Mandolin setup in north east England????? Help me!

Hi. I have a nice 1995 Flatiron F-5 but it needs a setup. (The frets go slightly out of tune high up and a couple frets could probably do with a filing. The problem is, that I live in North East England. There are plenty of guitar shops that do setups but I need someone who really knows what they are doing. I live in Northumberland (30 miles from Newcastle) I'd prefer somewhere in Northumberland or Newcastle but I am prepared to travel a bit for someone who really knows what they're doing. Could somebody please suggest some people I could contact...

Have a look at the builder/repairer list at www.mandolin.org.uk to find your nearest repairer.

Dave H

If you're prepared to travel up to Scotland,there's a great luthier who's done work on my friend & Cafe member Gerry Hastie's Summit F style mandolin. Unless you can find a luthier closer to you whom you trust,then consider making the trip to have the job well done.
PM coming up,
Ivan

Thomas Buchanan is in the NE, check him out.

Thanks guys. I'll have a look into those people.

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Originally Posted by G7MOF

Thomas Buchanan is in the NE, check him out.

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I thought he was in Cleckheaton?

Definately Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire.

Dave H

From Ray(T) - "I thought he was in Cleckheaton ?" .That is the NE to us Ray - Up i'th 'ills ,:grin:
Ivan;)

:grin:Maybe to you Ivan but, to those of us who live outside the M60, its not even in the NE of the NW. We're off to the "real" NE next month.

The clue is in the name ' WEST Yorkshire '

Dave H

Hi Dave - It is West Yorkshire,but it's still 'North East' of Manchester,
Ivan;)

So is Rochdale!;) (I don't think Gracie Fields played mandolin but she did spend many years living in Capri!)

You could ask Nigel Crinson in Hartlepool. He's a violin/guitar builder, but he may have experience with mandolins. He doesn't seem to have a website at the moment, but you could contact him through Facebook - search for "Crinson UK Guitars".

Otherwise, you could ask local builders (eg. Nigel Forster, Stefan Sobell, Terry Docherty). They may not want do the work themselves, but they may be able to recommend someone.

Patrick

Came across http://www.smallstrings.co.uk/ today I think they are in Northumberland.

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Originally Posted by Ray(T)

I thought he was in Cleckheaton?

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Yes, my mistake. Although he was in Scotland at one point then he moved to Cleckheaton...

I can strongly recommend Rob Gibbs, who has recently moved to Whitby, not far from you. He's a guitar builder, but does repairs and setups as well. He's just done a brilliant rescue job on a Rob Armstrong mandolinetto for me; it was a basket case, but now plays and sounds wonderful. (Don't take a lot of money with you, or you'll end up ordering one of his instruments, like I did...). He's a young luthier, destined for great things. The 12 fret slothead guitar he built for me is an absolute monster. http://robgibbsguitars.co.uk/

I just took a peek Rob Gibbs' website - my first mistake today !!.He's seriously good, & there's one parlour sized guitar on there that made my hair stand on end,
Ivan

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Originally Posted by PseudoCelt

Otherwise, you could ask local builders (eg. Nigel Forster, Stefan Sobell, Terry Docherty). They may not want do the work themselves, but they may be able to recommend someone.

Patrick

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I'm in Germany now Patrick. Leipzig. I doubt Stefan would be interested, but you could give Terry a try, he's in Newcastle.

Nigel
www.nkforsterguitars.com

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Originally Posted by nkforster

I'm in Germany now Patrick. Leipzig.

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Thanks for the reminder, Nigel. I remember reading on your website that you'd moved to Leipzig.