Guitar Lovers

A mandolin is a string instrument in the lute family.  It has a body with a teardrop-shaped soundboard.  Mandolins originally had six double courses of gut strings.  But the design today has eight metal strings in four pairs that are plucked with a plectrum.  This design originated in Naples, Italy during the third quarter of the 18th century.

Mandolins have had a long history in the music world.  In fact, there have been groups and orchestras that have played music specifically for mandolins.  Mandolin playing almost died out, but it found a new place in American country and folk music.  Its resurgence is greatly appreciated, since it is a classic string instrument. Both tremolo and finger picking methods are used while playing a mandolin.

Every time you travel, you always want to make sure your belongings are safe in your bag or luggage.  The same is true of your musical instruments. You want them to be protected and safe as well.  Whether it’s a saxophone, trumpet, violin, or guitar, your instrument needs a case so you can take it anywhere.  For guitars, you can have an acoustic guitar case, electric guitar case, or a bass guitar case.

Some of these cases are made with ballistic nylon and foam padding for everyday travel.  They are very lightweight and have pouches for carrying extra strings, tuners, and more.  If you will be traveling frequently and will have to put your case in car trunks, vans, or airplanes, you will need a sturdier case.  For those times, there are strong box guitar cases that are made of hard shell plywood.  Its interior is plush lined for superior cushioning, and there are three buckles for a more secure closure.  It also includes a lock and key.

By Dan Cross

Over time, dirt and oil from your hands build up on your strings, causing them to tarnish. This dirt on your strings will cause them to begin to sound dull and lifeless. Washing your hands before playing will extend the life of your strings, however other factors (like the natural stretching of the string over time) will require you to change your strings regularly.
How often should I change my strings?
It varies from guitarist to guitarist, but keep in mind…

• guitarists who sweat more will need to change their strings more
• guitarists who smoke, or play in smoky clubs will need to change their strings more
• those who spend hours a day playing guitar will need to change their strings more
• guitarists who play “hard” (heavy grip in fretting hand or an aggressive picking hand) will need to change their strings more

How do I know if my strings need to be changed?
You’ll know if…

• you have a harder time than usual getting the guitar in tune
• your guitar tone begins to sound “flat”
• your strings begin to discolor or rust
• it’s been several months since you last changed your strings

What do I need to change my strings?
Here are the few required materials and tools…

• A set of replacement strings. Electric guitar strings come in varying “gauges” (thicknesses). The lightest-gauged strings are easier to press down on, but are much harder to keep in tune, and tend to have a thinner tone. If you’ve never bought strings before, then just pick up a few packs of light-gauged electric strings.
• A string winder (see photo). This isn’t a requirement, but will make the job of changing strings much simpler, and they only cost a few dollars.
• A clean cloth. Since you’re removing the strings, you might as well use this opportunity to clean those hard-to-reach places on your guitar.
• Pliers. So you can cut away excess new string length.