Doing the setup

[WmBuoymaster]

So I got the setup ebook from Rob last night and in just from what I read through, it looks very detailed and informative. From photos to how simple he explains things is great. However....

I'm nervous as can be to attempt this. Lol. Should I be if I take my time and pay attention to the instructions? I'm scared to death I'll ruin a bridge or nut doing this! Maybe cut too deep or sand too much.

Has anyone here done the setup and what was your experience? I have a cheap Johnson that needs it and figured I'd try.

[HonketyHank]

The only sanding that I remember is on the feet of the bridge. The temptation there is to stop too soon, not to sand too much. So don't worry on that score.

Cutting nut slots, one must be fairly patient and follow his instructions. It is easy to cut too deep if you get in a hurry. But his instructions are clear on this and easy, so just follow them. Don't worry, be happy!

Many, many folks here have had great success following his instructions and I don't remember anyone complaining. So have at it.

[WmBuoymaster]

He sands or files the nut if it needs it after he does the cutting. I have the 32 pc gauges. Will this file set be ok? http://m.harborfreight.com/needle-fi...-pc-69876.html

[Kalasinar]

I did the setup following Rob's excellent guide in Nov/Dec 2015 when I bought a cheap mandolin for my best friend as a Christmas gift to get her started on mandolin. She had shown great interest but couldn't justify the prices the local music shop offered.

I hadn't had any experience setting up, or barely even playing, a stringed/fretted instrument before attempting the setup. I will say however that I am generally very handy when it comes to making and fixing things...I know my way around various tools and have worked with wood, ceramics, plastics etc. So the general use of the tools required and the basic processes (like sanding, carving) weren't particularly new to me...but at the same time I had not worked on mandolin parts before. I didn't find it all that difficult in the end, and the whole process was quite rewarding. Though not nearly as rewarding as the grin on my friend's face at Christmas when she opened her present.

I would suggest re-reading the guide to make sure you understand each process and plan how you are going to go about each part before you do anything. Have a clean work space with good lighting, and make sure you're comfortable. I think so long as you don't rush through anything or apply too much force than is necessary, you are unlikely to mess anything up. Just take things slowly, give yourself breaks and don't be impatient with it.

And if you do mess anything up, it's not the end of the world. It's quite easy to get replacement parts on eBay or in music shops. Treat any mistake as a learning experience. You might even find yourself replacing parts anyway... the stock tailpiece on the mandolin I set up was awful and broke during stringing. I had to buy a new one, which was annoying, but much better in the long term.

Good luck!

[Timbofood]

GO SLOWLY!
The whole idea of learning how is, to learn how. I was lucky, I had some very talented mentors who shared their expertise and still do when I am "in a crack" so to speak.
Rob's book has shared a great amount of knowledge, is very well laid out and clearly stated for us mere mortals.
I am in no way to,be confused with a luthier, cabinetmaker, boatbuilder, or anything broadly resembling any of those most honorable titles! I'm a nail bender, hayshaker, frycook, grill fool. I know what I can and should not do.
Life is a learning process, you are not going to ruin (or even damage) anything which cannot be repaired or replaced (by yourself or even if it needs professional help) so, a basic instrument it the perfect place to learn basic skills.
If you get in trouble, there are very wise folks who help here!

[WmBuoymaster]

Sweet guys. I really feel better about this. The good thing is I have 2 here and the one I plan on doing this to is terrible compared to the one I'm practicing with. Lord I hope the guys at the music store will send out my Loar I'm paying on the right way.

So if the Johnson ( freebie and new) works out then I can go again on the stagg ($150 kit) while I still have something to practice with. That Loar, according to my accountant the wife, is still 2 months away.

Ill give this a go!

[HonketyHank]

He sands or files the nut if it needs it after he does the cutting. I have the 32 pc gauges. Will this file set be ok? http://m.harborfreight.com/needle-fi...-pc-69876.html

I am pretty sure that is the file set I have and used to notch the feeler guages.

[WmBuoymaster]

Thanks!

[Timbofood]

Bad joke but, take care of your own "Johnson" and you will understand what to do with your Loar!

[WmBuoymaster]

Lmao!!

[Folkmusician.com]

He sands or files the nut if it needs it after he does the cutting. I have the 32 pc gauges. Will this file set be ok? http://m.harborfreight.com/needle-fi...-pc-69876.html

I do buy these (often on sale for $2) needle files and custom grind them for various things.
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-piec...e-set-468.html

You could make some acceptable nut files if you took them too the grinding wheel.

If you are talking about taking the top off the nut after cutting the grooves, I believe this is the best thing Harbor Freight has.
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-...ile-96626.html

They are often on sale for $2 and work fine. They are aggressive, but if you are careful, there is no problem. This is a little larger than I like, but at $2! I keep several around and I do use them to take the top off of nuts. Best practice, is to grind the side smooth and then you can use your finger as a guide when filing the nut. Makes it much easier (and safer).


If you want a better file (and they are worth it), you can grab a Nicholson or similar for around $7. Home depot stocks them. I do prefer the 6" size to an 8". I don't really get much more life out of these, but the cut is nicer as is the balance of the smaller file.

[gtani7]

If you file a nut too wide or deep, you can shim it up or fill the slots with superglue and bone dust. Bone dust is nasty stuff, don't inhale it (don't inhale ebony dust, or finish dust or any materials dust you can avoid, ideally you'd have a respirator, but working beside a fan in the garage is probably ok for a one off job. You can fill slots in ebony similarly, rosewood dust or whatever.

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...d-dust-dangers

You can buy cheap replacement bridges that are usually properly fitted together and glued together from Saga or elderly, Greg Boyd, etc: http://www.sagamusic.com/products/sh...ypeid=Mandolin

fitting the feet: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ng-bridge-feet

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...a-bridge/page2

[Mandoplumb]

On an inexpensive mandolin like a Johnson, there is no need to worry about original parts, so worst case if you overdo new nut blanks are a couple dollars, and a couple hours to fit them and you've learned something. There are also inexpensivebbridges but you are unlikely to overdo them. Have fun and learn a little about your mandolin. I think after a little experience you will like your set up better than someone doing it for you.

[Br1ck]

In addition to the setup in Rob's book, you may want/need to dress the frets for best action. It took me about six tries being ultra conservative to finally achieve playability comparable to my Silverangel. I cut one slot too deep, corrected with the superglue method,and four or five tries to get the bridge to top contact right. Then quite a lot of fret leveling above the twelft fret was necessary. In the end it was about a month process. I had it close and played it for two weeks before attacking the frets.

Buy several e strings because you will break some if you tune/retune a bunch. It is a great time and a rewarding experience if you enjoy tinkering. Turned my bargain mandolin into something worth playing.

[EdHanrahan]

+1 for Mandoplumb's logic above.

If I were in your shoes, I'd buy the cheapest "non-garbage" instrument I could buy (like Rogue's 2-fer mando + guitar for under $100, that Rob has noted here more than once) and do the setup on those -just to get the feel- before digging into an instrument that I actually cared about.

Personally, I did nut slots and bridge adjustment on a bunch of cheaper guitars (Kays, Yamahas, etc.) before diving into my new-to-me Martin three decades ago. Still, I took quite a deep breath before the big leap of applying file to nut.

OTOH, my VERY FIRST intonation adjustment was on a '60s Fender Jazzmaster whose fully adjustable individual bridges meant that mistakes were easily undone. I fondly remember my amazement (in the days when I was 20 and electric G strings were often wound) that the bridges ended up in the same zigging pattern as was obvious on some acoustic guitars, and I suddenly understood why.