Re: Is it possible to get an "in tune" mandolin?
In a word - no. Might as well give up right now and cut your losses. Or when you are dissatisfied with your new electric, let me know. I'll be happy to take if off your hands at no charge.
But I understand about the MandoBird. I have two of them (thought I could convert one to mandola), and yes, the intonation could be better. I have just about maxed out the set screws on the bridges to get close to in tune. Fortunately, I play a lot of rock and blues and such so I get to bend notes a lot, so there is some leeway for me. But it has been getting more and more unsatisfactory, and my 95 year old Gibson A sounds delightful in comparison to this, despite all the modern technological advances made in the interim. Supposedly. My solution is the same as yours - buying another one handmade by a small builder. I assume the extra investment is going toward (among other things) the time it takes for a knowledgeable craftsman to ensure the production of a fine and fit instrument.
One would like to think standardized measurements for correct fret placement would be available to all manufacturer, and they could be incorporated into even mass-produced instruments. It seems odd that so many MandoBirds could be produced without this key factor being addressed. But a lot of people do complain about this, and even though I have been managing with mine, my audiences at bars and clubs tend to be less discerning than, say, classical ones. Also, there is the "wow" factor associated with hearing an electric mandolin for the first time. I am probably getting away with a bit, as people are unfamiliar with the instrument and don't know what it's supposed to sound like. If they only knew ...
Last edited by journeybear; May-28-2012 at 4:31am.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
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