Weber repair

[Jim Lyon]

There was recently a post about Weber frets being too high. I was just at the strawberry Music Festival (great festival - Kym Warner of the Greencards rocks on the mando!), and took my Weber Absaroaka in to Michael Lewis who does repairs at the festival (at 5pm Thurs). I had intended only to have him install a Weber cast tailpiece, and do the set-up. But while I was talking to him about what I wanted, I told him I never really liked the playability or the close spacing of the E string, and he told me he could build me a new nut and cut a new groove in the bridge to give a little more space btwn the 2 E strings. He also said he'd have to file the frets so the stings didn't wear on the old grooves.

Well to make a long story a little shorter he did all of that, plus he ended up shaving down the saddle as it was already adjusted all of the way down, and lowered the action. Well he finished all of the work by noon the next day, for a very accepatable price and outstanding workmanship; and now my mando plays and sounds like a dream. I was ready to trade it in because the payablilty was not nearly as good as my beater mando, and now it far surpasses my hopes and expectations.

I guess the moral of the story is don't give up on a well crafted mando; it may just need a little tweaking, and Michael Lewis is a gem as has been mentioned numerous times in the past, and it was a blast getting to watch him work! He's a master!

[Brian Aldridge]

Michael Lewis is a great set-up man, a great builder, and a delightful individual. Thanks for the report, Jim. I played at Strawberry about 6 years ago. The setting is breath taking. Just a few miles from Yosemite Nat'l Park. Two years ago when I visited Yosemite, I made a side trip to Camp Mather, where Strawberry is held, just to view the scenery again.

[Ken Berner]

Let us keep in mind that instrument builders cannot please the masses with their standard set-up. It will work for some, yet not for others. Please don't get down on STE (or any other builder) because you are one of the others, as we are all different, with different ears for hearing and hands with which to play the mandolin. The good news is that, with a little "custom" work, your Weber is now the instrument you want it to be!

[Jim Lyon]

Ken

I was not getting down on STE's set up, and I'm not even sure they did the final set-up before I bought the mandolin. I love the tone I get from my Ab - it is a great mando and I couldn't be happier with the quality of the work, but it was difficult for ME to play compared to other mandos I have played. My point was, as you implied as well, don't give up on a good mando if it doesn't seem like it plays right. As pointed out here and in many other posts, it may just need a different set up for the way you play.

[Pete Braccio]

Hi all,

I want to second the praise of Michael's work up at Strawberry. I went over to him with my mando thinking that I needed a setup (including bridge refit). Michael looked at it and said that all that needed to be done was file the string notches in the nut a bit. An honest guy that does great work needs to be celebrated.

Pete

P.S. His mandos were gorgeous too!

[Ken Berner]

Hi Jim, Didn't intend to seem harsh, bro. I have been the proud owner of a '99 Beartooth and have had to sand the saddle down to the height that I prefer. STE does provide an additional, shorter saddle with the original Brekke bridge in hopes of heading off any problems. Yeah, I forgot that dealers sometime call their tinkering a "set up"; I was fortunate to have avoided that. I'm glad your Absaroka is now going to provide you with much joy; Weber is a fine choice for any picker. Best wishes!