Question about my mandolin...

[Seadog]

I don't know where to post this question, but I am new to the mandolin, okay I'm brand new to music and got a very cheap mandolin to see if it is something I could learn on and if it something I would enjoy. I think, however, my Mandolin is too cheap or built wrong, I can't fret the strings individually (I do know and mean the two together)without touching th next set of strings. What is the spacing suppose to be between string sets? Mine seem way way, way too close together. The width of the fret board just below the nut is 1 3/8 inches...does this seem to small? What is a typical dimension of a Mandolin neck?

[Walter Newton]

1-3/8" would be extremely wide, do you mean 1-3/16" (which would be more or less on the wider side of typical)? #I think your best bet would be to find a qualified local teacher to take a look at your instument and show you the ropes!

[Bob A]

I suspect that the instrument may have poor spacing between the string pairs. At the nut, my F4 has about 3mm distance between the paired strings, and a distance of 6mm between the pairs of strings. (This works out to a tenth of an inch and two tenths, on the other side of the ruler).

You may need to have the notches in the nut and bridge re-cut by someone who knows what he's doing. Don't give up on the mandolin until you've played a good one. The difference might surprise you.

[Paul Hostetter]

Walter has it. You can have all eight strings spaced equidistant yet if, as you say, "the width of the fret board just below the nut is 1-3/8 inches" the neck is still rather wide compared to most mandolins. It has nothing to do with string spacing: the width of the board is just that: the width of the board. I'd personally like that width, but nothing I could do about the notches in either the bridge or the nut could change it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Hans]

Steven, most mandolins have anywhere from 1" to 1-3/16" width at the nut. Most newer mandolins fall within 1/64" either side of 1-1/8". Bob's measuremnets sound about right for string spacing, but again, that depends on the width of the nut and how close you want the outside strings to be to the edge of the 1st fret.

[Martin Jonas]

Another thing that may be relevant is that mandolin string are fretted with the tip of the finger, not with the pad. #The last finger joint should be perpendicular to the fretboard. For clean fretting, your hand position needs to be right, too.

While it is possible that your string spacing is wrong, I think it is more likely that you just need some pointers on fretting technique and a lot of getting used to the dimensions of the mandolin. Some contact with neighbouring strings may be unavoidable depending on the size of your fingers, but you should work on technique to ensure clean notes and chords.

I recommend you get a teacher, or at least a good book covering the basics. #I recommend Simon Mayor's "The Mandolin Tutor", as I find he is pretty good on the very first steps for somebody who's never played any music before.

Martin

[jackofall]

Judging by post count, I'm probably newbier than most who have replied so far, and so my first impressions of mando are relatively fresh in my mind.

When I first held the mando I had as a beginner (which had a fairly hefty nut width of about 30mm and very good string spacing) I was staggered. I couldn't believe that anyone could play something so cramped. Like you I couldn't fret the string courses without damping the neighbouring strings.

It is an acclimatisation thing. The set-up and spacing on your mando might be perfect. There may be no problem other than the beginner's natural incredulity that such a tiny neck can be playable!

Like Walter said, get someone with more mando experience to take a look at the instrument, and maybe give you some tips. Alternatively, a few pics of your fretboard and nut might shed some light...

[Seadog]

Everyone is so helpful, I was hoping to get an answer, but absolutely thrilled to get 5!

I went back and checked my measurements and checked the string spacing. The nut is 1-3/16, I was measuring below that where I play the notes. #My strings are 3mm apart and about 5mm from the sets. #

I guess its possible the mandolin is correct after all, so now I must examine the user!

I understand the fret is done with the tip of the finger, not the pad (although very good advice) but I still cannot fret the inner strings without touching and deadening the neighboring string--no matter how hard I try. #I will not give up however, I will keep trying and there is a guitar teacher at my church--he may be able to help me get up and running. #I may still go to a music shop and try another mandolin just to make sure its really me...:D

Failure has never been part of my plan.
I curse times I don’t, when I know that I can.
My standard, my goal, my hope is perfection,
yet I am met with regret, rebuke and rejection.
Failure is a companion I have grown to despise,
its taunts and its laughs are not found in your eyes.
by Shawn Pearson

Thanks everyone for all you help, I'll be on these boards for a long time to come! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[tryinghard]

I too am very new to the mandolyn, just started last April. It's taken me since then to build up callouses to the point where I can actually practice long enough to make a difference in my learning curve. I think you will find that once you have some callouse on the tips of the fingers the deadening you speak of will be less. You won't feel the need to press as hard to get the note.