my new Black Rogue just bought from Musicians Friend

[Kizmit]

and I put new strings on it. EXP 77

[Pete Summers]

Welcome to the Cafe.

Rogue mandolins are a perfectly good beginner's mandolin IF they are set-up correctly for easy action. Set-up is crucial on any mandolin. Since Musician's Friend doesn't do set-ups, you'll probably need to pay someone to do it, or better yet, learn to do it yourself. Email Rob Meldrum at rob.meldum *at* gmail.com and request a copy of his very good ebook on setting up mandolins. Also Frets.com has a lot of information on various mandolin issues.

Rogues are better sounding and playing mandolins than they have any right to be, given the price. Once you decide whether you want to continue playing mandolin, you may want to move up to an all wood instrument at some point, but these are fine instruments to get you started.

Lots of great advice can be found on this site. Have fun.

[JEStanek]

Welcome to the Cafe and enjoy it!

Jamie

[Mule Train]

Far out. Very sharp mandolin. A good set up IS recomended. Have fun!

[shortymack]

Congrats!.....got to love the cafe, people posting NMD's from Collings Mt2's to Rogues to Gils to customs and all are treated with open arms.

[Kizmit]

thank you all for replying. I am enjoying my new Mandolin. Then new strings sound nice I think I need a different pick though. I am using a medium guitar pick. I saw some on amazon by Golden Gate and on Musicians Friend by Dunlop that are Gel.

[LedZandolin]

Grab a V-pick it has improved my playing a good amount!

[Randi Gormley]

My Rogue had a nut that was way, way too high -- that seems to be a condition of them. Just to alert you. And welcome to the cafe!

[Rob Meldrum]

I searched my old email requests and found kizmit had already requested the ebook after seeing one of my YouTube videos. I am in the process of making a series of detailed videos on aspects of set up: nut, bridge, intonation. I've given away about a thousand copies of the ebook in the past year. I hope that means a lot of people have improved the playability of their mandolins!

I really believe that a beginner can take a fifty dollar Rogue, set it up properly and play it for two to five years before needing to upgrade to something nicer. And when it comes time to upgrade they will be much more knowledgeable about construction and playability. Play on!

Rob

[Adamas]

Just purchased the same last week with a Gig bag and a couple of light and extra light set of strings (from Musician's Friends as well)

First post as well! Just joined last week

Adamas

[HonketyHank]

Welcome, bienvenu, Adamas. I look forward to hearing about your progress. It is a crazy obsession, this mandolin thing.

[Randi Gormley]

that's the mandolin I keep in my office -- you may need to see if it needs set up, though. Mine had to have a lot cut off the bottom of the nut.