Questions about set up

[spkx714]

Hello and thanks for your help,

My girlfriend bought me an Epiphone MM-30S "A-Style" Mandolin and I know nothing about Mandolins. I've been reading as much as I could to get some information, but I'm not having any luck; I'm sorry if this question has been answered. It seems that mandolins need to be set up and I'm wondering, since I'm a newbie, will I be able to tell if I'm playing a mandolin that has been set up compared to one that has not?

Also, I have a guitar tuner and capo, will these work for a mandolin. I don't have the mandolin yet since I'm on the road.

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[Br1ck]

Welcome to our wacky world. First thing to do is get Rob Meldrum's free e book on setting up a mandolin. It has pretty much all you need to know, with one caveat, you might need fret leveling also. I'll amend that to probably need fret leveling.

Also very helpful would be to play some well set up mandolins. These will not be found at a Guitar Center or other broad line music store, but at a string specialty shop that has a repair department. These can be few and far between. Just e mail Rob who is a member here. He's given away 4000 copies.

It is just a fact of life that the more inexpensive the mandolin, the worse the setup will be, generally speaking, but with Rob's book you will be able to make your mandolin play much easier. You may want a pro to do this, but finding one may be difficult if you don't live in a metro area. It might also cost half of what your mando is worth, but a well set up mandolin will go a long way toward a successful venture.

Your guitar tuner will work fine. You don't need a capo. Get a good set of strings and some extra e strings. You will probably break a few during the setup.

Do you know anyone who plays mandolin, or have a bluegrass jam in your area? Most anyone should be willing to help you.

[HonketyHank]

A guitar tuner works fine for mandolin too. The guitar capo probably does not. But I can't remember ever seeing anyone with a capo on their mandolin. Chords and notes are not too bad in the common key signatures.

Yes, you will be able to distinguish a well set up mandolin easily, even as a newbie. Search for 'Meldrum' here and you will eventually find instructions on how to get his eBook. Or pay ~100 USD to get a good setup including nut slot adjustment, bridge placement, bridge height, tension rod and fret leveling.

[spkx714]

Thanks Brick,
I emailed Rob. What are good strings? I live in Pittsburgh, PA, kind of a small city but I'll see what I can find. I have no idea if there are any bluegrass happenings in Pittsburgh, but I will look and I don't know anyone who has a mandolin.
Thanks again for your help.

- - - Updated - - -

Thank you.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Try a set of D'Addario EJ74's to begin with. They're a very good & very widely used string,& not expensive. GHS A270's are also very good if you can't get EJ74's - or,you may care to try both over time,to see which you prefer,
Ivan

[allenhopkins]

...But I can't remember ever seeing anyone with a capo on their mandolin...

Hmm... How 'bout Ricky Skaggs?



Hank's right that you don't need one right off the bat, but they're not unheard of; you'll look for one that's specifically designed for smaller necks -- banjo, mandolin, ukulele -- and either flat or radiused, depending on the type of neck the Epi has.

Western PA Bluegrass Committee may be a source for possible BG jams, events etc. The more mandolin players you meet, the more you learn.

[jefflester]

What are good strings? I live in Pittsburgh, PA, kind of a small city but I'll see what I can find.

I live nowhere near Pittsburgh, but it looks like you have a quite good acoustic instrument store:
http://acousticmusicworks.com/

And Guitar Center will certainly have D'Addario EJ74s

[Nathan Kellstadt]

Acoustic Music Works is an absolutely fantastic shop.

[EdHanrahan]

Acoustic Music Works is an absolutely fantastic shop.

Heartily agree, but since AMU opens somewhat late in the day (maybe 1pm?), you might start at Pittsburgh Guitars. Don't recall lots of mandolins (I was looking for a small guitar at the time) but did spend a pleasant 2 hours with the good folks there. NFI.
http://www.pittsburghguitars.com/

[Br1ck]

I walked into a rather large and established local music store recently to buy mandolin strings. Asked for D'addario J74s. Turns out, that was all they had. I mean they had a wall of strings, and even have four or five mandolins for sale, but with mandolin strings, no choice. I guess if you have to have only one, j74s are a pretty good choice.

Pretty much any string you buy would be considered good. Pretty much any string on a mandolin built for a budget isn't. I meant what I said about the extra e strings. You will break some.

[EdHanrahan]

... meant what I said about the extra e strings. You will break some.

Well, yeah, but, uhmm ... Seems a lot of us favor breaking the A strings. Your choice!

[Br1ck]

Well, yeah, but, uhmm ... Seems a lot of us favor breaking the A strings. Your choice!

You know, the only A string I've ever broken was when I went down hard while camping. Mando did a face plant while I used it to instinctively break my fall. Expected a very trashed mandolin, but no damage at all thanks to the pressed top and industrial paint MK uses.

But over the time I took to finally get the bridge fitted and the nut slots cut, and the frets leveled, I must have broken at least half a dz. I was so conservative, and did things three or four times, where now I'd do it once or twice.