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OK, thanks again for all the help here. I took it to a local resonator expert and repairman (this guy: http://www.reso-dude.com/ ). He is absolutely convinced it's a 30's National that "had a hard...

Here's what the top of the headstock looks like:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1f3kK10OcPfk9AmMNkW_hZ4_1rnlo1vQV

-Andrew

Thanks folks.

Wow, I really hope it is a National Triolian from the 30s with a repaint and sticker! That would be amazing (and a shame that someone did all that to it). I'll take a closer look at...

Hey folks, my sister-in-law got this from an estate that was clearing stuff out. I've searched for "Erwin" mandolins and resonator mandolins, but can't find a darn thing on the Googles. Not sure it...

+1.

I grew up in Staten Island, and visited Mandolin Brothers frequently as a teenager. [side note: imagine that Mandolin Brothers is your local music shop as a buddy teenage musician - yes,...

I got one of these for cheap too a couple of months ago. It's as good as any other clip on tuner. Definitely a good buy at $4.

-Andrew

Get ready for those finger callouses to get a lot thicker! Those mando strings are a lot tougher on the fingers than sweet uke nylon. Have fun!

-Andrew

I just bought a used MD515 about a month ago or so from a local music store (Harry's Guitars, Raleigh NC). I think I got a good deal at $700, and it's really nice condition.

I, like you, have been...

If you play it like a drum, you won't need to tune it :)

There's a couple of currently active threads in the equipment section about clip-on tuners and tuner apps for iOS/Android that are worth a...

Agree with all that's been said - thanks for the great and useful book, Rob!

-Andrew

Here's a good resource to use to check where the problem might be:

http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/

-Andrew

I use gStrings on the Android platform. It works very well and is quite configurable. It's been replaced by some newer version, which also works well. It was free, but I think they ask you to cough...

eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H1.Xl.r.+baggs+mandolin&_nkw=l.r.+baggs+mandolin&_sacat=0

-Andrew

Great video Jeff!! Thank you - he says it all. Don't do what the classical guitar guys do (which is how I do it on the guitar quite often).

Great pic, Des. Thanks again. I think I am getting it.
...

I find the tuners on my Eastman MD515 to be stiff. I wouldn't say "stuck" or "broken," but I think they are too tight. I am going to explore gear set screws that Kowboy mentions. I think it's easy...

I use a Boss RC-2 with my guitars. It's one of those 1-pedal models and has been superseded by the RC-3. I agree that a 2-pedal design would be easier to use, but with a little learning curve these...

Thanks Des. In that second photo, is your thumb still on the side?

Ralph - I'll need to check and see if my wrist is straight. Maybe I'll post some photos.

I am experimenting with thumb...

Thanks guys. I think I am going to:

1) change the strings
2) do my best to adjust to the intonation once they settle
3) decide if I want to bring that G string down, leave it along, or have a...

WAIT - just saw the note that her hand is wrong in those first 2 photos, so ignore that point.

But still curious about where left hand thumb goes for barre chords.

Thanks!

Great info folks - thank you!

Chris - the blog is helpful. However, I do see that it appears the model has her thumb on the back of the center neck in a few of the photos (e.g. the first and...

thanks for the help folks - great, helpful forum!

So I took the plunge and raised it a quarter turn. It sounds great - much less (maybe no?) buzz. The intonation is about where it was.

To...

Yep, read that book, but still had a few questions that I didn't think were addressed there. Great book, though!

Thanks for sharing the experience with your Eastman. My issues are more with...

Hi folks,

I'm a guitar player with limited mandolin experience. I recently upgraded to an Eastman MD515 and want to start learning how to play mandolin like a real mandolin player (not some guitar...

Hi folks,

I'm a guitar player who has been playing a bit more mandolin at church. I decided to upgrade my cheap hand-me-down to an Eastman MD515 recently. It was used (well cared for) and I got a...

I keep my nails very short to the point where there's almost no white part showing. I'm kind of weird about it, but I think it developed from playing fretted instruments for 26 years. The calloused...