Florida: Use It Or Lose It?

[Azrael]

The Extended Fingerboard.

I'm just curious to know how many of you actually find yourselves using this and how many of you actually found yourselves cutting it off?

[T.D.Nydn]

Myself,,I need a full fretted,functional extension. I use everything on the fingerboard,and a scalloped or scooped extension is a deal breaker for me on many mandolins. I pick over the extension in location, and I never seem to hit or click it,,,

[Tobin]

I don't need it or want it. Even a scooped Florida does nothing but piss me off as my pick clicks on it. So I bought a mandolin with an abbreviated board (22 frets). I find myself using up to the 19th fret on occasion, but anything beyond that is wasted on me.

[MikeEdgerton]

Since there's no money above the fifth fret I scooped mine.

[HonketyHank]

Two of mine have had Floridectomies. I am currently using a mandolin with a scoop - that works OK for me even though I think that a faux Florida is rather silly.

[fernmando]

I leave them on. I insist on using a "shallow" picking technique, and the fretboard extension acts as a depth gauge for me-i.e. when I am clicking, I am exposing too much pick.

Roscoe Morgan

[Zach Wilson]

My Yellowstone has an extension which hardly ever gets used. I've never hit it with my pick though so I am going to leave it be.

[DavidKOS]

Myself,,I need a full fretted,functional extension. I use everything on the fingerboard,

I use every note on the fingerboard too - my new Fishcbach flatback mandolin on order will have the full extended fretted fingerboard all the way to super-high G.

If I was to buy a Gibson-type archtop mandolin it would have to have the full Florida with all the frets.

Thanks for asking! I promised I would not comment about other people's Florida-ectomies, but it was nice to have my opinion sought about one for myself.

Now all I have to do is get a reason to buy an F hole archtop mandolin.

[Barry Wilson]

Floridectomy patient here too. I hated the thing and seemed impossible to get anything but a fingernail between those frets

[Hendrik Ahrend]

I'd always keep it, because I paid for it, just love the looks, and because there is a second reason - besides better e-string sound - to raise the action a tad.

[DavidKOS]

Floridectomy patient here too. I hated the thing and seemed impossible to get anything but a fingernail between those frets

Funny you say it like that, I find myself using just a bit of the tip if the finger as if I was using my fingernail up there on those tiny frets!

[T.D.Nydn]

For classical and jazz playing..if your not using the upper fretboard,,you are missing out. I play up there on my wild bluegrass solos also. I make it a point to practice,in one way or another,every day playing solos just 12 fret and above. It's fun and with time you get better at it,just like almost everything. What is challenging for me is using my pinkie in the upper board..( using 4 fingers)..sometimes it sounds great,,sometimes I'm not sure what that note is,,

[Mark Wilson]

I use every note on the fingerboard too - my new Fishcbach flatback mandolin on order will have the full extended fretted fingerboard all the way to super-high G.

I don't see how you do that without a stylus

[JeffD]

I had the florida scooped on my Paris Swing and had faux frets put in, to keep the "look", which for that mandolin is kind of the whole point.


I use some of the fret board all of the time, and all of the fret board some of the time. I occasionally do get up into the florida, but I have never had to be there. I get a bloody nose at those altitudes.

[sgarrity]

If a mandolin has a long extension then I scoop it versus removing it. Both of my current mandolins have abbreviated fingerboards at about 22 frets. I've been playing mandolin for about 18 years now and have been to countless jams all across the country. I've played with everyone from rank beginners to many of the biggest names in bluegrass and acoustic music. I have NEVER seen anyone actually use the frets on a "Florida" extension.

[DavidKOS]

bluegrass and acoustic music[/B]. I have NEVER seen anyone actually use the frets on a "Florida" extension.

In that style, well, most players do not go up that high on the neck. Not even the fiddle players!

So for you guys that only play Bluegrass and other Americana, there is no musical reason for it as it is not part of the style.

As for never seeing anyone use the extension, in the situations you mention that would be normal - but start hanging out with serious Italian and classical players.

Then you will see use of the upper frets, many of the solos by composers like Calace go up to a G 2 octaves above the 3rd fret 1st string G. That's like 27 frets!

So it's all related to the genre you play.

If the Gibson F hole mandolins had been built for Bluegrass, which was not yet invented at the time, then they would have not had the Florida. But they were designed for classical mandolin solo and orchestra use, so they were built to play a wider range.

[T.D.Nydn]

I find it necessary in playing jazz also...the higher up in pitch you go,,the more dissonance the ear can accept. I listen to what jazz piano players can do in higher registers, and that influences my playing greatly.

[darrylicshon]

I have mandolins with them some without and 1 scalloped all are stock i don't do anything to them it doesn't matter to me if it's there i might use a note or two if it's not I'm fine that way also.

[JeffD]

I find it necessary in playing jazz also...the higher up in pitch you go,,the more dissonance the ear can accept. I listen to what jazz piano players can do in higher registers, and that influences my playing greatly.

I think of all the styles of music, including classical, I think jazz, serious jazz, makes the most demands on the instrument, on the player, on dexterity, and on understanding the instrument and a knowledge of music theory. Of course there are specific Bach pieces that may be more challenging than particular jazz riffs etc. etc., but for a style that taxes everything you got the most, I think jazz is it.

[pops1]

I was playing informally with Joel Mabus several years ago and we were both playing mandolin, he was working on playing only one string of the courses and letting the other ring for a different sound. I think playing on the Florida would not be as hard as that especially during a solo or tune as Joel was doing. He was also doing it with chords just catching that single string on the fly amazed me.

[T.D.Nydn]

Pops,,have you ever heard Allen Holdsworth play the guitar? He holds one note down(on the electric) and lets it sustain,while adding soloing notes on other strings at the same time,,,I think he is the only guy in the world who can actually play like that...

[DataNick]

My Gibson F5L has a scooped extension that I still "click" occasionally; so I've already determined to have it chopped off by my luthier in the future. My Flatiron Performer A has the "F4" type extension typical of Flatirons, and it works for me. I don't seem to click with that type...

[pops1]

T.D. I haven't heard of him, but then I am an old acoustic guy. I will try to check him out, sounds interesting. thanks.

Headless guitar and all that boy can play!!!!

[GTison]

Use it. I don't like seeing them lopped off. I guess it's just me. Ya know before about 15 years ago, I didn't know anyone who did this, cept of course Sam Bush. Maybe Gibson started this in a way because they came out with the Bush Model.

[Don Grieser]

They do make very fashionable bolo ties.