Portugal is an idea, and I will do the strings;: I just use Addario J74's which I think are phosphor bronze (it says 'Ricky Skaggs uses this pack', so they must be good, right? ;-))
I might just be going through a patch of self-doubt, as other times I like my tone, but I think it's also just hearing people playing really good top-end instruments: mine is a Lebeda. I would like to go to Brighton to play on some of the good stuff in Trevor's shop and see if the impression that I have is real (and get tempted to spend money I don't have), but also I know I need to work on a smooth, minimalist left hand and on getting all of the 'air' out of the notes with my right. Thanks for the comments- I'll keep plugging away. Cheers Robin On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 5:39 AM, Linda <lj...@intas.net.au> wrote: > Robin, > I am using phosphor bronze strings and they really suit my particular > mandolin. They tell me when they start to go, and it is awful. > Finding the right strings that suit your mandolin, and keeping them up > to date can really help with tone. > > If that don't work then talking to a skilled and knowledgeable luthier > could reveal what other issues might be around. Check that your fret > wires are not worn. I had that happen and the tone became very > distressing. The set up could be a bit off. I honestly did not > notice any tone issues with your videos. > > I look at your playing and see all the things I can't do well, yet, > that you can. > > I am able to get a very good tone from my mandolin when I play slow > enough but at speed it deterioriates. The tune gets really muddy as I > still have issues controling the pick when playing double stops, or > very fast, to get the playing clear and clean. I am currently > playing out anyway, faster, more double stops and really loud, free, > not worrying much here at the house how it sounds but more attention > to what is going wrong that I can work on, to eventually get a better > sound going when playing more complex things and playing faster. > > Thats about all I can think of to say, but hope you find the answers > so you feel happier about things. I hear you about having to travel > to purchase a mandolin, to have the choice and such. Its so personal. > > Over the last two years, I have been working on double stops, slides, > chord structure, memorizing tunes, position and habit issues to > change, finger patterns, especially reaches like from A to C# on the G > then to the E on the D string and to do that quickly. Its coming > along, all of it. Lots and lots of work though and still, feeling > like things are not exactly in place yet. > > You know there should be some really good mandolin type lutiers in > Portugal. > > best > linda > > > > > > > > > > On Jan 20, 12:29 am, Ed Goist <edgo...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hi Robin: > > Could it be your strings? > > Since string quality degrades slowly, we often don't notice it until it > gets > > really bad (kinda' like the frog that never jumps out of a pot slowly > heated > > to a boil [?]). > > On more than one occasion I've been shocked by the improvement in my > > mandolin's tone brought about simply by installing new, high-quality > > strings. > > Just a thought. > > -Ed > > > > On Wed, Jan 19, 2011 at 3:52 AM, Robin Gravina <robin.grav...@gmail.com > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hi to all, on the old communications channel > > > > > I'm getting tone paranoia: it strikes me from seeing a lot of > everyone's > > > great videos how poor my tone is: I hear most people with great ringing > > > sound, clear note separation and that kind of floating sound you get > from > > > the combination of those things. To me, lately, I sound like I just > chucked > > > a load of spanners down the stairs and into a tin box. > > > > > It's pretty hard for me to try out other mandolins, as I have to fly to > > > England for the nearest shop, but I am really starting to wonder if > it's me, > > > or my tool. > > > > > Cheers > > > Robin > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups > > > "Taterbugmando" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to taterbugmando@googlegroups.com. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<taterbugmando%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > <taterbugmando%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com<taterbugmando%252bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > > > > > . > > > For more options, visit this group at > > >http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. > > > > -- > > Ed Goist > > Development Officer, > > WYSU-FM 330-941-3364 > > *********************** > > “Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not > > only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of > > mankind.” - Henry David Thoreau > > ************************ > > > > 329.png > > < 1KViewDownload > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Taterbugmando" group. > To post to this group, send email to taterbugmando@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<taterbugmando%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. 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