Problem Changing Strings

[GinaG65]

Hi all, this is my first post here. I'm really a guitar player (been playing almost 30 years) but have recently taken up the mandolin after buying an inexpensive one off of a friend.

I'm doing really well with it...and then I decided to change the strings. You know how the strings have a loop on the end, and they go over the hooks on the mandolin? (Sorry, don't know the technical word for those hooks), well, some of them are so tight that I couldn't get the strings on unless I pried them up with a knife while at the same time trying to slip the loop over it. I even broke a string while trying to squeeze it over the hook. I did manage to change them in the end, but surely they shouldn't be this hard to change? Is it just because I have a cheap mandolin? My friend actually bought off ebay so who knows where it came from, it doesn't even have a make on it.

I just want to know that if I buy a better mandolin, it'll be easier to change the strings. Thanks!

[Jim Garber]

If the mandolin is decent, you could just replace the tailpiece. Sounds like that is a cheap one. It should not be so difficult.

Jim

[grandmainger]

All you need to know about Mandolin Restringing is on:
www.frets.com/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString/mandostring1.html)
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Germain

[fatt-dad]

It's at least 33.333 percent harder to change the mandolin strings - ha. If you pried up the little tabs, you likely will be in good shape for the next string change.

f-d

[GinaG65]

All you need to know about Mandolin Restringing is on:
www.frets.com/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString/mandostring1.html)
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Germain
Yep, been there done that! That's the first place I looked when I was having trouble.

When I said I pried the hooks up -- they didn't stay (I didn't actually bend them up permanently). Thanks, jgarber, I never even though of just replacing the tailpiece. I think I might do that. But thanks for confirming that it shouldn't be that hard. Having changed guitar strings for years I never thought it should be so difficult! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif #(hey, love this mandosmiley!)

[stevem]

Welcome to the Cafe. My solution is, now that you have the strings on, never change them again. Works for me. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Lee]

GinaG65, what, no blood? Yer doing just fine!

[Tom C]

It sounds like it has an Allen tailpiece on it like mine which is a pain in the &^%^%$$^.

Does it look like this....mine? I could never get the "D" string off that is next to the "G" because the the G string prevent the D loop from coming off. I have to loosen the G string to no tension.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f231/tomando/BRW4.jpg

[GinaG65]

Yeah that sort of looks like mine, but mine is wider. Sorry I don't know much about the mechanics of the mandolin...I just know how to play it! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif #I'm still learning.

This will make you all laugh..when I bought it from my friend, she never thought to tell me that if you take off all the strings at once, the bridge falls off! I thought it would be just like a guitar...haha..what did I know? I got the bridge back on again, no problem. But you should've seen my face when that happened! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[twaaang]

Tom C, would it work to have both G strings hook to the same tab, closer to the edge, to give you more space to clear the D? I assume you'd change both Gs at the same time anyway. -- Paul