Mandolin: Troubleshooting Tone Quality...Improving Tone

DDate: Sun, 9 May 2004 12:26:24 -0700
Subject: Mandolin Bridge Questions

Dear Mickey,

Greetings Bert,

I've had my MMS-3 for a little over two months now and haven't
missed a day of practice because I love it so much (even though I'm still
terrible). Thanks for getting me started.

You're most welcome...glad to see that you're staying with it daily.

My technique is slowly
improving but I still hear a lot of pick noise. I'm trying out various
picks but if you have any advice about what a rank beginner is likely
doing wrong, I would appreciate that.

Make sure that the type of pick you're using is a medium as opposed to light gauge...the noises created by flatpicks are called transients. These transients can be caused by a lot of things including:
1. Gauge of pick...to ensure less pick noise always use a medium to heavy gaug flatpick.
2. Where you're striking the string...make sure that you've found the "sweet spot" where the noise of the flatpick is lessened. For instance, you'll notice that when playing closer to the bridge, the pick noise increases...when playing between the bridge and fingerboard, the pick noise lessens...
3. How you attack the string...make sure that you're using some flexibility with your wrist and not slapping the strings...
4. The size of the pick...I've noticed that a smaller teardrop flatpick has less transients than a larger triangular flatpick...even so, I personally use the larger flatpick myself...I feel I can utilize more surface of the pick on the string...and there's more to hold on to.

I'm curious about the design of the bridge. The point on the
bridge where the strings touch does not run straight across as one might
expect, making each successive string pair slightly shorter or slightly
longer than the neighboring strings. Does this have to do with tempering
of the scale?

Yes, unless it's a flat style mandolin, the bridges all come with what is called intonation compensation. There's a staggering on the top of the bridge to vary the lengths of the strings so that it is, as you call it, tempered tuning...this ensures that the strings play in tune all the way up the neck...as long as the bridge is correctly placed...equidistant between the 12th fret and itself and the nut to the 12th fret...

Also, how often does the bridge wear out? The tension on the
strings must eventually cut into the wood.

I haven't seen one really wear out...unless the wood was balsa...the string tension really doesn't seem to cut any grooves that you need to be concerned about...if you take care of your mandolin, you should find it will last you a lifetime...with only maintenance checks once every year or so...once in a long while, you might have a manufacturer's defect come up...only very rarely...with us, you have a lifetime warranty that will protect you against manufacturer's defects...

Keep up the solid practice, Mickey

Yours Truly,
Bert Daniel

Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:38:56 EST
Subject: TWANGY MANDOLIN

HI,I HAVE A MORGAN MONROE MMS-2 . IT IS A GOOD LOOKING MANDO . THE PRICE WAS GREAT . I KNOW IT CANNOT SOUND LIKE A HIGH END MANDOLIN BUT------
IT IS VERY TWANGY AND IT SOUNDS CHEAPER THAN IT SHOULD. I'VE TRIED DIFFERENT STRINGS TO NO AVAIL. ANY ADVICE ?????????
I WOULD SEND IT BACK TO FACTORY IF IT WOULD HELP.

THANKS,
FRUSTRATED IN FLORIDA ( MIKE)

Greetings,

I'm not sure why you would have a twangy sounding MMS-2....these are superb mandolins...and are all solid wood...

There are a couple of things you might try:

1. Try a high quality flatpick...such as the Tortis...when I switched over from a plastic flatpick to one of these, the tone fattened up substantially...

2. Use medium gauge strings...not light gauge...this will surely affect the overall tone in a good way in your case...the thicker the gauge of strings, the less twangy a mandolin will sound. You might find your mandolin stiffer to play...and, if so, you might want to take it in to a local technician to have it set up for medium gauge strings. Do not even try using heavy gauge strings...too much stress and too difficult to fret...

3. You might also consider changing out the bridge and tailpiece (if none of the above works)...to an ebony bridge and an Allen tailpiece...these added upgrades will also influence the tone...

Let me know if any of the above works for you...Mickey