r/mandolin

I've been using a 2 finger cheat but am trying to get the stretch for a correct F chord. I have fairly long fingers, but dang, it's difficult to get . Is it just a matter of time to get my hand stretched out to grab all of it and still ring true?

I'm thinking to buy this Mandolin for 432$ It is not my first. It's brand new. Is it any good for this price?

https://preview.redd.it/tb77o8av5ekh1.png?width=525&format=png&auto=webp&s=50ae2358d847a871f72a3280126342a625986c0f

Hey yall, I just wanted to pop in and say hey. I just got my first mandolin yesterday. It’s a Gibson epiphone solid black baby and I love it. Every sound it makes it just so beautiful and I’ve learned 5 major chords and 1 minor so far. And I learned the chorus to “wagon wheel” and can sing with it. I’ve played ukulele for like 6 years now and I played guitar on and off for 10. So I’m not starting from scratch. But this little baby really is fun. My fingers HURT though. But I can’t stop playing.

Anyways. I tried to learn the chop chords that’s in bluegrass but it’s very hard. Should I keep fighting though the pain or revisit it at a different time? I find myself wanting to mute with my strumming hand like I do with uke and not using my left hand to do it. It’s wild.

I been wanting one for months but 2 weeks ago I saw Billy Strings (for the 9th time) and I saw a 20+ min long mandolin solo and I felt light as a feather. I was just so blown away that this tiny lute/violin thing can make such amazing sounds. I want to make amazing sounds too

Hey, I'm in the market for an intermediate F-Style Bluegrass Mandolin. I have right at $800 and I've narrowed it down to two listings: A Loar LM-700-VS (2011) and a Kentucky KM700.

Before you say to get an Eastman, my Dad has a MD515 I can play any time, so I don't want to get the same model (and I can't find an Eastman listing under $1000)

It seems that the Loar has no tone bars and the Kentucky does? It's debatable if this is desired for Bluegrass chopping, though? The Kentucky doesn't have Ebony fretboard and the Loar does.

What do y'all think?

I know there are certain artists that are considered essential to listen to when it comes to Mandolin, but are there any songs specifically that come to mind that are absolute musts? Open to all genres, just looking for great and or innovative playing.

Basically the title. I am a beginner that wants to start learning classical mandolin, and there are no local classical teachers near me. I saw Caterina Lichtenberg featured on David Benedict's YouTube channel and was impressed by her skill and seemingly easy personality- she seems like she would be a good teacher.

TIA

So I am wanting to learn mandolin or octave mandolin more specifically. I however can't afford one. So I took my baritone ukulele and put guitar strings on it because they have similar scale lengths and tuned it to the proper pitches so I could at least learn chord shapes but when I fret any note it is wildly out of tune. Should I drop the action or what? Any suggestions to my weird predicament is appreciated

Hi all,

I was wondering if anybody could help me search for in-person mandolin lessons in a more efficient way. I've already tried the Mandolin Cafe, and Google searches and emailing to my local music stores. Our local University does lessons for more conventional instruments, but I'm still waiting to hear back from them as to whether or not they can provide mandolin lessons. I know there are plenty of online options out there, but I just tend to do better with an in-person teacher.

I have deliberately avoided Facebook as I deleted my account a long time ago, but if a Facebook group is the only way to locate a teacher, I can figure out a way to do that.

Thank you!