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Thread: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

  1. #26

  2. #27

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I've been playing one for around 10 months now. It took me a long time to decide between the S8 and a cheap bowlback. I bought it for playing baroque and classical music. The looks attracted me to it more than the sound. The action was set very high and with low frets I found playing it to be uncomfortable. I said to the shop I'd buy it if they could lower the action and it felt good to play (if it still didn't feel good I would be under no obligation to buy) and they agreed to do it. I changed the strings to some TI medium flats which feel and sound so much better than the stock strings. The sustain is a double-edged sword: some pieces of music, particularly those written for other instruments but suited to the mandolin (e.g. El Noi de la Mare) sound better using a blend of double stops and single picks, allowing some notes to ring, rather than employing a tremolo technique. Whereas other pieces would benefit from a faster decay, bearing in mind that baroque and classical for mandolin was written for an instrument exhibiting that quintessential quality. The low frets are no longer an issue since the shop did do a top job of filing the saddle down (I would have messed it up for sure!), but I would have preferred higher frets to a low saddle. I'm sure I'll get a bowlback at some point but I'll wait til I'm a competent player first.

  3. #28

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    My first message... hope I'm in the right place. I've had my Seagull S8 fora month now. I really like it. I also have a rustic 1918 Martin which has seen better days. For the Seagull S8, I was advised lighter strings would be better for me being a beginner (I'm a bass player). Godin/Seagull told me the original strings are Cleartone .011-.040. So I bought a lighter set but had an extremely hard time changing the set. Unless I'm missing something, the tail piece appears to be one piece, with what seems to be a blacka mute pad underneath. I don't see that there's a cover to remove to make things easy .... I hope I'm wrong! Trying to hook the string loop on the tail piece hooks was murder without bending the strings....and trying to get the strings to lay in the right spot under the mute pad to space the strings properly before the bridge, also frustrating. Any tips? Anyone else have issues changing strings on the S8? Thanks!
    Last edited by Murray986; Feb-12-2020 at 4:31pm. Reason: Not done. Hit button by mistake

  4. #29
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    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    Yes, I must admit that I don't like changing the strings on the S8. I don't think there is any alternative to bending the strings, and giving the string a good tug to help it grip once you've managed to hook it on.
    David A. Gordon

  5. #30

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I put new strings on my recently reacquired Flatrion 1N yesterday and had an extra set of GHS A250 strings so I decided to try them on my S8. I had D'addario J73s on before and I like the light strings even though the S8 is built like a tank and can easily handle J74s. I must say I really like the sound and the feel of the GHS A250s.

  6. #31

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I purchased the natural S8 a few months ago. Action was too high for me so I carefully pulled off bridge saddle and lowered it by sanding it down. Now it is perfect. I get generally positive reactions when people see it. Frets are smaller than my other mandos but I have become accustomed to them now. Build quality is very good and you get a good instrument for a reasonable price. It sounds loud and it is bright. I made a short video comparing the S8 with two of my other mandolins and it is on the forum entitled "three mandolin sound test" or you can click link below:

    https://youtu.be/PGGphIU5Nf8
    Last edited by PH-Mando; Jul-06-2020 at 7:53am.

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  8. #32
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    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I have a eq version. bought it a week ago. have a weber as my main mandolin.
    the seagull I bought had pretty decent playability from the box. much better than most mandolins I have tried in the lower price range. I bought it mainly because I dont want to put in electronics in my weber.
    it sounds very funny (as in good funny) on my tube stereo rack guitar rig, with a bit of overdrive. sort of a high-pitch 12-string electric guitar. quite a novel sound.
    its made like a tank. you have to try to destroy this one to manage it, I think. its very heavily built.

  9. #33
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    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    Just received my S8 EQ yesterday.

    First impressions:
    Looks lovely
    Sounds lovely
    Plays horrendously.

    I'm quite shocked at how high the action is and it feels like quite heavy guage strings.

    Trying to fret a note on the 1st is just painful.

    Today I skimmed 3mm off the bridge which made a great improvement, I then got the feeler guages out and lowered each string on the nut.

    What a difference!

    Think I still nees to take another mm off the bridge, just working up the courage haha.

    Does anyone know what guage of strings are fitted to it in the factory?

    Looking forward to getting to know it over the next few weeks.

    The cheap Stagg will now be a feature in my works van for lunch practices.

  10. #34

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    Well, I got my Seagull Friday and I really like its looks. It was playable outa the box, but perhaps the action is a little high. I like its sound, but I’ve just noodled with it by ear so far, testing picks.

    I like the Dunlop 1.0 or .88 nylons, but I’ve got some V- rounds comin’ in the mail. I usually use Dunlop round 1.3s on my other mandolins, but they seemed too harsh for this one. I like to tremolo a lot.

    Anyway, so far so good. I like Its looks, and it sounds good.

  11. #35

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I bought a Seagull S8 as my first mandolin. Having nothing to compare it to all I can say is I love it. It sounds good to me and stays in tune. I have read that the string height is too high but I don't know.... I built up blisters right away and I have trouble with some chords but that is part of learning I suppose. Anyway - the only thing that may be a bummer is I am not sure an armrest would fit and I am now thinking I would like one. That being said - I've never played a mandolin so have nothing else to compare to. The price was right.

  12. #36

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    Hello

    I'm new here, in fact I've never used a Forum before - Eeek! I hope not to upset anybody.. )
    I bought a Seagull S8 Natural Finish about a Year ago, I found it a bit shrill at first though, after making a replica of the Saddle in Ebony it now seems to have a lot more of a balanced sound, I'm still playing around with Strings gauges, trying to get the right compromise between Volume/Tone 7 Warmth..

    The Ebony gives it a lot more of a Woody sound which is what I'm after, I'm about to try a set of D'addario 10-38's as the last set of GHS 10.5 - 39's kept slipping out of the Tuning Keys when Tuning, very annoying - What Strings has anybody here tried on the S8..?

    STiiLBiRD

  13. #37

    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I'm using the GHS A240 Ultra Light set (.009 .013 .020 .032).

    I don't have time for the moment to do a big write-up, but there are posts here and elsewhere on restringing effectively. Good luck!
    ----

    Playing a funky oval-hole scroll-body mandolin, several mandolins retuned to CGDA, three CGDA-tuned Flatiron mandolas, two Flatiron mandolas tuned as octave mandolins,and a six-course 25.5" scale CGDAEB-tuned Ovation Mandophone.

    Love mandola?
    Join the Mandola Social Group!

  14. #38
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    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    A friend of mine has one of these. I’m not sure but I wonder if the preamp has a problem. The volume will abruptly change occasionally while playing. Anyone else experienced this?

  15. #39
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    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    Has anyone successfully added a pickup to the non-EQ version?

    I was thinking about a K&K twin or similar. I took the strings off today to investigate, looks like it might be a bit difficult to get it fitted as there is a brace blocking access to the bridge area.

    On the plus side, the tailpiece seems to be the same as the one on the EQ version so presumably there’s space for a jack there.

  16. #40
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    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I haven't seen much about Seagull mandolins here for a while actually.

    I can't help you with your pickup or preamp problems, but I have been playing my S8 a bit lately and I still think it's really pretty good. Very handy for travelling because it's so small and surprisingly loud.

    I've also been playing a Seagull Entourage Rustic guitar for about 2 or 3 years. It came my way via a couple of friends and it has some personal meaning to me, but I really love the guitar. I wouldn't really have expected to have two Seagull instruments, but it turns out I do and I'm pretty happy about it.
    David A. Gordon

  17. #41
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    Default Re: Seagull S8 Owners Thread

    I like mine too, it was my first mandolin and I have put a lot of miles on it, both figuratively and literally. I have a fancier instrument now but I have kept the Seagull for use in more “lively” environments.

    The reason I have been looking into this is that I have been contemplating getting into some solo busking - a brief survey of the town centre on Saturday afternoon confirmed my suspicion that nobody does acoustic busking any more.

    I’d like to think the mandolin is workable as a solo instrument given sufficient use of double stops and other such tricks - in fact I read an excellent book once that mentioned this, in addition to many other aspects of Scottish mandolin playing.

    I bought the S8 sight unseen, having previously owned an excellent Godin guitar. I think the Godin brands are uniformly well made, but have terrible resale value, at least here in England where nobody has heard of them. When buying secondhand this is a very good thing.

    Since posting this I have discovered the Baggs radius pickup - another item that was discussed here in the past but seems to have faded into obscurity. This looks like it might be just the job, and they even seem to be available secondhand now and then.

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