I have an exciting new hobby!

TimmyO

Namely keeping a cheap mandolin in tune

fml lol 

VimFuego

hmmm, I don't recall any major issues with it with poor tuning stability. It had amusing intonation higher up the neck, but in 1st pos I seem to recall it being OK.

VimFuego

just a thought, make sure the hook cover isn't actually in contact with the strings, I've found that can throw tuning out.

Bridgehouse

You know that Mando I posted in the other thread? It stays in tune. I've left it for 6 months and it's still been in tune.

You know why? Waverly tuners. The bad news? £350 a set

You need to be sitting down when you buy them. 

mgaw

mandolins are notoriously difficult to keep in tune when they arent "the best"  

Bridgehouse

mgaw said:

mandolins are notoriously difficult to keep in tune when they arent "the best"  

Yep - see my post above. Waverlys are "the best"

TimmyO

I've got to the bottom of it - it's not that it's not holding tune - the intonation on the E and A strings (particularly the A) is really poor on the lower frets. It's fine high up the neck, and you don't really spot it so much playing single notes, but playing chords is a bit whack. I can tune it so that a D chord sounds good, or I can tune so that an A chord sounds good, but not both. 

TimmyO

I've got to the bottom of it - it's not that it's not holding tune - the intonation on the E and A strings (particularly the A) is really poor on the lower frets. It's fine high up the neck, and you don't really spot it so much playing single notes, but playing chords is a bit whack. I can tune it so that a D chord sounds good, or I can tune so that an A chord sounds good, but not both. 

Jimbro66

Is the nut cut a little too high? That's a possible cause of intonation problems on the lowest frets.

The points made by Bridgehouse and mgaw about mandolins are so true. The mando player in our bluegrass band used to drive us nuts constantly retuning, then he got a much better mandolin and - bliss

TimmyO

Jimbro66 said:

Is the nut cut a little too high? That's a possible cause of intonation problems on the lowest frets.

yeah I've been wondering the same thing after looking at it - I'm not familiar with what passes for normal in terms of action or nut height etc on a Mando, but just to the eye there looks to be quite a lot of deflection when fretting at 2nd and 3rd frets, compared to the length of string behind the fret. It could well be this.

If it is (if I get chance in daylight I'll take some pics tomorrow) then I'm not sure it's worth spending on fettling it - I only paid £20 for it! 

It's fine for me getting my fingers used to things though I think 

Jimbro66

TimmyO said:

Jimbro66 said:

Is the nut cut a little too high? That's a possible cause of intonation problems on the lowest frets.

yeah I've been wondering the same thing after looking at it - I'm not familiar with what passes for normal in terms of action or nut height etc on a Mando, but just to the eye there looks to be quite a lot of deflection when fretting at 2nd and 3rd frets, compared to the length of string behind the fret. It could well be this.

If it is (if I get chance in daylight I'll take some pics tomorrow) then I'm not sure it's worth spending on fettling it - I only paid £20 for it! 

It's fine for me getting my fingers used to things though I think 

It sounds like that could be the issue. If you don't have some fret files is there someone near you that you could borrow some from? Or maybe speak to someone at the bluegrass jam? I've generally found the players at those sessions are good bunch who will willingly help someone if they can.

TimmyO

I can put the shout out around town to see if anyone I know owns any and give it a go I suppose.

The folks at the jam near tore my arm off when I said I *owned* a mandolin - they've not had anyone who plays one for some time it seems (which is a shame as I'd have loved to latch onto someone) 

Epsilon

My experience with mandolins is that there's no point having an entry level one. It's one of those instruments where if it's not above a certain level of quality the playing experience is simply miserable.