee teardrops would work, but they are far too short for my personal taste. I cut 0.8 mm Clayton "Large Triangles" to a traditional Neapolitan shape and am very happy with the results on my Martin. (See the whole top row of this image provided by Cafe regular Jim Garber.)


I'd love to see your SS Stewart, JGWoods. Can you post an image. All Martin's mandolins are rather distinctive and it should be easy to determine if it's a Martin or not.