Rickson - Posted - 12/16/2011:  10:13:15

Afternoon,

I am a survivor of a traumatic brain injury, and thinking that playing a mandolin, will help to re-wire my brain. I have never played any instrument before my injury, but I love the sound of a mandolin, so I thought, if you love it learn how to play it. I'm pretty sure I'll buy an A-style (because the "beginning" A-style fits my budget better then any f-style), but wondering about mando's listed as wide nut and what that really means? 

jazzphil - Posted - 12/16/2011:  10:58:53

The nut is the bit the strings pass over when they come off the tuners ie. the opposite end to the bridge.

They can vary in width, usually between 1 1/8th " and 1 1/4".  The wider the nut allows slightly more spacing between the pairs of strings to provide slightly easier access for fretting of adjacent string pairs.

I hope that helps.

Phil

Rickson - Posted - 12/16/2011:  11:08:51

Yes it does, thanks. A friend of a friend is letting me use his Kentucky KM-172 so that makes sense.

ccravens - Posted - 12/16/2011:  12:33:23

A wide nut is usually referring to 1 3/8 as opposed to a standard 1 1/8.

TI_USER - Posted - 12/18/2011:  15:12:28

Welcome to the wonderful world of the mandolin. I think playing an instrument is an excellent way to help re-train the brain. My wife is a home care nurse and has worked extensively with children with brain injuries. Her own brother was severely brain injured in a motorcycle accident about 10 years ago. He was near death after the accident but has recovered nicely and is a testament to strength and desire to recover. She has studied music as a form of rehab and has seen very positive results.

Also, I wanted to point out that you shouldn't think of an A model mandolin as the beginner, or a step towards the F style. Well built instruments will sound good regardless of body style. I have been playing mandolin for 35 years and have owned several F style mandolins during that time. My current Breedlove A style body is by far the best sounding mandolin I have owned, and one of the finest I have played.

Edited by - TI_USER on 12/18/2011 15:13:44

Rickson - Posted - 12/19/2011:  09:30:02

I really wasn't thinking that a A-style is a beginners mandolin, just doesn't costs as much. I like the Kentucky 172 that I am starting with, but it's only a "loaner" and as soon as the person say's I have to gave it back, (or when I think so) I will have to go buy my own. I do like the 172, but it's not the sound I want. I've been going to a local store and hearing many people jamming (playing both A or F together) so I'm understanding that each style or manufacturer makes each one as different as the other, so whether I buy an A or F my budget will be the key. I'm sure not trying to play on stage with a band, just play/jam with a couple of my guitar playing friends. But I really want to buy an "american" built, not a "foreign" built mandolin, which seems to drive the cost up a tab.

TI_USER - Posted - 12/22/2011:  12:03:02

Two things. 1 - What will your budget be. If you give us a top dollar figure we can offer suggestions. 2 - I'm not sure I agree that buying foreign drives up the cost. Most of the reason the Asian imports are so popular is that many are excellent instruments that are a fraction of the cost of most American made instruments. There are some good bargains in American instruments, but most are bottom of the line instruments that cost as much as top instruments from foreign makers. Let us know what your budget is and lots of people will be glad to offer advise. 

For instance, if you were spending around $500 you could get a Kentucky KM-505, which gets excellent comments by users and will be a whole different level of quality from the KM-172.  Of course, it's a f-hole mandolin where the 172 is oval.  I think the 505 would give you much more flexibility in the styles you could play.

Edited by - TI_USER on 12/22/2011 12:07:32