Mando Hangout - Building, Setup, and Repair Forum Feed

Set-up mandolin as ukulele ?

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 04:05:59 CST

Hi
I'm hoping that someone here can help me. I have recently bought an Eastman mandolin and I love the sound of the mandolin but I'm really struggling to play it any sense. My usual instrument is the ukulele which I have been playing for quite a while and am reasonably proficient at playing.
My Question is this: Can the mandolin be strung to the same tuning as the ukulele (i.e. GCEA) and if so, which strings would you recommend to give an even tension ?
My ukuleles are mainly strung with a low G instead of the normal "re-entrant" G.
I do hope that you are able to help as if I can't restring it I may have to sell it !

weight

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 14:14:25 CST

hello to all & merry Christmas . I have built a F5 mandolin from Roger Siminoff's plans. I would like to know the weight of a Gibson F5 for comparison sake. If anyone knows, I would appreciate knowing it. Thank you and Roger for the great plans. By the way, as busy as he must be he still takes time to answer a question personally. A great guy, bob

Another Builders Latest YouTube, Lacombe Bouzouki

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 04:41:44 CST

Looks excellent! sounds excrllent!

youtu.be/erZcbmftFng?si=YSh9gAF6LKdv62VJ

Web Content From A Builder

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:29:04 CST

A lovely new instrument featuring lovely playing,

youtu.be/DijXEQptkfY?si=7KIrTl7DfmShbp8q

YouTube Keeps Sending Me Mandolin Content

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 9 Aug 2025 05:24:50 CST

Boosting mandolin content from the web...

I enjoyed having Graham Macdonald's book on loan from the library. I think I need my own copy.
I was pleased to see his videos in my "Up Next" this week. This one is neat with an explanation of the elusive short scale Octave Mandolin (Mandola).

youtu.be/6JxSGfjwuTU?si=3HCg72F7AWTHi9E0

Old Hickory Broken Neck!

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 4 Aug 2025 06:22:53 CST

I’m new to the mandolin. I’ve played guitar and banjo for years, so I thought I’d give the mandolin a try.
I currently have two: one I bought for literally a penny, which has no brand name and sounds terrible, and the other is an old Hickory that was given to me. It’s an F-style and used to sound great, but one of my siblings left it on the floor and stepped on it, snapping the neck in half at the 5th fret. My dad tried to fix it, but now it sounds awful.

So my question is: should I get a luthier to repair the old Hickory, stick with the no-name one, or buy a new mandolin for around a hundred bucks?

Thanks,
Juan Solo

A style mandolin bridge placement

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 10:50:33 CST

Trying to figure out placement of bridge on type a mandolin

Mandolin repair in PA

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 1 Jun 2025 07:31:01 CST

I'm looking for a mandolin repair shop / luthier in Pennsylvania. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bill Arden

Anyone else do this?

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 1 May 2025 15:41:35 CST

I had a Mid-Missouri Mandolin mandola made with some extra bracing so I can tune it up to mandolin pitch (GDAE). My son had same one made a few years ago. SO far its been holding up great. It is so much louder then a mandolin, way way louder and throatier. This is our third Mid-Missouri instrument, we love them!

Replacement tuners for vintage model A Gibson mando

eric@mandohangout.com — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 10:03:13 CST

I have a model A old (circa 1910) Gibson A - no Gibson on peghead

Would like to get replacement tuning machines that are identified cal and use the same holes . Where do I go to get them. Are they available ?

Franklin Mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:36:35 CST

YouTube picked up on my interest in Franklin guitars and snuck Franklin Mandolins into my up next. Does anyone know anything about Frankie Bellowe of Franklin Mandolin?

youtube.com/watch?v=Jhs7FiQfmz8

youtube.com/watch?v=5ZSYjE_KyZA

An Impressive Survivor With A Familiar Look And Lovely Sound

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 17:49:30 CST

From Youtube's algorithm.

youtu.be/QMbaskzg854?si=Z_xf9l9T5Tz037pi

A Myrtle Wood Octave Mandolin From Builder Zach Hoyt

eric@mandohangout.com — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:13:20 CST

I followed a brief discussion of this on a woodworking forum. I believe It's made from 1 board rather than being bookmatched.
youtu.be/jFMzqHU5bYY?si=sRYdNWOsvjBr1zdG

A Very Nice Sounding Cigar Box Octave Mandolin On YouTube

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 6 Jan 2025 08:35:34 CST

It was fun to come across this Cigar Box Octave video. It has an impressive sound. Excellent playing too. Here is the link incase others snowbound and looking for free entertainment (like we are).

youtu.be/T-L4qMpff9s?si=ypfu3gYDXNzyV2bm

An Entertaining YouTuber Makes A Mandolin Armrest

eric@mandohangout.com — Mon, 6 Jan 2025 06:16:55 CST

This gentleman's content is mostly about epic repairs of epic guitars. He also sneaks in life lessons and a little philosophy.

youtu.be/HTRLB3pltyc?si=p8sP6bgBcjltacMO

More Mandolin content from Mr. twoodfrd. The mandolin repair starts at 10:18 minutes.

https://youtu.be/ids3_Kxmi_I?si=PwPpsTJdjTEEV9_m

Another Great Builder, Another Great YouTube Channel

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 5 Jan 2025 17:37:42 CST

Jo's Band Camp page is a favorite as well!

youtube.com/@JoDusepo/featured

https://dusepo.bandcamp.com/

In Depth Inside Big Muddy Mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 5 Jan 2025 15:25:41 CST

I have been humming the song Little Rabbit ever since seeing this. Now to try and learn the song.

youtu.be/DQquh7spNW0?si=ESUbiSuvP70flPJ-

Another Great Builders YouTube Channel

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 5 Jan 2025 15:19:54 CST

Mr. Forster's Mandolin videos.

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW7...PxCqo6dXD

A Talented Builder Showing His Fine Mandolins

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 4 Jan 2025 05:04:57 CST

I enjoy seeing Mr. Nybergs latest creations. Here is a link in case others are interested.

youtu.be/ZQ-pM9mOMo4?si=HBcEgjsfa3QbfOvv

youtube.com/@nyberginstruments401

https://soundcloud.com/nyberginstruments

A Video Peek Inside The Shippey Shop

eric@mandohangout.com — Fri, 3 Jan 2025 15:28:43 CST

Fun Videos, Lovely Sounds:

youtu.be/CYXG8sa4E2g?si=gL3j_XpQZ-BAnyXO

youtu.be/BV9YQnAwaRU?si=YkGl0t1ctq-1_AMk

Fun YouTube channel with lovely sounds:

https://www.youtube.com/@paulshippey

Roger H. Siminoff

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 5 Nov 2023 04:19:35 CST

I am excited to finally be reading the published works of Roger Siminoff. I am embarrassed to have only recently discovered his body of work. His writing is wonderfully straight forward. His knowledge is very extensive. I highly recommend his How To publications.

Gypsy's Music and Mid Missouri Mandolin Company Similarities

eric@mandohangout.com — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 06:58:02 CST

As I look at mandolins on the web I see a lot of Walt Kuhlmans Gypsy's Music Mandolins and mistake them for Mid Missouri Mandolins. Is anyone aware of any connection between the two?

Gibson Mandolins Neck Joint History

eric@mandohangout.com — Fri, 3 Feb 2023 11:29:08 CST

There has been a fair amount of inaccurate storytelling when it comes to Gibson's neck joint application in their mandolins, and this thread is to set the record straight re: recent usage of the last 50 years or so.

At least during the teens (1910-19) and certainly by the time the F5 Master Model was introduced, Gibson implemented a compound dovetail neck joint; this application continued until 1970 & Stan Rendell's re-design of the F5. It was at this time that Gibson designed/utilized a Mortise-Tenon straight slot joint that was EXISTING methodology when:

A. Roger Siminoff spearheaded the F5L project in 1978 and
B. Gibson purchased Flatiron in 1987.

Per the F5L project, quoting Roger Siminoff:
" The neck joints on these instruments boasted a mortise and tenon design that Gibson was using at the time. The machining of the neck heel and one-piece neck-and-fretboard-extender spoke well for Gibson's incredible woodcrafting capabilities. Unfortunately, the neck joint didn't feature a secure locking method, and several of these instruments experienced neck joint failure and required subsequent re-sets. The mortise and tenon neck joint featured a single element neck-and-fretboard-extender that greatly facilitated construction and alignment. We had wanted the mortise and tenon eliminated early on in the development of the F-5L, but the company had already prepared a bin of necks (see photo below) and had invested a great deal in tooling to create the mortise and tenon connection."

Of particular note is the almost religious fervor that some have on this topic as shown by:

1. Holding Steve Carlson/Bruce Weber responsible for the Mortise-Tenon neck joint methodology/usage at Gibson

2. Classifying these mandolins as inferior, and yet hypocritically say not ONE word about Tom Ellis (Ellis mandolins) and Bill Collings (Collings mandolins) usage of the SAME joint in their mandolins for years up until about 5 years ago, or that Ellis/Collings mandolins were inferior because of it...meaning at the time of internet forum thread posts on this subject, that's what both Ellis/Collings used; and some Martin guitars as well.

So in summation:

1. Gibson introduced the Mortise-Tenon neck joint usage in 1970 and this continued up to about 1997-99 when Charlie Derrington initiated & over saw a retool at Gibson Nashville that brought back the compound Dovetail joint.

2. If Montana Gibsons are deemed inferior on the basis of this joint then one must also declare Ellis/Collings mandolins and several Martin guitars as inferior also.

The logical conclusion would be that the supposed neck joint issue is purely religious hype and nothing else.

National RM1 Mandolin

eric@mandohangout.com — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 08:05:28 CST

I have a 2012 National rm1 Maple mandolin. There is no binding on the neck or headstock and there's no truss rod cover on the headstock. Is this a special run, or maybe a different neck. What are your thoughts? I have contacted National rental phonic but have not heard back from them yet.