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8 strings, Who'd a thunk...


kidblast

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This was a gift for my 60th bday in april.

 

The cites ban held up the order for months.

 

[finally found a way (thanks to LarryUK from the board) of getting photos inserted with facebook! WooT!]

 

been having a lot of fun trying to figure this little guy out..

 

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thanks Gents... I've been casually interested in acquiring a decent one of these for some time now. was a nice surprise when I found out that one was ordered but, did not arrive in time for my b-day in April. I had options to use the cash for sth else, but I decided, I'd rather wait it out. No Manodlins were available in the mean while from Sweetwater where it was ordered from, (or any of the other usual places due to CITES)

 

I liked the idea of an Fstyle with a pickup.

 

And I think your right cowboy, I can see that I can accumulate a few of these in the future. This one seems to be rather well made, the on-board electronics work nicely. I don't know much about the setup details right now, but once I got it back from being setup, It was 100% more playable.

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Bitten by the mandolin bug. I have three mandolins in the house. As I used to play fiddle it was only a matter of time before I moved in that direction. I own an early 1920s Supertone (which somebody gave me and I fixed up), a 1935 Gibson-made Recording King, and an early 1940s Strad-O-Lin which is kind of a mystery instrument as nobody even knows who built them but which I actually liked better than my earlier 1917 Gibson A-1

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I have wandered around at the entrance for some time. mentioned it casually to my wife some time ago, how she remembered, I'll never guess.

 

Digging the learning curve so far.. The setup unlocked a lot of the fret board for me. Still need to tweak the nut, strings ride a bit high over the first fret, but it seems a minor issue at this point. I can see myself with a few of these down the road... GAS comes in all sizes..

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  • 2 weeks later...

GAS comes in all sizes..

In right doses mandolins are fantastic instruments. Sprinkling notes like romantic rain, , , or fairy-dust over a tune

Wish I could play one, but it won't be this time around.

 

And yes, that thing Sal sat up really has it.

Something to aim for regarding style, touch and accompaniment skills.

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Agree, that Mandolin Orange link Sal posted has pushed me close to the edge of Mandolin Mania. I looked at a half dozen of their other song posts - they are super talented. "Silver Dagger" is a classic - and they set it in granite. And the kicker is - they can both play several different instruments - amazingly.

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ya you are both spot on

 

Em7, you nailed it man,, that's the whole thing with this instrument,, so delicate, snow falling on a pristine meadow in November...

 

But, it's not anything you would not take a shining given a few weeks.. Don't count it out, nothing ventured..

 

since the day it arrived and I've taken this path, the mando parts in songs I listen too tend to some how, jump up a little higher in the mix. I'm inspired, but - bound by time.. what do we do with the free moments... Then there's this little thing.. with 8 strings...

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Angel Band = a guitar, a mando, a banjo and a fiddle!

I have, temporarily at least, put off the bite of the mandolin bug by spending a day with my banjo.

Unlike my guitars - I had NEVER changed the stings on it, after TEN years.

I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I thought if I had to sell it and could advertise "Still Has Original Deering Strings" it would be a plus! Twisted logic, at best.

So, I took it completely apart except for the soundring and head. Cleaned it up - the chrome parts had a few spots that were dull bordering on tarnish, but polished right up.

Sanded about 1/16th of an inch off the bottom of the wooden bridge and added an imperceptible curve to it to fit 'into' the head better.

Fortunately, unlike several lawnmowers I've had, I was able to put it all back together. Of course, after 10 years of neglect and some new, Light Ernie Ball strings - it sounds like a different animal.

I got this Deering Boston shipped directly to me compliments of my insurance company, after my beloved open back Bacon Belmont long neck was stolen in a home burglary. I never really 'bonded' to it until now, I now realize. Shifted my attention to guitars. So - I'm hoping I've been able to put off the temptation - today will be the test. With a resonator, the old strings always sounded as good as an open back. Now it truly 'rings'.

EM7 described it best - the arrangement of the the piece to 'showcase' each instrument. the sprinkling of mandolin notes occasionally, with the strumming 'chop' providing a backbeat at other times, while the banjo is kept as quiet as possible until its turn. And of course, the unassuming guitar strumming rhythm until it gets it's 5 - 10 seconds of fame for some fast interpretation of the melody line

Best way to understand this music is to listen to the classics like Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs - that helps build a foundation for what has come more recently.

Obviously - having let my 5 sting languish, I'm no expert !!

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Angel Band = a guitar, a mando, a banjo and a fiddle!

I have, temporarily at least, put off the bite of the mandolin bug by spending a day with my banjo.

Unlike my guitars - I had NEVER changed the stings on it, after TEN years.

I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I thought if I had to sell it and could advertise "Still Has Original Deering Strings" it would be a plus! Twisted logic, at best.

So, I took it completely apart except for the soundring and head. Cleaned it up - the chrome parts had a few spots that were dull bordering on tarnish, but polished right up.

Sanded about 1/16th of an inch off the bottom of the wooden bridge and added an imperceptible curve to it to fit 'into' the head better.

Fortunately, unlike several lawnmowers I've had, I was able to put it all back together. Of course, after 10 years of neglect and some new, Light Ernie Ball strings - it sounds like a different animal.

I got this Deering Boston shipped directly to me compliments of my insurance company, after my beloved open back Bacon Belmont long neck was stolen in a home burglary. I never really 'bonded' to it until now, I now realize. Shifted my attention to guitars. So - I'm hoping I've been able to put off the temptation - today will be the test. With a resonator, the old strings always sounded as good as an open back. Now it truly 'rings'.

EM7 described it best - the arrangement of the the piece to 'showcase' each instrument. the sprinkling of mandolin notes occasionally, with the strumming 'chop' providing a backbeat at other times, while the banjo is kept as quiet as possible until its turn. And of course, the unassuming guitar strumming rhythm until it gets it's 5 - 10 seconds of fame for some fast interpretation of the melody line

Best way to understand this music is to listen to the classics like Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs - that helps build a foundation for what has come more recently.

Obviously - having let my 5 sting languish, I'm no expert !!

I lean more toward the old-time string band style and less toward the bluegrass, but it's all good. An open back banjo, A-style mandolin, and a guitar that delivers a good bass response is my ideal combination. If you get an ooportunity to listen to the CD of Kenny Hall and the Sweet's Mill String Band, you'll get a good idea of what I'm talking about.

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