Practice fretboard

[wommbatt]

So this may sound silly, but roll with me for a moment on this.

I'm looking for something I could use to practice finger exercises and such that isn't so bulky as my mando. An idea I had was to just get a fretboard and nut then string it. Seeing as this wouldn't be something to practice how I sound, just positioning, callous building, and stretching it seemed like it might be a decent thing to track down or ask someone to build for me.

Any thoughts?

[Markus]

How can one be sure that you are fretting cleanly and producing good tone?

When contemplating this, I always ended up thinking an emando with a small body was the best idea. I have seen ones based on the Vox guitar shape that seemed nicely small in body and thus easy transport - yet still a useful instrument that could be a ton of fun with a pair of headphones.

[wommbatt]

I grant that you wouldn't be able to truly tell if you're fretting cleanly or not

Just trying to think of a way to practice without a bulky bowl sitting there lol. Part of the problem for me is that I work nights so when I'm awake everyone else is sleeping. Kinda kills practice time.

Hadn't even thought about an emando though. Could be a cool solution.

[Tim2723]

Oddly enough, banjo players use something similar. I've seen it. It's a circular piece of solid wood with no neck, but with just five short lengths of string stretched across it. Apparently, they practice their right hand picking techniques with this.

Drummers too use similar idea with rubber practice pads that have the same resiliency as a drum head. They practice their rolls and such in near silence.

I don't know if your idea would work well, but it's not too far-fetched. What you're talking about is sometimes called an 'analog'. Something that takes the place of the original yet provides some important aspect of the original.

Brass players also have silent 'practice mutes'. The Yamaha corporation has gone one step further by electrifying these so that a horn player can practice almost silently and hear himself through earphones. An E-mando with an electric guitarist's earphone amp would be the same principle.

It's not a crazy idea at all.

Oh, and some Irish session musicians have taken to installing pickups in their mandolins attached to small earphone amps. They play acoustically but use the earphones to monitor themselves.

[wommbatt]

thanks, that's some food for thought 8]

glad to know I'm not crazy lol, and I think I'll go scope out some electrics

[mandroid]

There are spring devises for your fingering muscle strength training.

I rode a Bus with a piper that had an electronic thing he blew into like a penny-whistle , but it was silent.

[Tim2723]

A solid-body electric with an earphone amp certainly will work. It's pretty popular actually. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[Tim2723]

There are spring devises for your fingering muscle strength training.

I rode a Bus with a piper that had an electronic thing he blew into like a penny-whistle , but it was silent.

I forgot about those. They too are analogs, as are penny whistles with the fipple closed by tape. You can blow and finger away and make no sound. The idea shows up everywhere.

[Michael Richmond]

Sounds almost exactly like a RISA solid paired with Aquila 5th tuning strings. Also known as my travel mando: https://www.ukulele.de/shop4/en-RISA-Uke-Solid-Soprano-Geared-tuners-

Unplugged it makes just enough sound for the player to hear it when I play with a rubber pick. Or I plug it into my iphone using an Apogee Jam. The Uke with a real strap, a small box for picks, a tuner, a 2 foot guitar cable, and the Jam fit into the case that came with the RISA. Makes it one thing to grab when rushing out the door for a business trip.

I've been toying with the idea of installing metal ferrels in the string holes so I can use steel strings. I think the geared tuners will handle it.

[John Flynn]

+1 on the RISA. That's exactly how I use mine, as kind of a "mandolin practice device" for travel. I have the older model with the friction tuners, but they work OK. I did have a new bridge made for better intonation and I am really happy with that mod. Thanks for the tip on the Apogee Amp. I had been using an iGtr, which works great, but it's just one more thing to deal with on a trip. Let us know if you try the steel strings. I would be wary of that, personally. I think the tuners would handle it, but I'm not sure some of the other parts would.

[wommbatt]

holy... that's BRILLIANT! that's exactly what I was looking for 8D

[delsbrother]

There used to be a device that was exactly what you described - a flat piece of wood with frets and strings attached, used only to practice stretches and fingerings. They used to sell it in the backs of guitar mags. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called, sorry. But it did/does exist.

[budashoots]

Try the guitar center I think they are called shredneck. 50.00 bucks Might even check out The pocket mando

[wommbatt]

I like that shredneck thing, but the ones I've been able to track down are all built as guitars. So wouldn't that create a problem as far as fret spacing is concerned?

[John Flynn]

I like that shredneck thing, but the ones I've been able to track down are all built as guitars. So wouldn't that create a problem as far as fret spacing is concerned?
If you were wanting to do mandolin practice, yes the fret spacing would be different. Also the neck width would be very different, the string spacing/number of strings would be different and there is the issue that you couldn't actually play it as musical instrument. You would just be doing mechanics. Whereas with the RISA, the Weber Sweet Pea and most of the "pocket mando" designs, you actually have a functional mandolin, not one you would want to play in public, but one that gives you the whole experience.

[mandroid]

Feeling DIY?Glue a pre-cut, slotted, fret board, on a hardwood 1x1, and banging in fretwire and, stretching some
steel mandolin strings across the length, will give the resistance you seem to wish, for just callus building..