unpleasant "aftertaste" on a Rogue

[Viola]

I have a Rogue mandolin – the inexpensive one that comes as part of the mandolin / guitar two-fer deal. It’s an endearing little sprite of a thing that’s easy to fret and, initially, sounds okay. But it has this feature that’s a touch problematic:

I’ll play a tune (either a series of single notes arranged in a melody or 4 notes in a chord) and, rather than sustain the note(s) I just played, it’ll sustain other ones that sound like someone just slammed, broadside, into a piano… a bunch of notes coming out all together in a terrible metallic cacophony. If it were a meal instead of a musical instrument, I’d say it tasted alright initially, but left an unpalatable bitter aftertaste.

Any thoughts on how to address this cacophony?

A little background: I've played viola for years. Traded it in for a couple mandolas (a Hora and a Coombe) that sustain notes without the weird metallic nastiness. Obviously, Coombe > Hora > Rogue. But I'd still like to see if I can get this little Rogue to play alright.

[KEB]

It sounds to me like you're getting some sympathetic vibrations behind the bridge. Try muting them with your hand and playing a note and see if that kills the sound. If that's the cause, you can fix it with a leather boot lace for about $3. Just weave it between each string and it will dampen those.

There are more expensive options, but I like the asthetic of the cheap boot lace.

[EdHanrahan]

Most likely it's the string extensions between the bridge and tailpiece. That's why you often see:
- felt under the tailpiece cover or on the lip of the TP base,
- 2" of leather wound thru the string tails, or,
- 4 small rubber (electrical) grommets inserted between the 4 pairs of strings down there.

The felt strip is the only one that commonly comes from the builder, and not normally on lower-end ones. My Rover didn't. (Come to think of it... nor did anything else!)

Grommets are cheap and look interesting, but often get lost when a string breaks.

Or, as some endorse, you could rest the heel of your picking hand lightly just behind the bridge.

Edit: Whoops... Typing while KEB posted!

[Shelby Eicher]

The string will vibrate from the bridge to the tailpiece and from the nut to the tuners and will produce unwanted tones. Small grommets will do the trick behind the bridge, one for each pair of courses and sticky felt works well for the head stock. Cut the felt to width, cut a section and roll it onto itself until it will fill the space. The sticky in on the inside, place under the strings.

[Gary Leonard]

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...hlight=meldrum

For when you want to dial that Rogue in a bit more.

[Jeff Mando]

you can fix it with a leather boot lace for about $3. Just weave it between each string and it will dampen those.

There are more expensive options, but I like the asthetic of the cheap boot lace.

I guess I haven't bought a boot lace in a while. $3 sounds kinda expensive to me! (for what it is...)

[MikeEdgerton]

I usually have folks roll up a hundred dollar bill and lace it between the strings behind the bridge. If the sympathetic notes go away then they are free to mail me the hundred dollar bill for solving their problem. You can lace cloth, leather whatever between the bridge and the tailpiece and it will dampen those notes. The Gibson mandolins come with a piece of leather or felt depending on the age under the strings at the tailpiece that accomplishes the same thing.

[EdHanrahan]

... $3 sounds kinda expensive to me!

Yeah but... Based on boot size, you get enough leather to treat maybe 40 mandolins. That's 320 strings! And if you apply that across the number of vibrations actually suppressed, they're almost giving 'em away!

But I'm liking the $100 bill approach...

[F-2 Dave]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you can do the same thing with a $20 bill. You can message me for my address.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you can do the same thing with a $20 bill. You can message me for my address.

Sure, you know what your advice is worth

[Viola]

Thanks All. I didn't have the right materials at hand last night, so I wove a sock through the strings between the bridge and tailpiece. It did cut down on the unpleasant noise, though not entirely.

I'm hoping that the results suggest that we're on the right track and the cotton/poly blend was not quite the right material for the job. I also may need to weave differently. Given the sock thickness, I ended up going up and down between the pairs of strings; ie, sock went over both G's, under both D's, over both A's...

I'll have to try again over the weekend with either the electrical grommets or leather. If I go with the leather, would it be more correct to go over one G, under the next G, over D, under D, over A, etc... instead of them paired like with the sock?

[Jeff Mando]

Yeah but... Based on boot size, you get enough leather to treat maybe 40 mandolins. That's 320 strings! And if you apply that across the number of vibrations actually suppressed, they're almost giving 'em away!

But I'm liking the $100 bill approach...

When you break it down that way it does sound quite reasonable!

I used to use $100 bills to light my cigars, but I had to give it up because I was spilling ashes all over my diamond pinky rings.............

[KEB]

I'll have to try again over the weekend with either the electrical grommets or leather. If I go with the leather, would it be more correct to go over one G, under the next G, over D, under D, over A, etc... instead of them paired like with the sock?

That's the way I do it-- if you're hurting for $3.00, send me your mailing address and I'll send you a 3 inch segment of boot lace-- I've got a couple leftover feet from doing this myself

[EdHanrahan]

... would it be more correct to go over one G, under the next G, over D, under D, over A, etc...

Main consideration: Whatever works! Next most important: Whatever's not real ugly. And also: Whatever doesn't fall out too easily.

Getting it between the paired courses (as with the grommets) is probably a good idea. Generally, a 2"+ piece should be long enough and not so ominous/obvious as to draw attention.

Come to think if I were doing it, I'd try starting with: up between the G's, down between the D's, up between the A's, ... Of course, YMMV!

[Roger Moss]

All good suggestions. You might also make sure the screws holding together the pick guard are tight. They can rattle.

[BrianWilliam]

Are you going to send the sock to mike?

[jshane]

If here is still some sympathetic sound after damping below the bridge you might try similar damping above the nut.

[Viola]

Are you going to send the sock to mike?

Didn't have a chance to pick up supplies over the weekend. So hanging on to the sock for now A real thing of beauty.

[sherrie]

I picked up a leather boot lace at goodwill for .99! 72" of awesome. Going to make a really simple strap.