Slight bow in mandolin neck - advice needed

[Securb]

My mandolin has a bit of a bow in the neck and it is affecting the playability seeing how short the neck is. I am getting ready to do a truss rod tweak. Should I simply approach it the way I would do a guitar/bass truss rod? Or are the other considerations I should be aware of before jumping in?

 

[ICTGoober]

A truss rod is a truss rod. Good luck, let us know how you do.

 

[Securb]

Thanks Chris that is what I figured

 

[Securb]

Done. I didn't have a ton of play in the truss rod but it is close to where I would like to have it. Another half-turn would have been perfect.

 

[GuitarStv]

My mandolin doesn't even have a truss rod. : (

 

[Securb]

My mandolin doesn't even have a truss rod. : (

Mine is a budget Ibanez mandolin. I think I paid just north of $100 for it. It does have a truss rod and a pickup. It sounds decent with some mod, delay, or reverb. I have plugged it into the Marshall to see what it sounded like with high gain and as you can imagine it was a shrill feedback-filled mess. It does take to the JC 120 very nicely.

 

[GuitarStv]

Mine is a budget Ibanez mandolin. I think I paid just north of $100 for it. It does have a truss rod and a pickup. It sounds decent with some mod, delay, or reverb. I have plugged it into the Marshall to see what it sounded like with high gain and as you can imagine it was a shrill feedback-filled mess. It does take to the JC 120 very nicely.

I found my mandolin in the old farmhouse that my dad was knocking down on his farm. It's an old bowlback Imperial mandolin . . . probably made around 1900. Plays OK, and is really freaking loud but could use a little truss rod adjustment. If there was a truss rod.

 

[ICTGoober]

Mine is a budget Ibanez mandolin. I think I paid just north of $100 for it. It does have a truss rod and a pickup. It sounds decent with some mod, delay, or reverb. I have plugged it into the Marshall to see what it sounded like with high gain and as you can imagine it was a shrill feedback-filled mess. It does take to the JC 120 very nicely.

Oh, man - I bet it sounds heavenly through a JC with the chorus on and a touch of verb...

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Cool, needs a DiMarzio though .

Solid top or lam?

 

[Securb]

Cool, needs a DiMarzio though .

Solid top or lam?

It is a solid top. You are right a pickup swap would be nice, seeing I am not a fan of singles. I wonder if MJ could make me a little Black Winter to throw in it.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Is that piece of shipping foam still between the bridge and top?

Before you mess with the pickup, you should fit the bridge to the top. There are plenty of tutorials online, but I've had great luck with taping sandpaper to the top and carefully sliding the bridge back and forth so its contour matches the top. If you're not already using D'addario's 11.5-41 strings, I'd recommend those, too. Whether it was a $500 Eastman or a $10k Gibson F5, heavy strings improve the sound, and since you're not bending strings, you can get the action really low so it's no harder to play.

 

[larryguitar]

Is there room to add a washer beneath the TR nut? That can give it a bit more oomph if you're out of threads.

Larry

 

[Ashurbanipal]

It is a solid top. You are right a pickup swap would be nice, seeing I am not a fan of singles. I wonder if MJ could make me a little Black Winter to throw in it.

That would be amazing. :headbang:

 

[Securb]

Is that piece of shipping foam still between the bridge and top?

Yep, I never removed it to protect the top It is super thin I do now suspect it is changing the tone much, the instrument sounds fantastic.

 

[Securb]

Is there room to add a washer beneath the TR nut? That can give it a bit more oomph if you're out of threads.

Larry

The truss is deep under the neck and hard to see. I suspect if there is a nut and washer it is at the bottom of the neck. Right now, I would give the neck a 95/100, so I am more than happy.

 

[Securb]

Update on my mandolin. I brought it to my Greek Luthier and he went over the entire instrument. He suggested I use lighter strings, leveled the frets, worked on the bridge and set the intonation. The instrument sounds and feels like a different mandolin. Seeing that is the first and only mandolin I have owned and played the experience of playing the instrument is totally different and even more enjoyable. This guy is so great with acoustic instruments.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

It is a solid top. You are right a pickup swap would be nice, seeing I am not a fan of singles. I wonder if MJ could make me a little Black Winter to throw in it.

I know you're kidding, but on that note, I asked the CS about a Lil' Black Winter once, and they said no. That I should get a Hot Rails instead.

I also asked for a single coil Slug, and they said to get a Hot Stack instead.

I ended up getting a Hot Rails and hating it, LOL.

 

[ICTGoober]

Update on my mandolin. I brought it to my Greek Luthier and he went over the entire instrument. He suggested I use lighter strings, leveled the frets, worked on the bridge and set the intonation. The instrument sounds and feels like a different mandolin. Seeing that is the first and only mandolin I have owned and played the experience of playing the instrument is totally different and even more enjoyable. This guy is so great with acoustic instruments.

Hard to beat a competent and experienced craftsman.