Review: Morgan Monroe mandolin

James Willer · #1 07-23-2002, 11:41 AM

Well friends it came today! As I opened the case and picked it up I first noticed the beautiful woodgrain, the silking on the spruce top reminded me of my W10. Gracefuly arched top and back, simply gorgeouse ! After a little tuning I was ready to play. It has a nice full sound with a big bark! I'm a strummer not a picker but the little picking I can do it's loud and clear [ I gotta work on that picking stuff ] There is a couple of little finish flaws for character and looks to be a quality instrument but it's going back because there is a crack at the end pin

But other than that I'm

happy with my new mandolin!

frayne48 · #2 07-23-2002, 05:15 PM

Confused here, happy but sending it back because of a flaw? I don't think I would be a happy camper. Just curious as to what model, how much $ and where you got it from, if I'm not asking too much. I'm down to three choices for my first mandolin, a Morgan Monroe, Kentucky or a Mike Kelly model. Going all solid wood too. Any comments from the comando-mando players in the forum ?

James Willer · #3 07-23-2002, 10:59 PM

Heck Ya! I like the mando but the crack is at least an inch long! I bought the mms-3 from Folk of the wood for 699.00, another 79.oo for a hardshell case. the 3 has a solid carved top, back and sides, spruce top with maple back and sides. Now I have to send this one back and wait till they send me another

and I hate waiting! I've always had kentucky's but since theyre made in china the quality has really dropped off the mark! Now the
micheal kelly's sound like they are pretty nice. I've been to there website and emailed those folks a few times and they were in the toss up where I would buy from. I've also been searching ebay for a nice older kentucky but kept getting outbid at the last minute by someone who didnt even place a bid before...............

beatlenut · #4 07-24-2002, 06:23 AM

I'm very pleased with my new Kentucky KM150S (all solids) for $270 with hard case. It's very important to have the mandolin properly set-up just like you do with a guitar. This is my first mandolin and I think perfect for a beginner. It sounds decent to me and is fun to fool around with. Buy from a "real" dealer, local, folkofthewood.com, FQMS.com, Janetdavismusic.com, elderly.com, etc are all good. They will set up the mandolin before they ship it. Unlike musiciansfriend who sent me a Kentucky that one of the tuning pegs was bent at a 45 degree angle AND the bridge wasn't attached yet. A newbie like me doesn't want to have to put the sucker together! It went back and I went with janetdavismusic.com based on their rep and was very pleased.

James Willer · #5 07-24-2002, 11:30 PM

Kentucky came out with some nice mando's but since they started making them in china I think they went down hill. I'm still searching for a nice vintage kentucky.........