Any mandolin players here?

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 19 Jun 2020 1:04 pm

Been thinking about getting a mandolin to have some fun while I'm in seclusion from the virus. Any pointers are appreciated.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 20 Jun 2020 2:24 am

Try the Mandolin Cafe.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 20 Jun 2020 3:40 pm

Hi Brad,

Thank you for the recommendation. I registered with the
Mandolin Cafe and there is a wealth of information.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 20 Jun 2020 5:27 pm

Back when I was schlepping a heavy MSA D-10, Session 500, pac-a-seat, etc to every gig, I often thought how nice it would be to be a mandolin player, instead!

Mike Auman · Post by **Mike Auman** » 20 Jun 2020 7:00 pm

Lenny, I played just a little bit many years ago, but my sister's a lifelong mandolin player, and she says a professional setup is a good investment. Especially important on an entry-level model (assuming you won't start out with a Lloyd Loar F-5...) That might include bridge height, intonation, nut depth, neck relief (truss rod) and smooth the fret ends if needed. It's a fun instrument! Mike

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 20 Jun 2020 9:33 pm

Some of my best friends are mandolin players

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 22 Jun 2020 4:13 am

I don't consider myself a real mandolin player, but I picked one up 3 or 4 yrs. ago when MF had a blow out on the the little Rogue A style. It's an adequate test vehicle.

I was able to find some things right away on my own, and even to take to the jams once in a while.

I found the basic shapes fairly intuitive and not too hard to find.

It's a lot of fun, a diversion from other instruments and while I'll never be proficient at it, I enjoy it quite a lot.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 22 Jun 2020 6:31 am

I played Mandolin from about age 18-30 but gradually lost interest. It seemed that steel guitar offered so many more possibilities for different sounds. I appreciate great mando playing but tonally, it's all in the same bag for me, at least.

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 22 Jun 2020 2:06 pm

I read in a book a story about a famous mandolinist I believe it was Jethro Burns, he had been a slave to the mandolin for over 15 years, and had become as good as anyone playing it, then was told by record producers to be successful he was going to have to take the mandolin out of his music.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 22 Jun 2020 2:36 pm

I've heard that Mike Perlowin was a mandolin player before he discovered pedal steel. They called him "Mandolin Mike".

Better mando than banjo, I always say.

Bill Fisher · Post by **Bill Fisher** » 22 Jun 2020 3:33 pm

I disagree, b0b.

Bill

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 22 Jun 2020 3:58 pm

I tend to find a lot of banjo playing to be quite stereotypic and repetitive. But I wonder what are the real objections from someone better versed in music than me concerning what about banjo music people don't like. Many great guitar players like Jerry Reed used banjo rolls quite prominently.

Jim Robbins · Post by **Jim Robbins** » 22 Jun 2020 6:57 pm

I got one a few years ago after throwing my back out taking my steel out of the case for a rehearsal. Beautiful sounding instruments & lots of fun. Tip: learn the notes, there aren't that many.

Allan Haley · Post by **Allan Haley** » 23 Jun 2020 11:57 am

My main instrument. I pick up my mando when I feel like giving up on PSG.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Jun 2020 1:43 am

I studied Mandolin about 7 or 8 years ago, I continued for about 2 or 3 years. Recorded and even wrote a few tunes. Then, stopped.

I was playing many of the popular Mando and Fiddle tunes having a great time, I acquired several Mando's and kept two. Still have them, they are hanging on the wall.

I believe what happened was I came to a place where I realized I can't do it all. I was invited to join a band which had 2 x Monthly gigs, My position was Steel and Guitar. Other gigs had me on Dobro , Steel or Guitar. NO gigs had me on Mandolin.

That 2x Monthly gig started in 2015 and only came to an stop with Covid 19.

Mandolin is a great instrument. That's all I can say !

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 24 Jun 2020 7:04 am

Garry Vanderlinde wrote:Some of my best friends are mandolin players

But would you let your sister marry one?

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 24 Jun 2020 7:08 am

Darrell Criswell wrote:I read in a book a story about a famous mandolinist I believe it was Jethro Burns, he had been a slave to the mandolin for over 15 years, and had become as good as anyone playing it, then was told by record producers to be successful he was going to have to take the mandolin out of his music.

I took lessons from Jethro in the 80's, and I don't think think it was him. He was a great guitarist also, but was a mandolin player his whole career. Chet Atkins(His brother in law) called him the best musician he ever worked with.

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 24 Jun 2020 9:06 am

But would you let your sister marry one?

If it's good enough for Chet Atkins, it's good enough for me

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 24 Jun 2020 9:42 am

Garry Vanderlinde wrote:
But would you let your sister marry one?
If it's good enough for Chet Atkins, it's good enough for me

There you go!

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 24 Jun 2020 11:29 am

Speaking of Jethro, here's his advice on buying a mandolin:
"Get the cheapest one you can find. It doesn't matter what it sounds like, or what it looks like, because chances are, nobody will ever hear you or see you playing it."

Seriously though, most of the "name brand" Asian mandolins, like Kentucky, Eastman, etc. make a pretty decent product. A good set-up is really important so that it plays well. I have an Chinese made Epiphone MM-30 with a built in pickup that I bought used for $80, and it plays well, sounds halfway decent(Not as good as my Gibson of course), and the pickup sounds great.

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 24 Jun 2020 3:20 pm

I played mandolin in bluegrass bands for maybe 20 years. Loved it, perfect situation. I have played mandolin in singer-songwriter/duet situations, another perfect situation. Acoustic and stripped down.

I have also played mandolin in situations where it was just an awful fit. The "chop" of the mandolin gets lost with a drummer in the mix, even a skilled and tasteful drummer. Too much of the same sonic territory. The band may sound better if you don't play rhythm. As for soloing: I'll report that electric amplified mandolin just sounds cheap and chirpy, even with expensive gear. In my case, a vintage Fender mandocaster, a Gibson F-5 with various pickups, recommended pre-amps and all the rest.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 24 Jun 2020 6:37 pm

A friend of mine, David Garelick, leads a mandolin orchestra. https://youtu.be/SKwvvBqkI9A They gave a concert about 6 months ago at the Cloverdale library. I've shared a stage with David as fiddler many times. It was fun seeing him in a different context.

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 24 Jun 2020 9:51 pm

Mandolin players are a strange bunch. 'The Humbling River':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LnK1tK1KyA

John Rosett · Post by **John Rosett** » 24 Jun 2020 10:23 pm

D Schubert wrote:I'll report that electric amplified mandolin just sounds cheap and chirpy, even with expensive gear. In my case, a vintage Fender mandocaster, a Gibson F-5 with various pickups, recommended pre-amps and all the rest.

Tiny Moore and Johnny Gimble always sounded great to me.

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 25 Jun 2020 6:24 pm

John Rosett, you're absolutely right about Tiny Moore and Johnny Gimble. I've thought about that before, and maybe this is the dlifference: Tiny Moore played a 5-string mandolin with an added 5th string tuned to low C, so he was often playing in mandola or tenor banjo territory. And I read that Johnny Gimble tunes his old Gibson electric as a four-string mandola with no doubled string courses, so that it's C-G-D-A as well.

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Any mandolin players here?

Any mandolin players here?

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