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Thread: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

  1. #1
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    Default Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Just bought an Eastman MD305 A like I don’t have enough on my plate but I’m 67 and played guitar constantly since I was 10. Couch player nowadays but guy at mandolin store was super nice and spent time on the phone with a novice player, very helpful. Going from fourths to fifths now, just upside down and some thinking to do

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  3. #2
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    CBFrench: Welcome to the Cafe and to mandolins.

    My advice is to approach the mandolin like the completely new instrument that it is, not like a small, upside-down guitar. That will not work so well.

    Lots of advice to be had on this forum. Just ask whatever and whenever you like, and you'll get lots of info, opinions, and encouragement.

    Again: welcome!
    Phil

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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Yet, you forgot to add "yet" to the end of the title. Welcome to the Café!

  6. #4
    Registered User Doug Brock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Welcome! That's a fine mandolin.

    I was a long time guitar player and came to the mandolin fairly late in life. I LOVE the mandolin and wish I started much earlier. Just learning a few simple chords (I'm thinking the open G, C, and D chords) can be quick and easy and let you play lots of songs right away. From there, you have a world of exploration and learning available to you.
    Doug Brock
    2018 Kimble 2 point (#259), Eastman MD315, Eastman MDA315, some guitars, banjos, and fiddles

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    Registered User Mando Mort's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Welcome to our world. Philphool is so right. I struggled for a while trying to learn mando after a lifetime of playing guitar until I finally did approach it like a totally different instrument and then all of a sudden things started to click and it started making sense. I play both every day now and love them both. I have an Eastman too and think it is a very good mandolin for the money.

    Enjoy!
    "All of us contain Music & Truth, but most of us can't get it out." - Mark Twain

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  8. #6
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Did that same move one day, bought a mandolin and joined the cafe. Welcome! Philphool is absolutely right, and you'll want to spend some time re-visiting LH and RH mechanics as you adjust.

  9. #7

    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Congrats and welcome!

    My take is that everything is easier on mandolin than guitar (except chop chords maybe), so it's a fun little instrument to learn.

    The number of 4-string instruments tuned in fifths is huge, so GAS possibilities are large.
    Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
    Eastman MD-604SB with Grover 309 tuners.
    Eastwood 4 string electric mandostang, 2x Airline e-mandola (4-string) one strung as an e-OM.
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  10. #8
    Registered User mmuussiiccaall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    The upside down stuff would be of much more use if it were the first four strings of the guitar instead of the last four.

  11. #9
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Hey, welcome to our obsession!

    Mike Marshall has a very nice YouTube video that tells you the optimum way to hold the mandolin (yes, it's different from guitar) that would be worth looking at. In a nutshell, good guitar fretting technique is bad mandolin technique -- the fretboard isn't as cramped if, say, you hold your hands on the mandolin at an angle (like a fiddle) instead of perpendicular to your fretboard (which is guitar technique)-- and the usual way of playing is one finger per two frets. If you want to make comparisons, think of the mandolin as a violin/fiddle you hold in front of you instead of a small, upsidedown guitar.

    You'll also find that strings and picks make a lot of difference in the mandolin, where a lot of that is less obvious on guitar. So experiment!
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Hi and welcome. In addition to Mike Marshall's videos, there are lesson videos at mandolessons.com aimed at beginners up through fairly advanced. All for free. That site was a great help to me when I started with mandolin and I still go back there a lot. Check it out. Baron Collins-Hill runs the site and makes the videos and plays the kind of stuff I like. He is also a member here.
    New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.

    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

    My website and blog: honketyhank.com

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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Tks folks gon take a lot of work but I do have an ear at least what’s left after playing electric in a band so many years. I pecked around on one years ago but I do love what one can bring to any genre.

  14. #12
    Registered User stringsattached's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Not to hijack but how much better are the Grover 309’s than the OEM Eastman tuners ?
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Yep, ain't nothin' 'bout the fretting hand you can use, except if your fingers fall perfectly across your guitar callouses, you are doin' it wrong. You need to play more on your fingertips. Usually only one of the two strings will fall on your guitar callouses.

    I started three years ago at age 65, but the good news is you can devote two or three hours a day to it. If you have kids, try and remember back to when they were little and you realized you needed to start a college fund. Now is the time to start saving for an upgrade. I know, you aren't over the euphoria of you first one yet, but trust me, you will be. And heaven help you if you become addicted to scroll.
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  17. #14
    Registered User Doug Brock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Quote Originally Posted by stringsattached View Post
    Not to hijack but how much better are the Grover 309’s than the OEM Eastman tuners ?
    Not sure how to quantify how much better. I had two tuners on my MD315 that were very stiff and one that was disturbingly loose and felt like it might come apart. I replaced with Grover 309’s. Easy change though I needed to pre-drill for the outer two screws on each plate. To me it was well worth it.
    Doug Brock
    2018 Kimble 2 point (#259), Eastman MD315, Eastman MDA315, some guitars, banjos, and fiddles

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  19. #15

    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Funny story. I came to mando only after playing guitar for more than 20 years. I love it. Enjoy!

    M&M

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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    I've just been away from acoustic playing for so long until I bought an acoustic guitar about six months ago and a whole new world has opened up for me. Spent the last 6-7 years just studying on jazz standards and the last six months going back to where I started and it's been such a great feeling. Been taking flatpicking lessons at PHN from Scott Nygaard so now I'll just click on over to Sharon Gilchrist since I'm already a member. Saturday is my delivery day.

  21. #17
    Registered User Mando Mort's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Thanks, Doug, for the info on the Grover tuners...I was thinking about that myself.
    "All of us contain Music & Truth, but most of us can't get it out." - Mark Twain

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  23. #18
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    couple questions and I'll stop bugging you folks...I'm a couch player, do I need a strap and if so which one fits the 305 and does anyone ever use a capo, I use one on my acoustic a whole lot but then it changes tone nicely on an acoustic.

  24. #19
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    CB, you're not too old to learn and to have fun with that little, unsanforized guitar.

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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Congrats and welcome CB! I also played guitar for decades before picking up mandolin. I focused on what is similar, Both tunings have "shapes" to the chords which are moveable (learn one and you learn 'em all) and same with scale patterns. The chords I found rather easy to grasp but scales less so because fourths tuning gets you "one finger per fret" whereas fifths tuning gets you "two fingers per fret."

    Find some tunes you like to learn and dive in!

    Bob

  26. #21
    Registered User Doug Brock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Quote Originally Posted by CBFrench View Post
    couple questions and I'll stop bugging you folks...I'm a couch player, do I need a strap and if so which one fits the 305 and does anyone ever use a capo, I use one on my acoustic a whole lot but then it changes tone nicely on an acoustic.
    You don't HAVE to use a strap if you're seated, but many folks do use one all the time. You can tie under the fretboard extension, around the headstock, or you can add a strap button. Lots of discussions already on this forum about straps and A body mandolins.

    Capos aren't too common with mandolin, but you can decide that for yourself. I'm attending a small concert Saturday and in one of the videos I found of the duo, one of the young ladies used a capo on her mandolin. The capo might make sense if you're wanting to play in odd keys but use certain open strings or easier chords. In the video in which she was using a capo, the song was in Bb.

    I have multiple capos for my guitars, but have never used one on mandolin. I do admit that I would have more open-string options in keys like Ab if I were to use a capo and play in the wonderful key of G!
    Doug Brock
    2018 Kimble 2 point (#259), Eastman MD315, Eastman MDA315, some guitars, banjos, and fiddles

  27. #22
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Quote Originally Posted by CBFrench View Post
    couple questions and I'll stop bugging you folks...I'm a couch player, do I need a strap and if so which one fits the 305 and does anyone ever use a capo, I use one on my acoustic a whole lot but then it changes tone nicely on an acoustic.
    I never use a capo.
    I’ll start the discord...you shouldn’t need or use a capo on a mandolin.
    None of the heroes of mandolin use a capo.
    You can’t learn three cords and start a band like guitar.
    Looking forward to the capo lovers replies/justifications!

    Yes on using a strap.
    Last edited by MontanaMatt; Jun-27-2019 at 10:47am. Reason: Humor-snark
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  28. #23
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Welcome, and congratulations! I typically use a strap whether seated or standing. It keeps the mando in essentially the same position for both. Otherwise, I feel like it helps to prop my left foot up on something (case, my right foot, whatever).

    I typically tie my straps to the headstock on my A-styles. My flatiron 1N has a strap button at the heel, but I haven't used it in quite some time. I also put the strap around my right should and over my head (guitar style) rather than just over my right shoulder (Bill Monroe style), as I feel like it's more secure that way.

    I haven't used a capo on mandolin in years, but always have one in my case if I'm playing out (usually at church), just in case one of the singers decides to change the key to something funky and I don't have time to work it out.

    It's great fun, man, enjoy!
    Chuck

  29. #24
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    On the other side, i've never used a strap unless i'm standing, and i've only stood up once or twice in more than 20 years of playing. i cross one leg over the other or prop one leg up -- my case, the rung of the chair, a foot rest. I'm lucky in that my body shape allows this. the one or two times i've used a strap, it's been uncomfortable, awkward and in the way. I'm thinking you just get used to the way you play, so if you're used to a strap and prefer one, playing without feels wrong. As for a capo, i play single line melody (ITM, we don't often use chords) so I just play the fretboard. mandolin is a chromatic instrument, after all. I can't speak to chords or other genres.
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  30. #25
    Mandolin Player trodgers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Bought & I Don’t Even Play

    Welcome to the club! I hope you are enjoying your new instrument the the joys/pains that come with it. Don't let anyone talk you out of using a capo. It is a useful tool that can extend your range of playing possibilities.
    “Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher ‘standard of living’ is worth its cost in things natural, wild and free.” -- Aldo Leopold

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