mmccutch - Posted - 10/09/2013:  14:35:49

Any buying advice for someone with small hands and short, stubby fingers.  I am much more fluid with strings that are low to the fretboard.  All suggestions are welcome.  Thanks in advance

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 10/09/2013:  15:01:39

A competent luthier should be able to set up a mandolin to suit your playing needs. THere are some mandolins with a slightly thinner neck the Gibson A5L comes to mind just like there are some slightly wider the Gibson Sam Bush model is one such. Insofar as short stubby fingers take a look at Tim O'Brien on YouTube. His hands aren't paws like Sam Bush has......... of course a Nugget "A" model like O'Brien plays is a" little bit" beyond what most folks can afford price wise........ look at the specs on neck widths and thicknesses...... I am sure you can find something to suit ....... R/

rnajlis - Posted - 10/10/2013:  20:58:19

I currently have on order a mandolin with a 1" nut width. That might work well for you as well (or not...)

rnajlis - Posted - 10/12/2013:  16:17:47

the mandolin is being custom made by Barry Kratzer of bulldog mandolins. No company that I know of makes an off the shelf model with a 1" nut width. There are other luthiers that make 1" nut widths, including: Hans Brentrup, Sim Daley and Buddy Davis.

I don't know where you are, but if you are close you are welcome to come try mine.

tooltimegrunt - Posted - 10/14/2013:  09:55:44

What is considered a standard/average width?

What is considered a wide neck?

Thanks

rnajlis - Posted - 10/18/2013:  21:53:54

Nowadays, I guess 1 1/8" has become the standard. Before that, 1 1/16 was probably more standard. A wide neck would be 1 3/16" 1" is not unheard of though. In fact Bill Monroe's mandolin had a 1" nut width.

easyal - Posted - 10/19/2013:  05:01:33

 I also have small hands.I played a Eastman 505 with a nut that is just a little under 11/8" and a radius finger board. Got to play a Gibson F5G with a 1 1/16" nut and a flat finger board. The back of the neck was really different. More of a slender V shape.What a difference!!! I think the Gibson neck on the F5G is refered to as a Loar style neck?So, after 6 months of looking, I found a used Gibson A9  with a 1 1/16" nut at Mandolin Brothers. It's great!!!!. I can play better ,longer and with less hand pain. I have also thought of a custom made A model with a 1" nut. Just don't have the funds right now.   Easyal

rnajlis - Posted - 10/19/2013:  16:36:00

It would be interesting to compare the 1 1/16" flat fretboard with a 1" radiused.

tooltimegrunt - Posted - 10/21/2013:  02:31:59

I have a medium sized hand with thick finger pads that tend to cause the strings below (vertically) the ones I am fretting to be muted.  

I play a Weber mandolin with a 1/16 nut.  Would a wider nut help me?

ErikForGod - Posted - 10/21/2013:  09:41:46

The 1 3/16's is the average nut width I thought? the early Gibson's like Bill's were a bit thinner that's true.

rnajlis - Posted - 10/21/2013:  09:49:55

Erik: At this time, I think the standard is 1 1/8. Collings uses 1 1/8" for its standard and 1 3/16" for its wide width, and other companies do too
Gibson seems to be more around 1 1/16, though I do hear some people with 1 1/8 from Gibson

tooltimegrunt: There are many factors - nut width, neck shape and profile, and also fret size. I ordered a 1" nut width, radiused, with very small frets. Although I like a narrow nut width, I also prefer small frets, as I feel the larger frets don't allow enough space for my fingers to get in there.

tooltimegrunt - Posted - 10/21/2013:  15:54:54

quote:

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Originally posted by tooltimegrunt

 

I have a medium sized hand with thick finger pads that tend to cause the strings below (vertically) the ones I am fretting to be muted.  

I play a Weber mandolin with a 1/16 nut.  Would a wider nut help me?

 

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My mando also has a sharp V profile.  What would a standard neck do for me? 

(let me know if I should start a new thread, I don't want to steal the original post)

rnajlis - Posted - 10/21/2013:  17:46:13

When you say sharp V profile, do you mean a deep V? Some necks are chunkier at the shoulder that others. I think Webers are usually chunkier at the shoulders than some others. I have heard that Chris Stanley takes a bit off the E string side of the neck to make for easier access.

I used to have a Collings with a deep V profile. I did not like it. I felt that it was just a piece of wood digging into my hand for no good reason. Of course that is just personal opinion, many people love the feel of the Collings neck.

My favorite mandolin that I have tried was a Brentrup that had a 1" nut, radiused fretboard, and a speed neck, with very small frets. Very little to get in between me and fretting the notes. The speed neck is a very thin neck shape, with no deep V to it.

Of course this is all very personal. My tastes are probably on the less common side.

ErikForGod - Posted - 10/22/2013:  05:20:34

My new mandolin is 1 3/16's I think that was the nut width of the Weber Yellowstone that I used to own years ago......

tooltimegrunt - Posted - 10/22/2013:  06:30:18

quote:

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Originally posted by rnajlis

 

When you say sharp V profile, do you mean a deep V? Some necks are chunkier at the shoulder that others. I think Webers are usually chunkier at the shoulders than some...

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Bruce Weber calls it a "sharp V profile"  so I used his terminology.