Any mandolin players here?

Fishboy7

I'm thinking of giving it whirl. 

Looks like fun, but wondering how easy you get used to the small frets and the tuning etc? 

Guitar Guitar have a used Eastman that looks pretty nice  

drofluf

I’ve just sold mine but have some beginner books if you’re interested?

I managed to teach myself but took up guitar a while later and realised I enjoyed it more. Sold the mandolin as it wasn’t getting played. 

KDS

Eastman mando's are great. 2nd hand A are great value.  If price isn't an issue, Rigel mando's are very cool and brilliant sounding

VimFuego

I play some. The small frets aren't that much of an issue, I find some chord shapes tricky, but can work around them. The tuning I had no issues with coming from violin. For melody playing, IMO, tuning in 5ths makes more sense than guitar tuning.

octatonic

Try Mandola.

LastMantra

My dad has had a few over the years. Currently rocking a Stag which is perfectly decent. I don't play but I've had a go. Found it pretty difficult, the neck is tiny! I've got quite big hands I suppose. 
Good for practicing your trem picking.

Kittyfrisk

Bought this years ago for under £100 including a case. All solid woods & despite looking a bit of a blowsy tart, has a very sweet tone. A few rough edges finish wise, but sod that 
Surprisingly easy to play 'The Battle of Evermore' on :-D

Fishboy7

octatonic said:

Try Mandola.

They look interesting too. Easier to play I guess but won't you that high end punch ?

The Eastman at guitar guitar looks like the main contender.  
https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/px201023363271004--eastman-md505-pre-owned

..... although  I made the mistake of looking at some Collings and Weber mandos... oof

Fishboy7

camf

I saw this at the time. It made me shed a tear then, and I just shed another. A man weighed down by raw grief playing us his music. 

Fishboy7

camf said:

I saw this at the time. It made me shed a tear then, and I just shed another. A man weighed down by raw grief playing us his music. 

Yeah absolutely - He did that about a week after Justin Townes passed and his grief is palpable, 

 

Funkfingers

octatonic said:

Try Mandola.

Or a Fender Tenor Tele tuned in fifths. Use a capo to get into regular mandolin pitch range.

thecolourbox

I had a go for a while, had a cheap acoustic one then later an electric "mandocaster" which was fun. As VimFuego says the 5ths tuning just makes sense when you're playing it for melodies and stuff flows nicely in that tuning. Guitar tuning didn't sound as good to me and the chord shapes werent really any easier either as the frets are that much smaller it can be a bit of a strain anyway. Better to learn it properly as those chord shapes are made for the Mandolin. Plus due to the violin tuning you've got all manner of lovely fiddle tunes from irish or american music to choose from.

Lovely instrument. My brother in law's family run an antique shop and they had an italian one that they got me to string up (not a pleasant job stringing a mandolin) and get into working order, which was fun. Here's a video of me bashing it out when it was ready:

https://www.facebook.com/matthewettham/videos/10153057217634807

Stratavarious

Yep..    its a great little instrument.  I have a pancake Army Navy style.  I use it in the band for a few numbers but use it a lot for kids tv recording.  A really sweet sound and surprisingly versatile - a great complement to an acoustic guitar. The tight tension gives really nice clear melody notes. 

I spent some time working the nut and bridge to get the action really easy but you will adjust quick.

Mine is acoustic but I have piezo under-saddle pickup to install soon.

Trude

I’d totally recommend giving it a go. It’s not a million miles away from guitar, although your right hand won’t know what the hell is going on for a while!

I play an Eastman A 804 that I’ve had since about 2005. It has a dead flat fingerboard, which can be a bit of a struggle sometimes. I only found out later that radiused boards are available, which might be a bit easier all round, even if purists might not agree. Something to consider?

What I found was it’s easier if you don’t force yourself to play full chords the whole time. Partial chords and double stops with little runs in between can get you a long way. 

Here’s a vid I recorded with my Americana band back in February. Nothing dazzling going on here, but it shows how less can be more when you’re trying to add a bit of flavour to a good song:

https://youtu.be/zMmri3xkLb8

stickyfiddle

I've had a knackered "Vintage" brand one for ages but the action is ridiculous so it needs the bridge modifying. I must get around to it one day. 

For chords you can basically use guitar chords upside down to get started.

Bidley

I've played for a number of years now, love it. Have gigged mando lots and it always gets heads turning. Start with two finger cowboy chords and you'll be fine.

Fishboy7

Trude said:

I’d totally recommend giving it a go. It’s not a million miles away from guitar, although your right hand won’t know what the hell is going on for a while!

I play an Eastman A 804 that I’ve had since about 2005. It has a dead flat fingerboard, which can be a bit of a struggle sometimes. I only found out later that radiused boards are available, which might be a bit easier all round, even if purists might not agree. Something to consider?

What I found was it’s easier if you don’t force yourself to play full chords the whole time. Partial chords and double stops with little runs in between can get you a long way. 

Here’s a vid I recorded with my Americana band back in February. Nothing dazzling going on here, but it shows how less can be more when you’re trying to add a bit of flavour to a good song:

https://youtu.be/zMmri3xkLb8

Loved that - Sounds great 

I'm procrastinating quite a bit as usual, but most likely going for an Eastman.    

Stratavarious

Try before you buy if you can.  Some cheaper ones have horrible action.

If you can get to a Hobgoblin Music store, they usually have dozens. 

Mudcrutch

I played the mandolin years before guitar as a small boy.
The first string instruments I had axis to at my grandparents and my mothers.
They were beautiful works of art with mother of Pearl inlays on the body and necks.
The bowl backs were built from layers and layers of wooden strips all hand crafted to form.
Some were bigger than others and gave different tones.
They were all hand built before WW2 and brought to the UK after from Holland.
They went missing after my grandparents and mother died in the 70s and 80s.
Ive still not found any that come close to the sounds they used to make So haven’t really bothered with a acoustic mandolin since then.
I have one of these electric  mandolins I bought a while back for a bit of fun.

It was around £79 when I bought it .
Just looked on Thomann and it’s now £99 which is still a good price for what it does.
Lindisfarne 

Mudcrutch

Just seen this very recently uploaded YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/cQ6OrYKtuuA
To quote in Latin ,
Buyer Beware.