A view from the shoulders
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/a...2&d=1416864212
A view from the shoulders
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/a...2&d=1416864212
WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
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"Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN
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HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
- Advice For Mandolin Beginners
- YouTube Stuff
I use foam ear plugs as string dampeners between bridge and tailpiece on my open back banjo, more a banjo hack I guess. I have leather boot laces for all mando straps, except one that was some sort of draw string. Mandolins are so light I don't really see the need for a flat strap, and thin bands or leather laces do fine and seem to "bite" better and not slip, although that's never been much of a problem anyway.
Yep, my "hacks" are have spare strings, spare picks, spare tuner, spare tuner batteries in the case. When I play out I bring the "open mic den mother kit" which has the above plus spare preamp, spare cords (1/4" and XLR), spare 9 volt batteries, spare mic plus short clamp-on boom, small flashlight, leatherman, tie wraps, clothes pins, electrical tape, etc.
Does anybody bring a spare MANDOLIN with them . . . just in case?
So here is a "hack" for those with more than one mandolin. I quickly found that the pick and tuner were often in the case of the mandolin I did not take to the jam. Grrrrr.
Obsessive compulsive solution here.
Jeff and Bart, I have a similar bag for our praise band, and usually include a spare set of acoustic and electric guitar strings, just in case one of the kids breaks one. Despite having the bag, I've still managed to take tuners out and forget to return them. So, got the Peterson Strobosoft tuning app for my phone, so that I always have one with me. Doesn't do the best in noisy environments, but it's really accurate. I'm usually the first one there and do my initial tune up before the herd arrives.
I've also braided my own straps for several of my mandolins. I find the bootlace solution too simple and straight forward
Chuck
Sometimes I bring two mandos (not as a spare though). I always have at least two instruments on gigs - mando and OM or mandocello or fiddle or guitar. I've found Snark tuners to be cheap and reliable enough just to keep one in each case, and 2 in my den mother case.
When I was doing more gigs, I was obsessive about having backups for all our own PA gear. Multiple powered speakers, spare mics, extra cables. Even a spare compact mixer stashed in the car, in case the main one went down. At least two or more of anything mission-critical for the gig.
But just one mandolin.
Well, I only owned one, but I felt the risk was minimal. It traveled in a tough fiberglass case, and went back in the case during breaks if we left the stage. The only time it was theoretically at risk, was when I was holding it. Since we played seated, even a fall probably wouldn't be fatal. I figured the only thing that could happen was something that would take me out too: a lighting strike (we often played outdoors), stage collapse, earthquake, freak meteor impact. So I figured, better not to tempt fate by bringing a backup mandolin.
Lebeda F-5 mandolin, redwood top
Weber Yellowstone F-5 octave mandolin
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams
Fair point, and I was always more "eyes on" with bar gigs. Most of the gigs in the last few years were weddings though, where the risk of outright theft is lower. My big fear was liability exposure with splayed speaker stand legs, and AC power line runs taped to the floor, in an environment with the usual happy drunks at a wedding. If you think too much about this stuff, you'd never play out.
Lebeda F-5 mandolin, redwood top
Weber Yellowstone F-5 octave mandolin
Jim Yates
I have some straps made from South American woven belts on a few instruments.
The strap on the wooden uke is made from braided leather boot laces. These spent about a decade on a mandolin before being transferred to the uke.
The strap on the reso-uke started life as a web belt until I bought it in a used clothing store.
Jim Yates
I used to buy a dozen picks at a time and drilled 5 or 6 holes through them with a 16th inch drill. This made them a lot easier to hold onto. Some time in the past 30 years I got lazy and quit doing this. Of course I use white Fender medium tri-corners, not Blue Chips or other fancy Boutique picks. I probably wouldn't bore holes in an expensive pick. I've never tried a Blue Chip. Afraid I might like it too much, I guess.
Jim Yates
When I was still playing in bands I would always take two guitars with me to a gig in case I broke a string mid-set. Quicker to swap guitar than change a string when you only have half an hour to play. I can't remember the last time I actually broke a string mind, but I figured the first time I didn't take a spare guitar would be the time it would happen.
Mandolin hacks, for mandolin hackers... such as myself
2019 Tyler White custom F5 #17
2012 Huss and Dalton RD-M
2019 Gann resonator guitar
https://www.youtube.com/user/kinmanknives
Seriously though, it would take one mighty thick credit card to make a pick that would remotely enjoy using. Dunlop Primetone picks are my solution for finding myself without my Bluechip or Hawk picks, I keep 3 different ones in my keychain pick holder at all times, one of each 1.3, 1.4, and 1.5mm
2019 Tyler White custom F5 #17
2012 Huss and Dalton RD-M
2019 Gann resonator guitar
https://www.youtube.com/user/kinmanknives
Not a hack.
Bulk loop end banjo strings for breakage.
Very affordable.
I buy e and a gauges, keep old envelopes from sets, package and have multiple spares.
It’s been pointed out that some of the hacks in the thread are old. That DIY Capo is a bad hack because you should’t use a capo. Or even better, that orange peel as a case humidifier is a terrible hack because well… You should instead “just get a meter and humidify your house”
Still love hanging out in the cafe though
I started this thread because I really thought it would be cool to have a lot of potential hacks for the mandolin collected in one place. The cafe helped me a lot when I got started almost a year ago. I was reading and listening to everything I could. Back then I also would have loved to see a list like this. New arrivals at the cafe probably will as well. Especially the ones on a tight budget.
Je, konokono iliyoketi juu ya turtle inasema nini? woouuuiiii!
Ah, but using a mandolin capo is the greatest rule-breaking hack of all. When the most sadistic monster in the world calls out "Fisherman's Hornpipe in E Flat" at a jam, you can simply capo the first, use all of the fingerings that you're already familiar with, and simply enjoy the song in a fun, carefree manner instead of giving yourself and your pinky an anxiety attack.
A well known strap lock hack is the red grommet ring from Grolsch (sp?) beer bottles. Securing a half dozen for your pickin friends can make for a fun evening!
“Without music, life would be a mistake” Neitzsche
Collings MF5-V
Kimble A5
An electric rig with an envelope filter trying to sound like Jerry...
How about something to use as a slide? Other than a glass or a bottle. Preferably something one could put on one finger.
Anybody that messes around with blues on the mandolin who might have some ideas?
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