Bass string issue/question for the group

[spenser]

Relatively new OM owner of a Weber Beartooth OM. Love the sound, look and general feel of the OM but am having trouble with the bass G string. Specifically, it seems to "roll" off the side of the fret board, seemingly as if it is not "tight" enough, even though it is in tune. The overall action is relatively low. So my question, is this a set up issue, as I have never had it professionally set up since purchased from dealer several months ago? Or is it a function of the long neck or some other "geometry" unique to the OM? This does not effect/affect the sound, but is just offputting when playing, even with my slow and imprecise motions. Thanks for any help, and appreciate being a member of the CBOM section!

[Eddie Sheehy]

Is the bridge centered? Maybe off-center on the bass side? Ditto the nut?

[John Flynn]

I had the same issue at first with my 22.75" scale OM, using J80 strings. Assuming your instrument is set up properly, my opinion is that for me, it was a difference in "feel" between the OM and regular mandolins. The larger instrument has a wider neck, so there is a tendency to be pushing upward on the G strings. Also the strings are longer and so there is more room to flex in the middle. I learned to ease off my finger tension and it is no longer a problem for me. I suppose you could have a luthier change your string spacing and/or you could go to heavier strings, but my advice is that it may not be necessary.

[Tavy]

That's a problem I get all the time: both on vintage mandolins with ultra-light strings, and on my waldzither. It is a "user error", although I now set up my instruments to add a bit of extra distance between the bass strings and the fingerboard edge. Other than checking the bridge position, you could also try slightly heavier strings on the G courses and see if that helps. Otherwise you're into new nuts and a complete setup job.

John.

[Bertram Henze]

I'm with Tavy here: user error. This never happens to me on my OM which has a rather wide fretboard, but when I tried my old tenor banjo again (after 20 years of temperance), with a much narrower fretboard, G kept slipping off. I never had this problem when I played the TB in the old days, so I'd have to re-learn it now if I wished to (I think not).

[sgarrity]

I do a lot of slides when I play mandolin. I'm new to the octave as well and I've noticed that the string pairs tend to want to seperate when I slide, especially on the G and D strings. If I vary my technique slightly and use just the smallest amount of pressure downward toward the treble side, the problem goes away. At some point i may look at having a new nut and bridge cut. But for now I can get by with a change in technique. It's just the difference in feel between instruments.

Now I did have to have a nut recut for a Flatiron flattop mando I had because the G strings were to close to the edge and constantly slipping off.

[Jim M.]

You may need to change your technique but if it's rolling off the nut , I'd say the slots aren't deep enough and you should have a luthier look at it.

[sliabhstv]

As others have said, do check that all the hardware is lined up and squared up.

But when I read your original inquiry I remembered how I do that, too. So I agree that it's a matter of getting accustomed to the techniques that keep it on the board.

My Crump zouk came with pretty close spacing of the strings within the pairs, that helped with the technique, but I can still get a little wild and push the G's over the side.

In a couple of instances, on some other folks' other instruments it's been useful to bring the strings closer to one another so the it was easier for them to solidly fret the pair. But Webers don't really seem to need that, I think.

stv

[dj coffey]

I don't have the string roll off the fretboard, but I do find my pinky tends to split the G string sometimes. I'm focusing on playing more on the pad of the little finger than the tip and that seems to do the trick.