Guitars not mandolins!

Pixbarmy

Pixbarmy

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I've been thinking about a mandolin to pass the winter evenings. I used to play guitar and I know that the fingering is different. There are some on Ebay and Amazon but quality wise - don't know. All advice greatly appreciated. Wouldn't mind a fixer upper as I have woodwork skills!
 
As Graham said. I have dabbled with mandoline in the past, playing briefly in a folk band. Personally I love it, but it is a bit harder on the fingers of the left hand, the chords are sort of upside down vs the guitar which can be confusing, but eminently doable. I still have an antique one that needs re-stringing, I couldn't recommend one in particular but I'd say it's worth going for a good make if possible, eg Ibanez, Epiphone
 
Have a look at Thomann. They have a large traditional instruments section, with kit at all levels. They are also good, in that they won't just sell something that looks ok but is unplayable, and even their cheapest guitars are still quite playable. I recently bought an Aeolus hollow body guitar from them, and it's a decent instrument.
 
Thanks for all the advice, still looking!
 
Well, here's the thing! Mandolins are just too small for me, so I'm now looking for an acoustic guitar (new or good used), budget up to £200 approx, as this will better suit my chunky frame and fingers. Suggestions and advice greatly appreciated. I've looked at low budget "Chinese" and the finish is just awful on most of them (seen some "new" with rusty strings!). East Anglia based preferably.
 
Look online at Gear4Music if considering new.
Classical (eg Spanish) or Folk? (The former has nylon strings, the latter metal, typically). Brands I'd look at (because I have them) are Epiphone, Ibanex, Tanglewood in folk guitars. I don't have a classical/spanish one so can't advise on that.
 
Pixbarmy said:
Well, here's the thing! Mandolins are just too small for me, so I'm now looking for an acoustic guitar (new or good used), budget up to £200 approx, as this will better suit my chunky frame and fingers. Suggestions and advice greatly appreciated. I've looked at low budget "Chinese" and the finish is just awful on most of them (seen some "new" with rusty strings!). East Anglia based preferably.
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I'll get back to you later.
 
Not sure where to try guitars in East Anglia, but when you do I'd recommend looking at second hand Tanglewoods. I play a TW60 which sell for somewhere in the region of £500 to £600 new, but I picked mine up for £175. It's a gem of a guitar and has seen me through hundreds of gigs with many a very experienced person asking what it is because (they say) it sounds so good. I also bought a TW40 as back-up - again, used, but this one cost me £300. It's got a wider neck and I don't like the pickup quite so much, but it's still a gem of a guitar. That said, you could find similar bargains with used Faith or Yamaha, too. For £200, you could find a great used guitar.
 
I think that the nylon strings may be better as it would be for home use and SWMBO didn't used to like my "twanging" when I had my last steel strung electric! I will no doubt be banished to the furthest corner of the house again! Thanks for all the help, much appreciated.:)
 
Out of idle curiosity I just searched for classical guitar, used, on e-bay.

The seem to be mostly Yamaha and most are in your budget.

Good luck.
 
Pixbarmy said:
I think that the nylon strings may be better as it would be for home use and SWMBO didn't used to like my "twanging" when I had my last steel strung electric! I will no doubt be banished to the furthest corner of the house again! Thanks for all the help, much appreciated.:)
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An unamplified solid body guitar does sound pretty 'orrid and twangy compared to an acoustic (or even semi-acoustic) one. Best bet is to find a shop with decent stock and have a pluck/strum/twiddle to see which one feels and sounds best for you.
 
...................... and all sorted as of this morning. A Handmade classical guitar that sounds lovely, even though, as yet, it only has 5 strings! It was bought and stored for over 40 years by the original owner! It has never been properly "set up" so am waiting for some nut files, strings etc., to have a play!
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Wish me luck!
 
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Pixbarmy said:
...................... and all sorted as of this morning. A Handmade classical guitar that sounds lovely, even though, as yet, it only has 5 strings! It was bought and stored for over 40 years by the original owner! It has never been properly "set up" so am waiting for some nut files, strings etc., to have a play!
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Wish me luck!
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Go easy with the nut files. Being nylon strung (Under less tension then steel.) it's probably fine. the neck will be wider than the usual acoustic but that will probably help you learn "Good" technique. The strings will be further apart which helps if you've got fingers like pigs t1ts! :-)
 
I'm going to do some research on how high the action should be. EDIT. Just checked by the correct method and it is within spec. Need to check again with the new strings fitted but Wow! Thanks to all for your help and advice. Much appreciated. (Perhaps not by SWMBO!)
 
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Graham W said:
Go easy with the nut files. Being nylon strung (Under less tension then steel.) it's probably fine. the neck will be wider than the usual acoustic but that will probably help you learn "Good" technique. The strings will be further apart which helps if you've got fingers like pigs t1ts! :)
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Mine are more akin to pigs trotters!;)
 
I am now thinking I need to scratch that classical guitar itch! The only sort I don't have.
 
Tuning pegs might need a scrub though!
 
Nod said:
Tuning pegs might need a scrub though!
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Everything has been cleaned and fettled within an inch of its life since that pic was taken. New strings fitted. Even the leather case has been cleaned, "fed" and "nourished" back to good health! If only my fingers (and my body) were as supple as they were fifty years ago, life would be much better!
 
Nice looking guitar and best of luck with getting back into playing. If you want to learn some songs to play and/or get your playing technique better then have a look at the Justin Sandercoe YouTube channel aka Justinguitar. He’s very good at explaining things and does all sorts of songs, styles and difficulty levels.

I’ve played for 50 + years but I’m starting to struggle with my fingers not being as flexible as they were. I definitely don’t have the finger span that I used to, not that it was great to start with as I’ve got sausage fingers too.
 
Pixbarmy said:
Everything has been cleaned and fettled within an inch of its life since that pic was taken. New strings fitted. Even the leather case has been cleaned, "fed" and "nourished" back to good health! If only my fingers (and my body) were as supple as they were fifty years ago, life would be much better!
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I was thinking more about after Mrs Pixbarmy had given the proctologist an extra job!

Never been able to play "proper" guitar but can play some sort of rhythm using an open E (slide) tuning and full width barre chords. Used to play bass but like Larry, finger flexibility is not too good these days!
 
Graham W said:
Go easy with the nut files. Being nylon strung (Under less tension then steel.) it's probably fine. the neck will be wider than the usual acoustic but that will probably help you learn "Good" technique. The strings will be further apart which helps if you've got fingers like pigs t1ts! :)
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Once the new strings were fitted and settled a while, the action was a shade high, so have file "adjusted" the bones and it feels muchly better now! Going to leave it all to settle (including my aching back, eyes and fingers) and have another session tomorrow, whilst Mrs Pixbarmy is out. ;)
 
After seeing Sierra Hull live tonight a guitar is much easier than a mandolin, but if you can play as well as Sierra mandolin is stunning.
 
After re-stringing, I decided that the fretboard could do with oiling and I didn't want to take all the strings off again, so got a bit "inventive"! Felt adhered to a lolly stick, add oil, slide under strings and oil away, without getting oil on the strings!
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As they say....."necessity is the mother of invention"!
 
I am starting to think that I should have bought an electric guitar as I am starting to annoy "her indoors" with my acoustic practise! I could wear headphones with an electric (which is what I had many years ago/1970's) and be almost silent. Are the headphone setups expensive? I know that small practise amps with inbuilt speakers, used to be available for peanuts in the 60's/ 70's, but have no knowledge of the modern stuff. Any advice appreciated. Mike
 
 
Oh dear! I've gone and done it!
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A Burns "Shadows Special"! The original poly is still on the plastics. Just researching strings etc. and I shall be up and running in no time! Wahoo!
 
Pixbarmy said:
Oh dear! I've gone and done it!

A Burns "Shadows Special"! The original poly is still on the plastics. Just researching strings etc. and I shall be up and running in no time! Wahoo!
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HNGD

Personally I like DR Tite fits for electric general use, however something like either Elixir or DR cated strings - forget the name - can be good if you only occasinally play. I don't like coated strings personally because the tone can be a bit dull, but the DRs are better than many in that respect, and I used them for several years on a Godin xtSA.

I would avoid D'Addario (go dull quickly) and Rotosound (dull even faster).
 
Currently in the middle of the mechanics of the knife edge tremelo system with lots of adjustments and restringing (it was on original 20 year olds!) to sort. Just resting my hand on the bridge was taking the tuning out, so new strings and fine tuning all the adjustments, to get the trem in the middle and the action correct, whilst still in tune, is the order of the day/s ahead.
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