Buzzing

[Emmett Marshall]

Without going deep into the financial trauma I experienced in trying to get rid of buzzing "G" strings on a brand new Kentucky KM-1500, I just want to say that I feel your pain. In my case, it was a combination of poor setup issues. It was un-level frets, a truss rod tension that wasn't "just right," and a nut that was too high. ALL had to be remedied for the instrument to play right. I was, and still am, frustrated by the knowledge that some so called "reputable" retailers advertise a "pro setup," yet only give the instrument a cursory inspection, and maybe file down some nut slots. If it ever happens to ME again, I am not going to play "Mr. Nice Guy" about it. They'll just get their instrument back, and I'll get my refund. If not, it's off to small claims court we'll go. This "pro setup" nonsense will always be the norm until consumers start calling these retailers out on it. There is no substitute for having a really good luthier in your life as a mandolinist.

[Paulindrome]

So it looks like we may be on the last leg of this journey. Fingers crossed. I got the mandolin back from the luthier, and the buzzing is *almost* completely gone. The intonation on one of the G strings is off still, which is kind of worse than having it be off for both of them, since whenever I play a fretted note it plays two pitches instead of one. The luthier seems to have done all he is able to do without replacing the nut, so I took it back and sent a long email telling my whole story to problems@elderly.com.

This was a lot more effective than my phone call before - perhaps I'm not as good at sounding angry on the phone as I am online, or maybe I got a higher-up person. Anyway, I received a quick and polite reply from a guy named George Crank, and the process has been relatively painless (finally!). He's having FedEx pick it up so all I have to do is box it and leave it outside my doorstep tomorrow. He said he would personally check the new KM-150 they're sending me, and he'll ship it as soon as he receives mine. If all goes well, I should finally be in possession of a problem-free, properly set up mandolin.

Like I said, though: fingers crossed.

To avoid any more problems, I'm shipping their mandolin in a hard shell case and having them send it back with my new mandolin so I don't get any problems while shipping. I'll let you all know when I get my new one! Maybe I'll post a picture or something.

[EdHanrahan]

... I'm shipping their mandolin in a hard shell case and having them send it back with my new ...

If that were my hard shell case, and regardless of who the dealer might be, I'd attach a big tag to it's outside, PLUS in the the internal pocket, saying "Property of (name, address, phone). Please return to me with the -xxx- mandolin that you'll be shipping back. Thank you!". All you need is an over-enthusiastic shipping clerk to "return" your case to inventory and you'll be into yet another "problem resolution".

Otherwise, glad it's working out!

[Paulindrome]

Ooh, good call, Ed! I hadn't thought of that. You may have just saved me another headache! I'll definitely take your advice.

[Stacey Morris]

Finally!

[Paulindrome]

Well, my crossed fingers weren't enough. Now they don't have a KM-150 to replace it with, so they're offering to refund and send my empty case back, or I can wait until the beginning of August for the back orders to come in... I think I'm going to ask them for an upgraded version instead. This is getting ridiculous.

Tune in next time for another great episode of Adventures with Elderly!

[MysTiK PiKn]

Will they refund the costs at the local luthier shop? They really need to clean up this mess. It seems you have done all you can to be a very patient customer. If there's still communication, ask them to have the big guy call you - just a thought. This story is totally amazing - and it needs resolution.

I read a post somewhere about how things ship - the big picture - from the manufacturers, on down the line. It's not a continuous thing - there's a whole lot of scheduling for everyone involved in the logistics of the supply chain. The reading included info about factory shutdowns, vacations, shipping containers, boats, the whole scene. So the August arrivals, have been in the works for a long time already. I can't recall where I read this; but it was an interesting picture - just the normal course of events, on the big picture.

Good luck to you on sorting out the details; or getting them sorted out. Sometimes magic wands are invaluable, huh. Sounds like you are almost there.

You sure you still want to play mandolin? None of this is supposed to be part of the process of making music. You have learned a lot; and much of that might be beneficial to you; although I can't say how. Often things happen for good reasons. A friend used to say that we bring things to ourselves in accordance with our interests - kinda like magic, but not. More like power.

Stay tuned to the whole new scene. And thanks again for the update.

[Paulindrome]

Final update: It looks like I've finally made it through!

Mystik: Yeah, I've had jobs in several parts of the process, from working in warehouses to working on retail sales floors. It's definitely a long and intricate process, and I don't blame them for being out of stock or for having to wait until August to get a KM-150... It was more that I felt they should have checked and set one aside once they told me I could have it replaced. Seems like that should just be part of the protocol for doing exchanges.

Haha, yeah, I'm sure! All this stuff has just made me want to play it more! I totally understand about musicians having to deal with quite a bit of extra stuff in addition to "the process of making music", as you call it. I graduated with a degree in music composition about three years ago, and I've learned that composing is 10% composing, 20% working with performers, 30% managing logistics (reserving practice rooms, making sure everyone can make a date before setting a concert, renting recording stuff), and 40% trying to figure out how to make Sibelius (my music notation software) write down whatever the heck I'm trying to compose. There's a little bit of music in there, but it's not the romantic idea of rhapsodically playing my instrument with Beethoven-esque hair askew, hand-writing on sheet music, and then - one short montage later - conducting an orchestra + choir to an enraptured audience.

Anyway, this is how it ended: I sent another complaint email to George at Elderly, and he apologized again and said he found a way that he could get a KM-150 for me right away. Alternatively, he offered to upgrade me to a KM-250 for only $50 (usually they're $100 more). I liked the workmanship on the 250, and it was a good deal, so I gave the extra $50 and got the upgrade. It arrived the next day. I've been meaning to post here with the update, but I've been too busy picking.

I really love the new instrument. They did a much better job with the setup, and everything looks and feels great. Tonally, it doesn't sound much different - I actually think the 150 might have sounded a little more resonant, but I don't know if that's representative of all 150's and 250's. Plus, mine might be different after I break it in and get a new set of strings on it. Also, my memory might just be deceiving me. That said, I love the 250, and the workmanship is really beautiful. I'm so excited to be finally playing!

I've been spending most of my free time picking away. Currently working on Jessamyn's Reel (by Thile), Bach's Prelude from the Cello Suite No. 1 (transposed to fit the mando), The Musical Priest (Irish Reel), and my own versions of Si Bheag, Si Mhor (by O'Carolan) and Willie of Winsbury (Child Ballad arranged by Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer). None of them are very good yet, but at least a couple are looking to be ready by the weekend. It's a pretty fun set to work on; whenever I get tired of practicing one thing, there's always a very different other thing to work on. I just need to throw some Italian Old-World stuff, some Bluegrass, and a Nickel Creek/Punch Brothers Pop/Rock song in there.

Anyway, here's a couple pics of the mandolin! It's been a tough long-distance relationship, but we're finally together for good.





I'm looking forward to getting more involved in the instrument as well as the community here. Thanks again for everyone's help! Especially you, Mystik. You've been really invested in the thread, and I appreciate it.

[MysTiK PiKn]

Well, this is very good news. And I appreciate your comments to me; but many others were on the bandwagon as well, and they deserve some thanks for their help with the cause. As for me, it's just that others have helped me with many things in life; and I appreciate that, and it enables me to help others where I can. Really I didn't do much. The hard job was all yours - the rest of us were your support mechanism.

I did not know you were so involved in music and composition. You must be living the dream. I have been thinking recently, if I had it all to do over (there's no do-overs), that I would have done music school. Unfortunately, that was not even an available thought at the time when it would have even mattered, let alone change my life. But I was basically born loving music; and I have developed in myself the best I could for a long time. It just seems, if I hadn't been such a brat, that it would have been a great idea to accept piano lessons, also clarinet lessons, when I was still a young child. My parents offered, and I just said yuk, I don't want piano. Eventually I got a guitar for Christmas when I was 15 in the early Beatles era (you can do the math on that), and I began my self-taught journey. I have come to realize however, that's there's much I still don't know. Music theory. Harmony. All that stuff I likely would have learned through piano. It has always been play it by ear. I have a good ear; but some things I never heard until later, when I took an interest in classical music, and developed a collection. And here, you paint a good picture, very vivid, even emotional, with your comments =
"the romantic idea of rhapsodically playing my instrument with Beethoven-esque hair askew, hand-writing on sheet music, and then - one short montage later - conducting an orchestra + choir to an enraptured audience."
Beethoven, to me, was an angry young man w a drum. And the orchestra was his drum. And he beat the crawp out of his orchestra. Esp. the 5th, at it's peak, where everything is just kapow, crash, slam. Like a tidal wave. His alcoholic father used to force him to play for his drunken friends. And he was quite rebellious. Not one for compromise. And I think it was the 8th where he finished it deaf, and conducted it. Sad. Amazing.
So, go anywhere you like, with what you have. I wish you a pleasant journey. Keep that picture. It's about you, and it's about power, which is something only truly available to those you are worthy, and know whence it came. Some very powerful influences you have in your life. And that power brings what comes via your interests. Interests are simple, and unlimited, as they are real. And some others have simply helped you on your way. Some kind of continuum happening there. Follow it.

I have been meaning to investigate to see if there's an adult education course in music theory or harmony or composition; or all of the above. I retired recently; it's quite boring. It might be a way to meet more musicians also.

Anyway, glad this all worked out. Enjoy the new mandolin. And I am glad it's been pro-perly set up. You deserve the best. I guess it was worth the struggle.

Cheers

MysT.

[Stacey Morris]

Good news Paulindrome! I'm glad you finally got it resolved to your liking. A really pretty mandolin also. Enjoy!

[Paulindrome]

Well, this is very good news. And I appreciate your comments to me; but many others were on the bandwagon as well, and they deserve some thanks for their help with the cause. As for me, it's just that others have helped me with many things in life; and I appreciate that, and it enables me to help others where I can. Really I didn't do much. The hard job was all yours - the rest of us were your support mechanism.

Oh yeah, I would thank everyone personally, but there were too many people helping me.

I did not know you were so involved in music and composition. You must be living the dream. I have been thinking recently, if I had it all to do over (there's no do-overs), that I would have done music school. Unfortunately, that was not even an available thought at the time when it would have even mattered, let alone change my life. But I was basically born loving music; and I have developed in myself the best I could for a long time. It just seems, if I hadn't been such a brat, that it would have been a great idea to accept piano lessons, also clarinet lessons, when I was still a young child. My parents offered, and I just said yuk, I don't want piano. Eventually I got a guitar for Christmas when I was 15 in the early Beatles era (you can do the math on that), and I began my self-taught journey. I have come to realize however, that's there's much I still don't know. Music theory. Harmony. All that stuff I likely would have learned through piano. It has always been play it by ear. I have a good ear; but some things I never heard until later, when I took an interest in classical music, and developed a collection.

That's cool. Everyone's got their own musical story, and IMHO it's much better to self-teach out of love for the music than to take lessons when you really don't want to. I'm a piano teacher and I sometimes have to deal with kids whose parents are having them take lessons even though they really don't like it. I wonder sometimes if viewing music as a chore is going to ruin music for these kids for life. I've told some parents that it might be better for them to stop and preserve the chance to fall in love with it later on.

And here, you paint a good picture, very vivid, even emotional, with your comments =
"the romantic idea of rhapsodically playing my instrument with Beethoven-esque hair askew, hand-writing on sheet music, and then - one short montage later - conducting an orchestra + choir to an enraptured audience."
Beethoven, to me, was an angry young man w a drum. And the orchestra was his drum. And he beat the crawp out of his orchestra. Esp. the 5th, at it's peak, where everything is just kapow, crash, slam. Like a tidal wave. His alcoholic father used to force him to play for his drunken friends. And he was quite rebellious. Not one for compromise. And I think it was the 8th where he finished it deaf, and conducted it. Sad. Amazing.

Yeah, when you come at it from a rock background (like I did) it doesn't seem that loud or intense, but when you look at Beethoven's music in the context of the Classical era it was coming around, your description is true; It was like a tidal wave.

So, go anywhere you like, with what you have. I wish you a pleasant journey. Keep that picture. It's about you, and it's about power, which is something only truly available to those you are worthy, and know whence it came. Some very powerful influences you have in your life. And that power brings what comes via your interests. Interests are simple, and unlimited, as they are real. And some others have simply helped you on your way. Some kind of continuum happening there. Follow it.

Thank you, that's interesting stuff. I might PM you about it later on.

I have been meaning to investigate to see if there's an adult education course in music theory or harmony or composition; or all of the above. I retired recently; it's quite boring. It might be a way to meet more musicians also.

Really? Let me know if you find anything good. I'm looking around as well; if I find something good, I'll send it your way. If not, and there's a sort of "untapped market", I've been thinking of doing a youtube channel with some basic theory and composition lessons. I know I would have really appreciated something like that when I was younger, or if I hadn't had the opportunity to go to music school. Heck, I would appreciate it now.

Anyway, glad this all worked out. Enjoy the new mandolin. And I am glad it's been pro-perly set up. You deserve the best. I guess it was worth the struggle.

Cheers

MysT.

Thanks so much, and again, thanks for being so invested in the thread (and thanks so much to everyone else too!).