Good and affordable Mandola?

[Ugi]

Hey folks,

I've searched the forum but didn't find a similar topic.

I have bought a "Hora" Mandola some months ago for around 180$. The instrument is not in tune which is obviously a problem. I mean something is wrong with the frets and you can't get a scale in tune out of it. Some notes are 20% flat...

Now I would like to buy a new or used Mandola which is in tune and doesn't cost the whole word.

I thought about the price range of 400 - 600$.

Could you recommend me any good Mandola within or close to that price range?

By the way, I'm from Switzerland.

thanks!

[Jäger]

Are you sure it's not just the intonation that is messed up and you need to adjust that? If something is wrong with the frets, that should be quite easy to spot upon a quick ocular inspection.

[Ugi]

Thanks for your answer.

Yeah, I guess the intonation is wrong. I tune the instrument with an electric tuner that all the open strings (GDAD) play in tune. Now I play on the second fret and my A on the G strings for example is over 20% flat. Same with the A strings. The two D's aren't that flat.

Should I show the instrument in a guitar shop? I actually have no clue myself how to correct the instrument.

[Thomaston]

Does it have a floating bridge? If so, the first thing you should do is see if it plays sharp or flat at the 12th fret. If it's flat at the 12th, move the bridge in towards the peghead until you get an in tune GDAD at the 12th. Once you've done that, check your intonation on the rest of the fretboard. If it's still out of tune, then it's probably just poor fret placement.
I don't know how good these options are economically outside the US, but in that price range Gold Tone and Trinity College tend to get good reviews. Gold Tone actually just revamped their mandola (actually called an octave mandolin in the US) to a longer scale length and a better bridge. It looks nice.
http://www.goldtone.com/products/detail ... e-Mandolin

[s1m0n]

Thanks for your answer.

Yeah, I guess the intonation is wrong. I tune the instrument with an electric tuner that all the open strings (GDAD) play in tune. Now I play on the second fret and my A on the G strings for example is over 20% flat. Same with the A strings. The two D's aren't that flat.

Should I show the instrument in a guitar shop? I actually have no clue myself how to correct the instrument.

If it has a floating bridge, check whether the distance from the nut to the 12th fret is the same as the distance from the 12th fret to the bridge. If they're not identical, the bridge is in the wrong place.

[s1m0n]

Does it have a floating bridge? If so, the first thing you should do is see if it plays sharp or flat at the 12th fret. If it's flat at the 12th, move the bridge in towards the peghead until you get an in tune GDAD at the 12th. Once you've done that, check your intonation on the rest of the fretboard. If it's still out of tune, then it's probably just poor fret placement.
I don't know how good these options are economically outside the US, but in that price range Gold Tone and Trinity College tend to get good reviews. Gold Tone actually just revamped their mandola (actually called an octave mandolin in the US) to a longer scale length and a better bridge. It looks nice.
http://www.goldtone.com/products/detail ... e-Mandolin

I was just thinking the same thing.

[Jäger]

Thanks for your answer.

Yeah, I guess the intonation is wrong. I tune the instrument with an electric tuner that all the open strings (GDAD) play in tune. Now I play on the second fret and my A on the G strings for example is over 20% flat. Same with the A strings. The two D's aren't that flat.

Should I show the instrument in a guitar shop? I actually have no clue myself how to correct the instrument.

Sure sounds like the intonation is straight to hell. Not to worry though, that shouldn't be a problem big enough to warrant the buying of a new one. I'd take it to a shop and have them set it up, shouldn't cost too much. Also, ask them what they will do, then you'll learn how to fix these problems for the future.

Good luck!

[MTGuru]

Ugi, has your instrument been set up by a luthier? In my experience, new instruments are almost never set up properly at the factory, even high-end instruments. And cheap instruments are almost always bad. A basic setup should cost around $50-$100, and is well worth it.

In addition to the poster comments above ... The intonation problem could be a simple as a bad (or cheap) set of strings. It's amazing the difference a good set of strings can make. When I start to have intonation problems with an instrument, that's a sign that it's time to change strings. At least new strings are an easy solution to try before you take it to a repair shop.

For checking the bridge placement ... An easy way is to play a "touch harmonic" at the 12th fret, then the normal fretted note at the 12th fret. The 2 notes should be (basically) identical. If the fretted note is flat, move the bridge up toward the fingerboard. If the fretted note is sharp, move the bridge away from the fingerboard. Repeat this procedure until the intonation is good. To move the bridge, you first have to loosen most of the tension from the strings and tighten them again to test the position. So a string winder is a good tool to have.

Also check the nut. On new instruments, the nut is almost never set properly. If the nut is too high, the intonation of frets 1 to 5 can suffer badly. If the nut slots are wrong, the strings are not being stopped at the front edge of the nut, which ruins intonation.

Another problem can be the adjustable truss rod, if you instrument has one. The rod controls the "relief" (the curve) of the neck. Too much curve, and the distance between the strings and the fingerboard will pull the notes sharp.

Finally, some of the frets may be too high or uneven, and need to be filed.

In summary: Check the bridge and change the strings. If that shows that the intonation can be OK, then take it to a good luthier for a setup. You may find yourself with a very nice mandola.

[Ugi]

Thank you very much everyone!

I tried the "12th fret" tipp and the intonation is good (not exactly the same with every string but on average good). I made a mistake before, the scale is sharp not flat.

I also noticed that the intonation gets better the higher the fret. So, according to the information about the nut from MtGuru, it really might be that thing that causes the most problems.

I go and see a luthier tomorrow and will show him the mandola.

About new strings. I replaced the low G and D strings with D'Addario strings some weeks ago. The tone is much better but it didn't change the intonation.

I'll keep you updated if I'll get the mandola in playing order

[Ugi]

Something must be really wrong with that instrument. I gave it to a luthier, he polished some things and adjusted the bridge but that "lovely" thing still doesn't want to play in tune. So this must me one of that Hora instruments that it is not really playable.

Still thank you for your answers. Ordered myself a Johnson Octave Mandolin and probably will sell the Mandola for a very low price.

[MTGuru]

That's too bad, Ugi. I think sometimes instruments are like people. Once the relationship goes sour, and you've tried your best, there's not much you can do except move on. Good luck in your quest!

[Ugi]

Thank you MTGuru for your uplifting words

I got my Johnson Octave Mandolin today and I'm quite satisfied with it.

BUT

somehow it had the wrong strings on it for a GDAD tuning so I replaced them with d'Addario strings well but guess what happened. The D'Addario strings (the low G and D) are too thick for the nut. The strings it had as it arrived were thiner.

Okey, the other two strings A and D do fit into their scratches in the nut and play in tune through the scale but the thick ones do not are not in tune. They are around 20 sharp on the 12th fret and over the other frets up to the 12th.

So, should I rasp the scratches of the low G and D strings on the nut to make the strings fit?

Thanks again for your answers, really appreciate that

oh ps: I put those strings on it: http://images5.thomann.de/pics/prod/234248.jpg

[s1m0n]

You can widen slots for wound strings using the string or another of the same guage as the file. Stretch it tight, ideally in somthing like a hacksaw or jigsaw frame but wrapping each end around sticks held in each hand works, too. Be very careful not to alter the depth of the slot.