How to Change a Mandolin String

[portgilbertred]

Hi Brad,

Thanks for all the great mandolin postings!!! I have been concurrently learning/playing both mandolin and fiddle for just over one year. It's really surprising how much a person can improve with consistent dedicated practice/playing. I am really happy with my progress on both instruments, and I'm enjoying my musical journey.

Happy 2012. Thanks again!!! Red

[wizrado]

nice technique.....I also like you pentatonic video lessons :)

[1998bigben]

thank u!!! ;o

[patjoslin]

my tip, always change your strings with your shades on. But ive had em hit me in the ear as well, which hurts, so maybe wear some headphones as well...

[slimeflyer]

WEIRD HOW WHEN SOMETHING POPS IT ALWAYS HITS YOUR EYES

[hotone23]

Lots of one eyed Mandolin players due to those E strings popping!

[leeroa1]

yea thats great but...theres 12 hooks on the bridge end and only 8 strings,,how the hell do put the rest on?????

[tonydandtheoldjims]

Thabks for this video !

[myanusisbleedingyay1]

semi-perfectly good!

[Reggae1942]

I broke E & A strings at the tuner due to the bend on the string. Great of the wound strings.

[scottdylan20]

nice method, although I still get the creeps when I'm tuning the E strings... u can't trust those, u never know when they're gonna pop out and hit u in the eye

[apfelstrudelmaster]

youre way of locking the strings in the machine head was much better than mine, cheers :D

[FlopsyDiggins]

well shit, I was stumped on how to get the tailpiece off, the rest is easy... blonde moment :P

[alfonsgoffin]

Thanks for the really good explanation!! It helps a lot !!

[kikekiss]

Can i put guitar stings on my mandoline?

[DuskY1991]

@kikekiss I don't think so - as he says mandolin strings have loops and not ball-ends. Maybe some newer instruments take ball-end strings - then you probably can (I don't see why not, either).

[MaxVdub]

@kikekiss lmao. no.

[killergirls]

Wonderful Video!

[lunablues]

awesome. never strung my mando with such confidence!!!

[Reggae1942]

I always wind up with to much or to little around the machine head, aaaaagh.

[SmokingWickerman]

@IsraelJosefowitz thats the best kawaii thing ive heard all day, thank you... thank you...

[JusticeLivesNot]

Awesome, sir! Thanks for this (I had no idea that was a removable cover, either)!

[gbeyer12]

Letuba the same thing happen to me you have to put the bridge back Directly in the middle well actually a little higher look at a picture of a mandolin and u will see

[drumnjazz]

Brad! Take it to the bridge!

[Jebowski]

You didn't say anything about the bridge/action stuff in this video...

kind of misleading when I tried to put the strings on....

[LeTuba]

Someone help me. I've tried to lower the action, but I can't tune the E string. I've broken 3 ones.

[LifeInTechnicolour]

cheers, didn't even know the cover at the bottom came off haha :)

[DSLRmusic]

Hey, thanks for the video :)

I have a mandolin and I haven't break any string, but I didn't know how to change them until I watched your video, you helped me a lot.

Thanks!

[megk7992]

Thanks!!!

[backpacker617]

thanks this was helpfull

[kaygeedubbs]

Just got my mandolin today, never worked with a fretted string instrument before, used to have an upright bass. Haven't touched one in over four years, though, and these instructions were clear, concise, and very easy to follow. Thank you for this invaluable little video.

[Mavericco]

Excellent Vid. Learned alot from the common sense perspective. Great job!

Thanks...

[sirant]

Thanks a lot! Great video! Just bought a new set of strings to replace to old crusty ones that have been on my mandolin since I bought it. I think this will make the whole stringing process a whole bunch easier!

[brunovianarezende]

hey, great video! I'm sure this will help me to change my mandolin strings! Thanks a lot!

[Labrabob]

Thanks. Two ideas were new to me and helpful: the piece of leather to mute and the way of looping and locking on the tuner.

[charlewild]

After a 25 year break in mandolin ownership this is one job I wasn't looking forward to! Never did! But you made it easy and saved me from bloody fingers and saying bad words!

[deljimwhy]

Great info, just be careful of the treble strings (omg that E string) when restringing. LET THEM STRETCH!! I snapped numerous going a quarter-turn at a time. Still broke! Just my two cents.

[Srouble]

Thanks so much for your knowledge and help!

[MusikalMooMoo]

Great Video.

Thank you for your help!

:-)

Also, I agree with nutmegger....my mandolin also has a sliding tailpiece

[nutmegger1957]

When I pull the tail Piece Cover off, I slide it to the rear.....I noticed you pulled it up and off......doesn't pulling it "up and off" force the sliders to expand and make the fit loose?

[rugshort]

Thanks for the info. keen beginner bassist guitarist hoping to sell one of my basses for mandolin.

[kowgrl123]

I have been doing it the hard way til now,,,thanx

[Dunaldango]

how often do you nead to change strings?

[MRBHV]

Does anybody know the order of the strings. Not what you tune them to, what the strings come as.

[snova514]

google it ...... next time =P

G D A E from lowest to highest

[MRBHV]

i tried googleing it but i could only find what the standerd tuning is. Thankyou for the info though!

[snova514]

i just changed my mando strings and i'm reading off the box itself right now. They're actually advertised as GDAE, but the real distinction is the guage size, measured in mm. Some sets of strings are lighter and some are heavier, so it's not like all Gs are a certain size. Does this answer your question?

[MRBHV]

it does! thankyou very much!

[Tesirus]

Didin't work.

The string is no rolling around the pin .

[LaurenF1996]

Excellent!

[drayos2]

Thx for the info bro.

[properjob]

Thanks for a simple, concise explanation. pj

[classicaction]

very helpful! thank you!

[Maedbh7]

Very helpful! Thanks :) I broke my first E string just today. My tailpiece didn't come with felt, but it will have some soon as I buy and install the new string.

[bonspielsong]

I found the description pretty straight forward - there was no obvious tying of the string, and he described everything he was doing at the tuning peg with the 180 degree direction. ...sorry you broke 2 strings though.

[mandolearner]

Thanks a zillion for this video. And thanks for other such helpful videos.

[tjandjm12]

Hey Brad, I just bought my mandolin today and already broke the E string trying to tune it up. Since it came with no instructions it was a pleasant suprise to find this video. I also appreciate all the other helpful videos. Please keep em coming...Thanks

[GreatHeights22]

That happened to me, its pretty hard tuning those E strings. lol

[crookedriverranchman]

Thanks Brad for offering, i have been laying for about 5 years now and haven't really had too much of a hard time changing strings, it's always great to see someone elses take on the subject. Thanks for all yor great tips and books which I have all of them and know that you have helped to Improve my playing.

Dennis Fehling

[OgoTomO]

well done. thank you!

[Travelersole]

I don't play but after 81 views I thought I should say something . way to go you guys! keep on doing what you do. take Care Gary