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Thread: Mandolin Setup Help.

  1. #1
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    Default Mandolin Setup Help.

    Hey guys,
    typical "This Guy is new and is asking basic questions you've answered before" post.
    I like in the Denver, CO area, specifically Aurora, CO, and am getting a mandolin soon. I know it'll need to be set up, but don't know if I should do it myself or get pay to have it done. Any tips or places to go to have it set up, and probably replace the strings for better ones? Does Guitar Center do this well?

  2. #2
    Gibson F5L Gibson A5L
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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Well ... firstly download a copy of Rob Meldrum's set up book for free here on the café. Next do a luthier search of your area on google for luthiers. IDK who you ordered you mandolin from but setting one up isn't too difficult. Mandolins are not guitars and as such are set up somewhat differently than guitars. It is possible that the Guitar Center has a good luthier..... it is equally possible that they don't. So wait for your mandolin, read the manual and you will understand better what needs or does not need to be done. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  3. #3

    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Default Re: All Praise Rob Meldrum!
    Thank you for making me smile! The ebook is available to all who ask by emailing me at rob.meldrum@gmail.com. Please put Mandolin Setup in the subject line. Rob

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  5. #4
    Gummy Bears and Scotch BrianWilliam's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Rob's PDF is full of great info. But, I'd rather pay for pro setup. Micah at the Arvada Pickin' Parlor does great work.

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Read Rob's book first so you know what's going on. It really is that good.
    Then take it to Micah at Olde Town Pickin' Parlor. He really is that good.

    Once it is setup right, Rob's info will help you maintain and tweak, but if you are a new player a full setup may be too much for your first project.

    Tom

  7. #6
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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    If you're at all handy, you can do the setup yourself using Rob's ebook as a guide. Otherwise, avoid Guitar Center! Take the instrument to the Denver Folklore Center or the Olde Town Pickin Parlor in Arvada.
    I'm out of town until end of August, but if you haven't done it yourself, or taken it to one of those shops by then, I'll help you do the setup.
    What mandolin are you thinking of buying?
    PS- if you buy a mandolin from either the Denver Folklore Center or Olde Town Pickin Parlor, they will do the setup for you as part of the purchase. The same goes for any of the sellers who are sponsors here on the Cafe.
    Best, Al

  8. #7

    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Or just buy from one of our fine sponsors who include a setup in the price.
    Silverangel A
    Arches F style kit
    1913 Gibson A-1

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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Thanks for the advice, I haven't looked up luthiers around me so ill get on that after getting the book.

  10. #9
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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Sorry, still getting the hang of the forum's formatting and replying. But sounds like I should go to Olde Town Pickin' Parlor and see Micah, or go the much closer Denver Folklore Center. After I download the book of course. Does anyone know the price of a setup at those places? Just looking to see what i'm getting myself into. Thanks for the help.
    Last edited by THisGuy77; Aug-06-2017 at 11:53pm.

  11. #10
    Mediocre but OK with that Paul Busman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    Quote Originally Posted by westslope View Post
    Read Rob's book first so you know what's going on. It really is that good.
    Then take it to Micah at Olde Town Pickin' Parlor. He really is that good.

    Once it is setup right, Rob's info will help you maintain and tweak, but if you are a new player a full setup may be too much for your first project.

    Tom
    Call ahead to the luthier and see if he'll arrange a time when you can bring the instrument in and have him do the work on the spot while you watch. You'll learn a lot.
    For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
    www.busmanwhistles.com
    Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.

  12. #11

    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    There is setup, then there's setup. Some mandolins need significant fret leveling to play their best and the likelihood of this is greater the cheaper the mandolin. I learned this while setting up my MK. Without the frets being leveled my MK would never have good action, but I bought the mandolin to experiment with and learned how to fret level. It needed a lot of work. $150 in my neck of the woods from a competent tech.

    Otherwise $30 or so for the basics.
    Silverangel A
    Arches F style kit
    1913 Gibson A-1

  13. #12
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Mandolin Setup Help.

    This is the eternal string player debate. Folks come down strongly on both sides of the question. I'm new to Mandoland, but it Guitarsville, people come to blows over it. Here's what I've decided:

    If you're handy, you can teach yourself to do a set-up. If you're not, you can't.

    I'm definitely NOT handy. Anything I fix costs more to fix after I've fixed it than it would've cost if I hadn't tried to fix it in the first place. So I always take my axes to pros.

    But plenty of folks have the fix-it knack. If you do, then read up on set-ups and have it it. If you don't, you'll find me leaning on the mando shop counter wondering how much it's going to cost me this time . . . .

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