Traditional and Modern Mandolin Tone Part 4

Howdy KZbin pals! Hope you enjoy Wayne's World of Mandolin and visit the channel often. If you're interested in one on one Skype sessions you can email me at [e-mail]
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Good luck......

[@activemelody]

You’re great Wayne. Best mandolin instruction on the web.

[@Mycroftsbrother]

Yep

[@kevineaster9006]

I absolutely loved the AMWAY analogy!!! I laughed out loud! That's exactly what it's like. Mr. Monroe is at the pinnacle of the pyramid! Great video, the whole series is good. Thanks for all you're doing on here Mr. Benson. I have learned a TON, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! I just wish I could win one of those elusive stickers...

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

Thx for this comment Kevin. There's more to come in the WWoM sticker challenge too!

[@doylebaggett549]

Love your videos

[@johnqualls5990]

I’ve been experimenting with my Eastman 315, and found that nickel bronze brings out the traditional tone the most. But phosphor bronze makes it ring like a bell, giving the midrange a sweet and projecting tone.

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

Yep. It takes a good bit of experimenting to find the strings that best suit your needs. Have you tried different gauges as well?

[@jeremywanless2450]

Really enjoy tone discussions! So much meat there!

[@jackgreene5868]

Thought provoking video Wayne, never hurts to reassess picks, strings etc. I always remember an interview where Jethro Burns described himself as the only mandolin player who couldn’t play Rawhide! Full respect to Monroe and the bluegrass umbrella but I sure do love when the Grismans, Mayors and Statmans tear a nice big whole in it to let some air in.

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

Me too Jack! I love the evolution we find starting with Monroe and listening to all the different players who contributed to the journey up to this point. Just imagine what the next 80 years will be!

[@budbranch]

thanks Wayne. Good info, thought provoking.

[@jimjoiner]

Great lesson. Nice surprise acoustical gift at the end. Thanks Wayne.

[@jnholland006]

I enjoy all of your videos , but this one in particular has been one of my faves! Thanks for taking the time to make these videos!

[@mandodude148]

Another excellent video Wayne.

[@f5mando]

Hi, Wayne~ Thanks again for these videos. I also use the TAD-1R 50 on a Brentrup PML and Northfield 4th Gen. PML def traditional, but the 4th Gen can be nudged to either side. The rounded pick corner is a huge tone changer, too.

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

Yep. Rounded picks take a lot of edge off of the note promoting the warmer tone. I used that style of pick as a kid trying to play guitar....

[@nighttrain4647]

What a great informative series. Thank you Wayne

[@thereverendsam413]

I shifted from standard D'Addario phosphor bronze to Monel on my big bodied mandolin that was deliberately designed to sound full and warm, to accompany singing. I felt they got me more of that "modern" tone. I wonder if these recommended coated phosphor bronze would be even better. They are EXPENSIVE here, even more so than the Monel. I actually don't feel like I'm out of pocket with the Monel, because they seem to last at least twice as long. I put Martin monel strings on my parlour guitar too, and whilst I'm not 100% whether I like the tone better on that, I AM finding, again, longer string life. I want to try them on my big archtop guitar. This has been a great video series.

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

Thx for the comment Reverend Sam! This was a fun series to make and it's a great topic for discussion. Good luck....

[@Hesallwet]

Great Lesson, Wayne. I would love for you to share some of your favorite examples of mandolin tone.....preferably studio versions, where we can put on headphones and get deep into the sound. One of my favorite examples of mandolin tone is on the song "I am a Pilgrim", off the Tone Poems album.

[@kevininman2013]

Great stuff Wayne! Definitely food for thought on the set up portion for me, I’m going to try lowering the A and E side a bit and see how my tone changes. I also like the D addario minels and the regular Ej75s. Thank you for this series.

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

Good luck with the setup Kevin!

[@luvbgrass]

I recently tried a set of D'Addario monel wound and didnt think I really liked the tone. So I changed them out while they were still pretty new to compare to the phosphor set I usually use. I like them better than I thought. They were a bit brighter but I think I like those on my mando better. Its an experimenting game I know. Is that felt you have under the strings at the nut? Does it help? Thanks for the videos Wayne.

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

That is felt under the nut. It was under there when I got the mandolin so I never removed it.....

[@TheArtofFencing]

Thanks for the nice videos! What do you think about flatwounds like the tomastiks on f5s? I normally play them on my oval hole (im more in the celtic genre) but never seen somebody play them on typical bluegrass mandolins. Is it that most players associate them with classical playing and never try them (beside their high price point) ?

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

I tried a set of flatwound Tomastiks many years ago and the A strings broke. I found myself in a hard hitting bluegrass jam and the wound A strings didn't survive the night....

[@TheArtofFencing]

@@waynesworldofmandolin3616 That's really unfortunate to hear, mine always last ages before needing a restring (I play daily and change like once per year). But I can see how one try to get the punch for bluegrass out of them and than going a bit to ruff :) Especially because the a strings are wound, if you don't set up the nut right they just don't seem to sit right is it. But what about the sound? Is it change in sound on an f-style drastic? On an flat-oval they really give a warm round sound.

[@Mycroftsbrother]

Do you ever file your picks to get them just right? I know Norman Blake files his guitar picks.

[@waynesworldofmandolin3616]

Before the Bluechip came along I used tortoise and did have to file or "maintain" my picks. I sure don't miss that! I also used Fender heavy teardrop picks just to avoid having to file....