larry, hope the wait is tolerable. but i have two MF's. one with engelmann, one adi......and both probably need restringing.

after the last few days i have had (water main to my house broken and caught in red tape with water company and the sub-contractor- water line insurance coverage pays, but you gotta stand up, kick some butt and take names- no water since monday)........i think the zen-like atmosphere of string changing is welcome.

Sorry to hear about the water line problems Mary. I'm retired from the Utility field, wnat me to come up and help kick some butt around ?

You can try to teach me how to actually play one of these things in the off hours. LOL

Gotta say after reading all these posts that I do feel better about the string changing thing. Seems those people who told me they don't change very often are in the majority.

And as for the Mandos themselves, I can honestly say that I have had NO desire to replce my Collings since the day I got it. That F sang to me, and still does every time I pick it up. Even in my far less than capable hands. I may have added the Oval as a compliment to the F, but truly don't have any MAS or need for a newer or "better" Mando. I have played some really stellar and unique Mandos at a friends place, some that sounded amazing. But never have had that urge I seem to live with where the guitars are concerned.

Better go practice some once I get enough coffee in me to really wake up.

thanks for the offer Rick, but i kicked butt and took names and they were out there late into the evening putting in a temporary line last night.

i was a project manager for a top 10 bank during the 90's bank fiasco. kicking butt and taking names was my forte. but thanks for the offer. the real problem was the sub-contractor that got the bid for the water line insurance coverage. them contractors, you can't live with them (i tried for many years) and you cannot shoot them (at least that's what a friend of mine who used to be a death row attorney in texas told me)......

i'm off for more coffee and then oooommmmm, off to change strings.

I just had a hugh PITA no,not bread... pain in the behind.Collings is working with me to correct too tight tuners ,Elites,on my MF so they sent me a replacement set to put on and I'm in a hurry today so I take strings off the MF ,tuners off,and when I go to put the new tuners on.....aaaaargh......they're for an MT.I know, shoulda checked first. I called Alex and he's sending the correct ones out but this led me to my first experience of restringing a Collings mando and I don't ever want to do it again.PITA,PITA,PITA

Question,is the James tp the easiest to restring? Others that might be easier than the Collings? I played Gibson A's all my life and those while still a PITA were a bit easier than this Collings.

Well CC, as this thread started on the subject I cah sure feel for ya. I don't know about the James TP, not enough of a Mando player to know my ins and outs there.

I recently changed strings on the Weber octave Mando I got, and that TP was a bit easier to use for me. Now, if you want to go into the part where I had to nip the balls out of geetar string ends to make a set for it. Well, you get the picture.

PITA is absolutely correct my friend.

I hear ya on the too tight tuners. I once busted an Elite tuner button trying to turn it. Hard on the fingers. Some luthiers on the cafe recommend dipping in acid solution (tuners, not fingers)!

James tailpieces are easy if you only change 2 strings at a time. Otherwise, the rubber grommet pops out and that becomes a PITA. Collings are actually easier if you prefer to change 4 at a time. The trick is to jam a toothpick in the loop side of the string tunnel to keep the string from moving back and off the posts.

Rather than useing a toothpick, I took the advice of someone else here on the forum and use a capo to hold the strings just snug on the end pins now.

That helped me a LOT when I did the Octave Mando.
The Weber TP does not have individual holes you could stick a pick in. But the capo trick worked like a charm on that one.

i should go into business: mando string changer. i gotta admit it's a pain, but a slothead guitar is worse. the best part of changing mando strings is tuning the little sucker up when you're done. it just sings.

rick, i can change your strings when i'm down in florida this april... if the boss will let me.

Let me know when you'll be down this way Peter.
You can at least check and see if I did it right !

"Anybody ever try re-stringing a Rickenbacker 12-string?"

as a matter of fact i have, owned one for several years. Makes changing strings on a mando childs play.

You are supposed to change strings on a mandolin? Hmm, who'd a thunk it. Oh well too late traded mine for C10 Lil Herb Special.


They really don't need to be changed unless you break one. Everyone thought my F5 was the cat's pajama's and sang like a canary, and I never once even thought about changing the strings in two years.

OK well I did think about it once. But did not act on it...........LOL

You can't make this stuff up.

I HATE changing my mandolin strings.When I was playing in a touring band for 5 years in the begining of the '90s, the only time they got changed was when one string broke.Or when we were going into the recording studio. In that case they were being changed every two days! Then it was time for a whole new set. My main axe has a Monteleone tailpiece wich is nice because you can use ball end strings on it also(if you have the right model)!...Kerry K