I have a Big Muddy mandolin. This is a flat topped instrument. It is well made, though not fancy and is something of a cross between a guitar and a mandolin. I really like the sound and the resonance and so on. I do not play bluegrass. (Nothing against it, but it's a band genre and I'm too independent for that.)
But one thing is bothering me. As my abilities have improved, I find myself playing farther up the neck and when I get above the 12th fret the E and to a lesser extent the A strings sort of damp out. They plink like a high piano key rather than ring like some nice (and very expensive) mandolins I've heard. I want that ringing sound.
I considered buying a different mandolin, but I live in a mandolin desert where it is very hard to impossible to go try other instruments. And I suspect that mandolins in my price range (below $1800) would have some other problem. This has been partly confirmed by two sellers in the last couple of weeks. One actually drove down from LA (he had someone to visit down here, anyway) and brought three mandolins for me to try out. Two were for sale, one he was keeping. They all had something going for them, but they all lacked something, too. Another guy made me a video of a very nice sounding A-50, but it lacked the resonance that I've come to like in mine.
So I thought maybe I can do something to improve my really high notes without harming the rest of the sound. It occurred to me that the active top of my instrument is a lot bigger than an f-hole instrument. Maybe the A and E strings just don't have enough energy to drive the big top for very long. And maybe I can do something about that.
First thing I tried was heavier A and E strings because that was easy and I happened to have some around. That resulted in two things. First, they both lost some volume and some resonance in the first position. Second, they gained a tiny bit more ring (sustain?) above the 12th fret. So I have to hit them harder, but I did gain a little.
Now it occurs to me that I have a Taylor guitar. This is a flat topped guitar with a big soundboard. And it rings all the way up to the last fret on the high E string. Yes, I know that's still probably an octave lower than the high notes on my mandolin, but it's also a much bigger top. So it is obviously possible to have what I want in a flat topped instrument.
What do you suppose I can do to make my high notes ring out better? Bridge changes? Shaving braces? I will be doing this myself as I don't have the budget to engage a luthier to experiment for me even if there was one around here who knew anything about mandolins. (Though maybe a guitar luthier might actually have more insight into this situation on a flat-topped instrument?)
I am using a Cumberland Acoustics adjustable bridge. I switched to this when I was moving from very humid to very dry and back every year. Prior to that I had two fixed bridges, both of which I had done the height adjustments on myself. Will lightening the bridge help? Or lightening just the treble side? (I like my bass how it is.) Or what about switching back to the solid bridges? I do remember drilling a bunch of holes in one of those and didn't like what I heard, though I don't remember why. Perhaps only lightening the treble side?
I've also changed most hardware on two mandolins, both of which required moving holes and one of which required moving the holes for the tuners! All has gone well so far. I've also built houses, fountains (yes, professionally), and model ships, so I am pretty handy.
I am not inclined, though, to take my mandolin apart or to make unalterable changes to it unless I am sure they will improve and not degrade the sound.
Is there anything else I should consider? Or am I totally off on the wrong track? Be honest, I can take it. :-)
Thanks.
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