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Thread: Mando on the boat?

  1. #26

    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Wish I had this problem.

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  3. #27
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Martin Back Packers are quite rugged mahogany and spruce mandolins, (guitars and a Uke too)
    + they stow well in the V berth on boats ..

    But Yea one of Peter Mix's CF Mandolins are tops ..
    the Specialty Company that makes the CF base pieces that Peter finishes,
    is in The Yacht CF Biz in RI.

    dont sound exactly like Mon's F5 , but sound good and play exceedingly well .

    I just got a refret on Mine , bought 3rd hand. (MC Classifieds)
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

  4. #28
    Registered User belbein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    My apologies, Captain, for ever even implying that you might own a stinkpot. That is definitely a BOAT. What a beautiful, beautiful piece of work. Ah, you make me pine for the fjords and my old Catalina 30.

    People above have identified the three problems that would prevent me from bringing anything better than my $25 p.o.s. Lotus. For me, it's not one of these, but all of them, that would make me leave any of my reasonably-good to best-I-could-afford instruments at home: (1) Humidity. (2) Rockin' and rollin'. (3) Heat. Beyond that, I guess I don't know where you'd find to keep it where it would be out of the way and safe in nasty water.

    Buy a cheap p.o.s. at a local pawn shop. You'll be happier.
    belbein

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  5. #29
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Carl Robin View Post
    You could play for the dolphins ! (a little fantasy of mine) People say they like music.
    Hope you play better than I do. My little dog sits next to me while I play. She seems to enjoy it, but if I hit a clinker she jerks spasmodically and if it's really bad she moans. She knows my regular songs and if I botch one she looks up at me like "what the heck are you doing?" She also prefers that I play the baritone ukulele. Buzzes and clinkers on that one are not painful to her ears.

    The dolphins probably don't already know your songs, but who knows what they will do if you hit a clinker? I picture them all hovering around in a circle with that blissful dolphin smile on their faces. And then you goof a note and are suddenly drenched with water when they all convulse in pain. Better get that carbon fiber one unless you are a really good player.

  6. #30
    its a very very long song Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    +1 for Nice Boat! My feelings for Instruments on Sailboats ( I have a Venturer 222) is inexpensive instrument in a good case. Meaning something you enjoy playing but it won't break your heart or bank account if you lose it. A hard case that's pretty waterproof or a dry bag to keep it in cause sometimes things get knocked around a bit and wet.
    Jim Richmond

  7. #31
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Having been around wood, boats and lived on floating homes and at the coast (salty) in Oregon for many years, here are my thoughts.

    A mandolin is made of wood and metal. The wood will be fine if left on the boat all the time. It will swell and shrink every time you go back and forth, forcing you to constantly be re-tuning.
    The metal will corrode in the salt environment. Different metals corrode differently. Steel rusts. Bronze gets a "patina" (it can turn green or brown depending on the amount of sulfur in the air.) Nickle is very resistant to corrosion and gold doesn't.

    It seems like the thing to do is to buy a decent but not terribly expensive mandolin and expect to change the metal parts every few years. You can use coated strings (Elixir or EXP) to lengthen string life, but the core is still steel. Tuners and tailpieces are easy to change. I put an Allen cast bronze tailpiece on my mandolin. It will outlive me, though it will get a patina everyplace that doesn't get rubbed during playing or in the case. I think it will just look cooler and cooler as this happens.

    The tuners can be as gold plated as you like, they are still steel underneath and the salt will find a way in. Galvanized would be best, but I'm sure nobody makes that! So you will need to replace them from time to time. The first time you have to replace the tuners you will know how long they are going to last. If you get a decent, used mandolin for three or four hundred bucks, change the tailpiece once (less than $100; three screws, you can do it yourself) and change the tuners ever few years ($60 for decent ones) you will never total as much as your fancy one cost and you will get endless enjoyment out of it. I love to sit on my bench by the river and play. Nobody else likes it, but then I don't like them, either!
    Last edited by FatBear; Jun-28-2014 at 3:50pm.

  8. #32
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by FatBear View Post
    You can use coated strings (Elixir or EXP) to lengthen string life.
    Have you tried the D'Addario J67 nickel wound or Gibson Sam Bush monel wound strings?
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  9. #33
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Nope, but they sound great if they come in the right size.

  10. #34
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    solidbody electric mandolin? and a little honeytone/pignose type battery-powered amp? just a thought.

  11. #35
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by FatBear View Post
    Nope, but they sound great if they come in the right size.
    The J67's are just a hair thinner than J74's at .011 / .014 / .025 / .039. The Sam Bush monels are similar but run a bit heavier on the g string at .011 / .014 / .025 / .041.
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  12. #36
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    What do you use on that M-0? I have a Big Muddy MD-0w and didn't like how it played until I put on J73s. I don't know what was on it originally, but probably the more "normal" J74s.

    But then we're getting off-track. Sailboats & mandolins just seem to go together to me. You can play the Sailor's Hornpipe and they are small and easy to stow and so on...

  13. #37
    My Florida is scooped pheffernan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by FatBear View Post
    What do you use on that M-0? I have a Big Muddy MD-0w and didn't like how it played until I put on J73s. I don't know what was on it originally, but probably the more "normal" J74s.
    I've read that Mike Dulak uses GHS medium lights, so I've largely stuck with the 80/20 PF250's although I've bought a set of the phosphor bronze A260's for the next string change.
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  15. #38
    Registered User Douglas McMullin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by FatBear View Post
    But then we're getting off-track. Sailboats & mandolins just seem to go together to me. You can play the Sailor's Hornpipe and they are small and easy to stow and so on...
    They are the perfect mix; ukes work great too. When I started playing mandolin in 2000, I lived on a boat that I did charters with. I had forgot about this, but I kept my first mando on there for a few weeks at a time with no ill effects (mahogany Weber Gallatin). Really the only concern I have is higher than normal humidity. The cabin on what I am sailing is always dry and at a comfortable temp. I have several places to stow a case that would keep it secure no matter what, though we don't see many extremes in summer coastal sailing.

    I have not had time in recent years to go for week or longer trips, so this is a good occasion to reacquire a travel mandolin. I wan't to enjoy playing it so I am staying in a range of $300-$700 (thinking used and anything from an Eastman 305 to a Breedlove OO). Will see what I can turn up in the coming month. This will be a good trial run, as in a year or so I get a bonus month of vacation and plan to do a couple of two week trips with that.

    Thanks for all of the thoughts on this.

  16. #39
    Registered User verbs4us's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    In 1964 our family took our one and only cruise, an a rust-bucket named the Italia, our of New York for Nassau. This was the last trip of the ship before it was due to be retired as a casino somewhere. The ship was operated by Home Lines and the entire crew was Italian, some of whom knew a word or two of English. Because space was so dear, my dad did not bring his mandolin, but when he found out he was surrounded by Italians, he stated asking, "does anyone have a mandolin?" He got blank stares until the lights went on in one crew-member's face. "Ah, mandolin-o!" A group disappeared and reappeared in a few minutes, with three bowl back mandolins, for a spontaneous concert. I remember them as shiny and fresh sounding, out of heavy black cases. They seemed OK in the salt air, and on a ship that had no air conditioning.

  17. #40
    Registered User Douglas McMullin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Bah, I broke down and ordered a used Breedlove OO. At $750 I am comfortable with on the boat and I know it will be enjoyable to play. The other plus is that it has a 1 3/16 nut and similar string spacing to my Phoenix.

  18. #41
    Registered User Timbofood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Now we know a reasonable "boatolin"! Enjoy your cruising season Doug!
    Timothy F. Lewis
    "If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett

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  20. #42
    Quietly Making Noise Dave Greenspoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Douglas McMullin View Post
    Bah, I broke down and ordered a used Breedlove OO. At $750 I am comfortable with on the boat and I know it will be enjoyable to play. The other plus is that it has a 1 3/16 nut and similar string spacing to my Phoenix.
    A used Breedlove is certainly a few light years above "beater!" Great choice, and good for you! Enjoy the new-to-you axe, and smooth sailing!
    Axes: Eastman MD-515 & El Rey; Eastwood S Mandola
    Amps: Fishman Loudbox 100; Rivera Clubster Royale Recording Head & R212 cab; Laney Cub 10

  21. #43
    Registered User Douglas McMullin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Greenspoon View Post
    A used Breedlove is certainly a few light years above "beater!" Great choice, and good for you! Enjoy the new-to-you axe, and smooth sailing!
    When ever I have had a true beater, and I have tried four or five now, I always end up selling it or donating it for lack of interest playing it. I got to thinking that the same thing would happen again, so I compromised at a price point that am willing to take reasonable risks with. That said, I don't have all that much concern. I will be sure to put some silica packs in the case and keep it buttoned up when not in use. Humidity is really the only possible problem for this particular boat and I wonder if it is all that much different than my house during a foggy July week.

    The other plus side is that I like the other OO's I have played and it will be a great general addition since I don't have an oval hole anymore. I almost talked myself into another Old Wave, but that really would not have been a boat mando! Damn MAS.

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  23. #44
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Yeah, sounded pretty nice to me, too.

  24. #45
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    If you keep it in a small space with a light bulb burning it will live in much lower humidity than the rest of the boat...

    But a real light bulb, not LED.

  25. #46
    Registered User Douglas McMullin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Not sure my battery banks would appreciate that!

  26. #47
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Oh, I was thinking of long term storage. Most boats around here have shore power and it's very common to keep a lightbulb on during the winter. If you are taking the mandolin back and forth with you, then you don't need that. But then you might not need the dessicant, either, unless its a long trip.

  27. #48
    Registered User Douglas McMullin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    Around these parts far more boats stay on moorings and are only in the water seasonally (unless used for year round commercial purposes); few pleasure boats remain in the water between November and April. We only have access to shore power once or twice in a 4-5 month season, and that is usually right when we launch or are getting ready to haul, so for 99% of the summer we charge with the diesel and a little solar maintenance charger.

    Other than foul weather gear, galley stuff & tools, not much stays on the boat. We tend to remove bedding and towels to be washed and bring most clothes for a trip when we head out. A mando of any kind would only come for the trip and would usually be on board for no more than a week. I wish I had time for longer trips!

  28. #49
    Orso grasso FatBear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    I see. Maine seems to familiar to an Oregonian, but is so different in the details. Very few of us ventures out into the ocean for pleasure sailing. The Pacific is rarely "pacific" and the bars are often very dangerous. And we all keep our boats on trailers or in slips.

    Have fun! I wish I were sitting on a boat near yours when you play. Especially at night. I attended the Vancouver World's Fair back in the 1980s and the only thing I remember is the bagpiper touring the harbor on a boat at around midnight. Maybe you should go out after dark and play something slow and mellow to help everyone off to sleep...

  29. #50
    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mando on the boat?

    i have an ovation mandolin i take to the lake , it works great the plastic back works great for wet times , it has been rained on many times and still plays great

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