Hi all
I'm getting annoying discomfort near my index finger knuckle, as seen in this photo, when playing my Eastman 515v for any period of time:
It's as though the neck is contacting my hand in a way that no other instrument I own does - and pinching a nerve or something. It becomes noticeable after playing for 20 minutes or so. And I can still feel a little tinge there after finishing playing. If I don't play for a few days it goes away, but as soon as I play the Eastman with any regularity again, it comes back. Being somewhat new to the mandolin, I'd like to practice half an hour a day, but this is really off-putting.
For context to this issue, I've played guitar for 40 years, 30 of those semi-professionally, I regularly do three-hour gigs. I've played extensively banjo, ukulele, and have played a lot on a couple of Gibson oval hole mandolins. Never encountered this issue.
The Eastman neck is obviously very different to all the instruments I regularly play, even the oval hole mandolins.
So, is there something I can do? Can I change my technique for this particular instrument? I've thought of concocting some kind of glove type thing to put some padding over that point of contact. Tried avoiding any contact at all between the edge of that knuckle and the neck, but that makes playing a little tricky.
Or will the discomfort lessen as I practice more? I'd be disappointed to have to give up this mandolin. I waited 2 years for Eastman mandolins to come to New Zealand, and chose the best sounding (by a mile) of the three that arrived. There's nowhere here to try mandolins. You're lucky to find anything in any shop priced at over $300.
I've put some photos below of how I'm holding the mandolin. Maybe it's wrong. Any advise would be truly appreciated. I've also shown some measurements of the neck.
Thanks,
Bazz
Bookmarks