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Don't see Kalamazoos too often in the UK. This one could definitely use a refret/new fret board and a bit of body repair. But if it goes for £50 and you can do the work, could be a bargain.

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JH, you're really onto something there! Thank you so much for that. Changing my hand angle helps enormously. I've been fretting with the pinky virtually parallel to the fretboard. Just a small change...

That's a good idea, thanks. I always wanted some lessons, but living first in rural Wales, and for the last two years in Sweden, finding a teacher has been impossible. However, I am living in London...

I've been playing mandolin for about 5 years now and have never taken a lesson, so chances are my technique and practice is far from optimum, so I wonder if you good pickers might be able to suggest...

This is a very interesting discussion!

Equating increased volume to increased sound quality is a very real phenomena which has been exploited by less scrupulous hi-fi dealers for a long time....

I thought a violin was just a mandolin constructed with fewer strings and no frets to keep production costs down ;)

Indeed, they didn't elaborate on tonal quality. I guess as a research project,...

Hi

Just heard this on BBC Radio 4 this afternoon. It is about violins, but is wholly relevant to us mandolin pickers. The precursor of violins had round sound holes, which evolved to semi-circle...

I don't have any empirical data, but I think I have observed that the price vintage Gibson mandolins realise has been steadily decreasing, while the price of their budget line Kalamazoo has been...

I second what Bart said. So does this guy, and he gives a bit more detail on cleaning and maintaining mando tuners..

http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html

I came across this on youtube a few days ago. Chris T playing a couple of '24 Loars, one with virzi one without. Really nice clip, you get to hear the difference yourself and hear Chris describe the...

The concept of hand carved tops and backs seems quite a simple concept to grasp to me. What confuses me is that in the UK we get some crisps (potato chips to those of you Stateside) proudly...

At a party at my apartment an Irish lass said "I like your ukulele" to which I winced and told her it wasn't a uke. She apologised and said "sorry, electric ukulele"

I've had an odd recurring problem with breaking E strings whilst slacking the strings. I did it just yesterday, but fortunately was in the process of changing the old strings out so not a problem...

Hi Ivan!

I do remember our conversation. I want to find the time to visit TAMCO, but my work is not running trips to Brighton this year - as they had in the past - so I'd need to find my own way...

Thanks for all the replies, guys.

If I didn't live out of a suitcase and had the tools I'd like to have a go at doing the work myself, unfortunately that's not the case.

Ivan, I was hoping to...

Hi all

I am looking to get a new bridge fitted (which I am in possession of), the fretboard extension scooped and a small area finish damage touched up on my mandolin.

I'm only in London for...

No mandolin, alas, but that can be forgiven. Doc Watson isn't it!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUzVUNJKiDc

Would it not make more financial sense to just buy and eat less food instead? ;-)

I'm going to be back in the UK working in London during June and July and am planning my first visit to TAMCO as well!

Hi Bruce. You'll want to detune a bit, I'd be surprised if you could turn the thumbwheels to raise the action with a mando tuned up. Unless you have very strong fingers! I tend to slacken off the G...

Happened to my LM600 the first time I tried to attach a strap to it.

I just put superglue on the pin and stuck it back it. It hasn't budged since :)

I really want a levin aristokrat. If I find one for the right price, I'm going to have plunge myself into even more debt!

There is a split in the top of this one too, but you can't see it in the photo. I hope it holds out or isn't too expensive to fix.

I have this strung up in the Get up John tuning which suits it...

Hi guys

Here is a photo of my recently acquired Levin Palermo mandolin next to my The Loar LM600. I'm living in Sweden for two years doing a masters degree, and really wanted to get myself a Levin...

Welcome to the forum!

Wow! A 335 shaped mando. We had a discussion on this forum a while back which started with someone wondering if anyone had built one in the past. I struck a chord in me...