127 RSW Eastman Mandolin New Nut Saddle and Setup

An Eastman mandolin from Colorado needs a little TLC.

[@johnthomas2255]

Your years of repairing these Mandolins & Guitars & Fiddles sure shows that you know what you are doing, I enjoy watching your videos & thanks for putting them on .

[@thomastommy1192]

wow you really put life back into the mandolin. Jerry you truly have the touch when it comes to working on these instruments. I really enjoyed this video. A excellent video. Many thumbs up to you and this video my friend. Thank you for sharing it.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you very much.

[@ricklavash6965]

Really nice camera work on this one, Jerry. I enjoyed the close up view, while you were cutting the nut. Keep up the great work; binge watching Jerry while stuck at home due to the virus, is great fun. Thank you for the tremendous amount of time you devote to making these videos. God Bless you Jerry!

[@n8tuwstevenewland933]

Thanks I'v got a homemade mandolin made by an old gentlemen. That was given to me many years ago. I'm not a great player. But watching your video's .I realized that I need to do some things to make sound better. Thanks for the great help.

[@RosaStringWorks]

You are welcome Steve. Thanks for watching.

[@floydloonie4880]

WOW! What a pretty fiddle that is... What a shiny little instrument, it sure buffed out nice! Great job once again, as always your work is top notch for what you charge most of your customers. Everyone wants a budget price on everything these days, but still want premium goods and services at the same time. BUT I'm the same way, so l get the the the way people think these days. You sure take pride in your work, and you are very nice to share your craft for folks to observe and learn how things get fixed the correct way. Thank you for sharing and explaining your repairing process on stringed instruments.

[@RosaStringWorks]

You are very welcome. Thank you so much for watching.

[@henrystevens2425]

Enjoyed the video. Thanks for taking the time to do these.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Henry Stevens you are welcome my friend.

[@ronhammar1154]

Indentions? I think I learned a new word. When it comes to perfection you are perfect even without 200 nut files. Deer antler was a good choice. Well done as always.

[@JohnDorwin]

This is like Bob Ross but with mandos. Nice video.

[@RosaStringWorks]

John Dorwin thank you my friend.

[@getarman59]

I agree with John. I've been playing at playing guitar for about 50 years or so and have lately gotten interested in learning to play the mandolin. I bought an inexpensive Ibanez and have been having a pretty good time. I enjoy watching your videos and you are a really good teacher. I want to thank you as well for putting these up for all to see. David Van Bibber: [e-mail]

[@RosaStringWorks]

David Van Bibber thank you very kindly.

[@1980bwc]

And minus the Awesome Fro! Lol

[@EmbelekoBand]

I just enjoy watching your videos cause the end result is always amazing.

[@rattleshakti]

Absolutely fascinating to watch the work you did on this mandolin. Very informative indeed and thanks for teaching me a few of your skills. Greeting from the UK.

[@RosaStringWorks]

You are welcome. Thank you for watching.

[@johnspencer1184]

you and Randy are my favorite go-to guys that comes to instruments keep up the good work

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you John

[@audiotechlabs4650]

Great! Can not get enough of your videos. I have learned so much from them. I have been using Gibson Bill Monroe signature strings, and they made my Johnson(Rouge) mandolin come alive. I also made a half bone saddle(upper half bone glued to a piece of walnut and placed it on the foot where the height adjustment thumb wheels are).I may try your choice of strings some time. Thankz

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you. Sure glad to hear that. Good luck with yours.

[@MrJohnboyBurns]

Really nice! I wrote a “Brother John” as well Thank you sir!

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

I like the change with deer antler... Excellent tutorial.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you very much.

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

Very nice job indeed. It is a pleasure to watch a real craftsman at his trade. I am thinking my old Yamaha is probably too far gone to be worthwhile "fixing" it, though I love it dearly and have to play it with a capo as the upper frets are worn as are the fingerboards. It has been banged around a lot over the years, and only having traded at a pawn shop nearly 30 years ago to get it, I should just upgrade, though it has marvelous tone still. Thanks for sharing your skills.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you for watching. If you decide to fix up the Yamaha, I'd be happy to do the work. Probably wouldn't cost all that much.

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

Thank you

[@banjomanToddTaylor]

Sounds awesome!!! you improved that mandolin big time! and also awesome!! playing as well my friend love your style very smooth playing great.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thanks Todd. You are too kind.

[@dalepal]

Nice job on this mandolin. I sounds great with the new nut and deer antler saddle.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you Dale.

[@TheBoabby50]

Suberb video. Covers all I need to know to attempt to improve the action on a cheap first time mandolin (guitar player trying mando) Excellent detailed information. Thank you

[@jamiej14544]

Jerry, your videos are the best. I'm saving my pennies for a Rosa mandolin!

[@RosaStringWorks]

Jamie Jones thank you very kindly my friend.

[@milesnorrell5403]

I have been enjoying your videos, thank you.

[@victordelanietze4998]

Sweet Tunes and good work! I love these long videos. Take care

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you Victor.

[@galmagen7696]

OMG! you need to do more over voicing! and even more audio books! your voice is so calming when you did the over voicing!

[@sryanrussell]

I'm going to have to buy some of your music if I keep watching these videos. Great video and beautiful Mandolin work as always!

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you Ryan. Much appreciated.

[@docoluv9]

Mr. Jerry def. Can tell the difference. Wow... I'm watching all your older vids i haven't watched.

[@zackhall3036]

I hated it when you started scraping between the frets - but no way I could buff that without it getting caught in the wheel & thrown across the room and smashing. My hat's off to you, sir.

[@peterbryan3081]

Did I really hear Jerry say "I'm not really a picky person"? One of the reasons he is so amazing is that he is a really picky person and that is why his work is so outstanding.

[@waynechurchill7212]

Keep good work going 🇨🇦👍

[@RandySchartiger]

Wow that mandolin sounds like it has a loud bark to it. The Eastman guitars I've worked on all seemed like good instruments. Good video Jerry and some nice pickin!

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thanks Randy

[@stephengent9974]

Sure sounds a lot better. Nice job.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thanks Stephen!

[@jamiej14544]

I have two Eastman mandolins, including one similar to the one you worked on in this video. I have found that pick is a major factor in the tone. A thick pick, made of nylon, rather than a thin, hard plastic, will offset the high, tinny treble sound of a new mandolin, that is not broken in, or an inexpensive mandolin made with laminate woods. I use the Dunlop 1.5 mm max grip nylon pick and get a well balanced tone with my Eastman. A thick pick gives better control also, for playing bluegrass.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Jamie Jones I completely agree I never use less than a 1 millimeter thick pick. thank you for watching

[@leonp5289]

Nice job as usual, Jerry!

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thanks Leon.

[@EmbelekoBand]

Sounds great.

[@moleisrich1]

Watched the whole vid. That’s it I’m getting my mango out and putting on new strings . My top is collapsing though. Shop said it can’t be fixed.😮

[@denniscleveland669]

I just found some of that wax at Woodcraft near Austin, Tx.

[@DriveShaftDrew]

wow made a great difference good job

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thank you Drew.

[@anterior2009]

Jerry fixed a couple hundred-year-old fiddles for me about twenty years ago. Started out completely unplayable. Came back in excellent shape. Still playing them now. May 2019. I'm somewhat curious about filing the bottom of the nut rather than the string slots.

[@stevenpape2021]

I used to use lemon oil until a fiddle player told me about linseed oil. Good call

[@SaccoBelmonte]

wow, what a beautiful instrument right there.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thanks Sacco.

[@EarlofBaltimore]

Just to speak to your opinions on different oils, I definitely agree linseed is the best I've personally used. However certain vegetable oils can actually go rancid on you and grow bacteria. It's good practice to use oils to maintain woods used in instruments, but it's a good idea to be somewhat selective about which type. Just my .02 for what it's worth.

[@RosaStringWorks]

+Oswaldo Delacroix I'm sure you are correct. Thanks for watching.

[@weldy7018]

i also had a thought about your before and after clips. dont know if its possible with your software or know-how but it would be cool if you could cut the before clip and put it right next to the after. maybe even flip back and forth between the 2 for a couple chords or short solo runs. again its sounds like a good idea but dont know if its as easy as not knowing how to play the mando or as difficult as playing it half as well as the legendary Jerry Rosa. ;)

[@andrewgalloway7344]

admirable attitude dude .. ude .. de ..e ... (bit o' delay there )

[@jeffwills3939]

awesome

[@billyporterfield7755]

The attitude toward expressing appreciation for the customers business in this video is much different than we see today (2020). Today we are told at great lengths that he is turning business down. We also get a good dose of how big a problem it is to work his business into his "special" farm chores and other unrelated activities now. I'm also sure if he reads this he wil be quite indignant and tell me to go somewhere else which is a real shame because he is such a fine craftsmen and is at the top of the list of all the luthiers on utube today.

[@RosaStringWorks]

I try to tell it like it is. I have turned away more than 1,500 people in the last year. What would you do differently? I would truly like to help everyone. But KZbin has overwhelmed me. In Fact, the KZbin audience asks to see more and different things. So I try my best. I am not Hollywood. I am not superhuman. Just a 65 year old very tired and overworked person who gets constant criticism .

[@billyporterfield7755]

Jerry I appreciate your reply. I too am 65 and understand the tired, overworked and underappreciated feeling. I have been doing the same work for 43 years now and sometimes I wonder if it is all worth it. The one thing I do know is that my customers both good and bad have brought me to where I am today. I too at times have been forced to turn business away due to many factors. I just didn't publicise it. I always felt this was like telling everyone "Look at me! I am so great that I do not need you business." I saw this attitude in my competitors and it always came back to haunt them. As for the new things I suppose a little diversity never hurt. Just don't forget that the new things didn't get you where you are today. You would have to ask yourself if you started your utube channel with nothing but the new things, how far would they have gotten me? Your true gift is in your talent which is being among the finest craftsman in the world. I have never and will never disparage the work you do. This would only make me look petty and would of course be a lie. I wish you well with your endeavours and pray for your family. Don't try to be "superhuman". Just be Jerry. A great craftsman and friend to the public. After all these are the gifts God bestowed upon you. From your harshest critic and greatest admirer, Billy

[@barristanselmy2758]

How does wax make your instrument sound better?

[@jarrodhurd3168]

Another great video! Do you find deer antlers to be better than let's say cow bone? I just noticed that you only use deer antlers. Sorry if this is a dumb question.

[@RosaStringWorks]

For mandolin Saddles deer antler is thicker from the outside wall to the marrow. I've tried a lot of cow bone but I cannot find one thick enough anywhere to make a mandolin saddle. Bone works fine for guitar saddles and you can even find it thick enough to make nuts out of. But mandolin Saddles are just slightly wider/thicker than any bone I have found. I actually do think the antler is a slightly better sound overall than bone. The reason is that I feel like it's just slightly harder. It gives a more crisp sound especially on a guitar.

[@tonybrown7408]

'Tone Wax' !!! . . . . I think I'd like to hear a 'before & after' on a guitar before youtube mangles the audio

[@zippy3711]

The linseed oil comes out again after a while because it is swelling the dry areas, so the extra comes out. And slow that buffing wheel down a little, it will still buff.

[@danw1955]

Heh heh, I was thinking the same thing! I could have some pretty colorful nightmares about that thing grabbing one of the f-holes and flinging a $3000 instrument into the concrete floor.😱 *EDIT:* Maybe at least put a thick rubber mat on the floor in front of the buffer, just in case?😉

[@gregleroy1]

👍🏼

[@raycantu4881]

I am looking into buying a Mandolin,,, what do you think of Northfield Mandolins,,

[@RosaStringWorks]

Sorry Ray, have only seen one or two and honestly don't remember much about it.

[@leftienigeblank4320]

Hello from the U.K. Jerry . Can you advise on the saw you use to cut and adjust the nut-slots ? I'm having difficulty finding a suitable one here in England . Any info about thickness , teeth per inch , and maker's name would be very helpful , cheers, Nige.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Leftienige Blank I thought I might have answered this question perhaps maybe from someone else but the saw I use isvery old. I got it from Stewart MacDonald probably 25 or 30 years ago. It's just a fret saw with interchangeable blades. That's all I remember.

[@clawhammer704]

Leftienige Blank looks just like my steward McDonald fret saw.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Rick Ncarolina I imagine it is the same saw.

[@rickeysnider4666]

What would you suggest the height over like the 12 fret I play fiddle mostly and make the actions on them as low as I can possibly go and would like to do that to my mandolins

[@RosaStringWorks]

Approximately .050"

[@thommoore2682]

what is your set up fee? considering a checkup on my Eastman 515CC....I am a new player but want best sound I can get

[@RosaStringWorks]

Unfortunately I am working through huge backlog. We really are not accepting in the new business at this time period sorry to tell you that

[@waynechurchill7212]

Zwhat was the name of wax again

[@RosaStringWorks]

I guess you're referring to Renaissance wax

[@weldy7018]

does the footprint of the saddle possibly change after theres full tension on it? as in can it flex and bow somewhat giving it different pressure points?

[@RosaStringWorks]

The saddle might change a tiny bit. But the feet of the bridge will change more. If you get the feet fitting the top really well before you string it up then they won't change too much because they have plenty of surface grip.

[@raycantu4881]

What version of Wafaring stranger was that in the back ground at about 5:38 into the video?

[@RosaStringWorks]

Ray I recorded that back in the mid-nineties with my own band. So I guess you'd have to say it is my version. Should I say I'm sorry? lol

[@apparameswaran1792]

What is the price in idian rupee

[@eolden7749]

any idea what tusq nut would work on an Eastman? Thanks

[@eolden7749]

On my new 315 someone cut the e strings way low. I filled with super glue and re slotted for now. To play the first fret is still really hard the rest not bad now with out fretting out. So will let it set for day and lower the stings another swipe of the file. Id like a spare nut of something. AND yes my bridge has the forward lean. I may get your bone one some time. Your videos are great. Wish I lived closer.

[@1980bwc]

They come from the factory with a bone nut, so theres really not much need in upgrading them. Its hard to beat bone. You wont hear much if any difference in the sound. The saddle is really were the upgrade makes a huge difference. I took the stock ebony saddle off my Eastman MD-315 and ordered one of Mr. Jerry's deer antler saddle. Wow! They are amazing!

[@Talisman-tb6vw]

I would not use vegetable oil, I would use a mineral oil so that it doesn't get sticky. Vegetable oils get sticky over time.

[@RosaStringWorks]

Thanks for the note.

[@henrystevens2425]

Can also oxidize and smell bad (rancidity).

[@RosaStringWorks]

Henry Stevens I was thinking in might smell more like french fries. lol. Thanks for watching.

[@JohnnnyJohn]

How does wax effect the sound?

[@RosaStringWorks]

Johnny John it seems to harden the finish and the result is a crisper sound. It is more noticeable on guitars and it takes something like a Furniture paste wax to make it happen.

[@macmcclenny226]

I have a Eastman 615 what do you charge for the deer antler bridge

[@lrstaf6]

Jerry, do they make silk with steel winding strings for violin and if they do, do they wind the E string too? I'm working on an electric violin with magnetic pickups and would like to try them if they make them.

[@RosaStringWorks]

The ones I use are D'Addario Pro Arte. Aluminum wound over nylon core they are J56W 4 / 4 M medium tension and it says aluminum wound E

[@lrstaf6]

Will aluminum excite magnetic pickups?

[@acmullane]

@@lrstaf6 nope

[@LukeLittle-rt6sn]

Would wd-40 work? Just wondering

[@RosaStringWorks]

Probably wouldn't hurt anything, but I think it has a silicone base rather than oil. Might dry out, and the other chemicals might cause damage to the plastic binding over time. But that's just a guess.

[@LukeLittle-rt6sn]

+Rosa String Works thanks I was just wondering

[@cheryllakin3077]

Have you ever tried sesame oil ? That works great for me !

[@RosaStringWorks]

cheryl lakin I'm sure that sesame oil would be fine. People even use 3 in one oil in fact it was recommended by either Gibson or Martin I don't remember which. thank you for watching

[@cheryllakin3077]

Wow ! I didn't know that. You learn something new every day...